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Forest Steven Whitaker (born July 15, 1961) is a Academy Award-winning American actor, producer, and director.
Biography
Early life
Whitaker was born in Longview, Texas to Forest Whitaker, Jr., an insurance man and son of novelist Forest Whitaker, Sr., and Laura Francis Smith, a teacher. He has a medical condition called strabismus, commonly known as "lazy eye" . His mother put herself through college and earned two Masters degrees while raising her children (Forest has two younger brothers, Kenn and Damon, and an older sister Deborah). The family moved to the Los Angeles area when Whitaker was a toddler. Whitaker commuted from Carson to Palisades High School, where he was all-league defensive tackle on the football team quarterbacked by Jay Schroeder, a future NFL player.
Whitaker attended California State Polytechnic Univ., Pomona on a football scholarship, but left due to a debilitating back injury. He was accepted to the Music Conservatory at the University of Southern California to study opera as a tenor, and was then accepted into the Drama Conservatory. He graduated from USC in 1982. He also earned a scholarship to the Berkeley, California branch of the Drama Studio London.
Career
Whitaker's first onscreen role of note was in 1982's Fast Times at Ridgemont High alongside the likes of Nicolas Cage, Phoebe Cates and Sean Penn. He followed with notable roles in Platoon, Good Morning, Vietnam, and The Color of Money. In 1988, Forest played the role of musician Charlie Parker in the Clint Eastwood-directed film, Bird, for which he won Best Actor at the Cannes Film Festival and was nominated for a Golden Globe award. Whitaker was originally called upon to write and direct a live-action movie adaptation of Bill Cosby's cartoon, Fat Albert, but differences between the two led to Whitaker leaving the production.
Whitaker branched out into producing and directing in the 1990s. He co-produced and co-starred in A Rage in Harlem in 1991. He was executive producer for the 2002 Emmy-award winning made-for-television movie, Door to Door, starring William H. Macy. He made his directorial debut with a grim film about inner-city gun violence, Strapped, for HBO in 1993. In 1995, he directed his first feature, Waiting to Exhale, and also directed co-star Whitney Houston's music video of the movie's theme song ("Shoop Shoop"). In 2004, he directed the romantic comedy, First Daughter.
In 2001, Whitaker had a small, uncredited role in the Wong Kar-wai-directed The Follow, one of five short films produced by BMW that year to promote its cars.In 2002, Whitaker was the host and narrator of 44 new episodes of the Rod Serling classic, The Twilight Zone, which lasted one season on UPN.
In January 2006, Whitaker joined the cast of FX's cop serial The Shield, as Lieutenant Jon Kavanaugh. His performance as a tormented internal affairs cop was well-received. In the fall of 2006, Whitaker started his multi-episode story arc on ER as Curtis Ames, a man who comes into the ER with a cough, but quickly faces the long-term consequences of a paralyzing stroke. He then takes out his anger on Doctors Luka Kovac and Abby Lockhart. Also in 2006, he appeared in T.I.'s video "Live in the Sky" alongside Jamie Foxx.
To prepare for his role as dictator Idi Amin in the 2006 film The Last King of Scotland, Whitaker gained 50 pounds, learned to play the accordion, and immersed himself in research. He read books about Amin, watched news and documentary footage, and spent time in Uganda meeting with Amin's friends, relatives, generals, and victims; he also learned Swahili and mastered Amin's East African accent.
His performance earned him the 2006 Academy Award for Best Actor in a Leading Role. For that same role, he also received the Golden Globe Award for Best Actor in a Motion Picture Drama, the Screen Actors Guild Award, a British Academy of Film and Television Arts (BAFTA) Award, and accolades from the New York Film Critics Circle, the Los Angeles Film Critics Association, the National Board of Review and the Broadcast Film Critics Association.
On February 10, 2007, Whitaker hosted Saturday Night Live. His singing talent was featured in several sketches, including a sketch about a singing waiter who can sing notes that can only be heard by dogs. Coincidentally, MADtv (SNL's alleged rival show) did a music video parody where Jordan Peele played Forest Whitaker rapping about his many screen roles and how he deserved an Oscar.
Personal life
In 1996, Whitaker married fellow actress Keisha Nash, whom he met on the set of Blown Away. The Whitakers have four children: two daughters together (Sonnet and True), his son (Ocean b. 1990) from a previous relationship, and her daughter (Autumn) from a previous relationship. Whitaker, who has a 1st Degree Black Belt in Kenpo Karate, is a vegetarian.He and his daughter, True, have recorded a public service announcement promoting vegetarianism on behalf of People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA).
| Latest news about Forest Whitaker |
Repo Men Film Review - Jude Law, Forest Whitaker Misfire With ...This is a film review of Repo Men with Forest Whitaker and Jude Law. Continue reading
Reel Life: Forest Whitaker Is The 'Repo Man' - Essence.comOscar winner Forest Whitaker is surely on his game this month. Just last week he put on his comedy hat for. Continue reading
Forest Whitaker's Diet Secret - Starpulse Entertainment NewsForest Whitaker has shed 80 pounds since becoming a vegetarian three years ago. The "Last King of Scotland" star, 48, was required to pile on the pounds for his role as Ugandan dictator Idi Amin in... Continue reading
Forest Whitaker: I've always followed my heart | Palm Beach ...Forest Whitaker isn't above a little slapstick. He went for big laughs in Our Family Wedding, and now he's combining dark comedy with gory action in Repo. Continue reading
Forest Whitaker Has Success Secret | Gossip BlenderForest Whitaker has revealed the secret to his movie success... he will only play interesting characters. The actor has enjoyed a career that has spanned twenty eight years and brought him roles such as Bird, which was directed by Clint ... Continue reading
Meatless Mouthful–Forest Whitaker Says Vegetarian Doesn't HurtLance Gross, Forest Whitaker, Yo Gotti, Dr. Teeth & Diamond Visit BET's. “I haven't been aware of what everybody's been saying. Somebody showed me a story that made it sound like I'm too thin. I've just been living life and trying to ... Continue reading
Forest Whitaker's Slimmer Figure Result Of Vegetarian Diet ...Forest Whitaker's Slimmer Figure Result Of Vegetarian Diet. Friday, March 19th, 2010 @ 7:00am. Oscar winner Forest Whitaker has shed 80 pounds since be coming a vegetarian three years ago. The Last King of Scotland star, 48, ... Continue reading
Interview: Forest Whitaker and Jude Law Bloody Raw With 'Repo Men ...With 'Our Family Wedding' currently out in theaters, Oscar winner Forest Whitaker is switching gears and going from being in a romantic comedy to starring in a futuristic action-thriller with Jude Law in 'Repo Men.' ... Continue reading
Forest Whitaker's success secret » Celebrity gossip, news and ...Forest Whitaker's success secret. Friday March 19th, 2010 at 9:09 am by Fametastic. Forest Whitaker would rather starve than play a dull character. The Oscar-winning actor - who has played ruthless Ugandan dictator Idi Amin in 'The Last ... Continue reading
Forest Whitaker's Secret To Success: Only Take The Very Best Roles ...Oscar-winning actor Forest Whitaker above walking in midtown Manhatten (03.15.10) Forest who has played ruthless Ugandan dictator Idi Amin in 'The Last King of Scotland' and Captain Ed Ramey in cliffhanger movie 'Phone Booth – admits ... Continue reading
Hollywood Actors Jessica alba Forest Whitaker pictures and Forest Whitaker biography
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