He is an American actor, producer and director, Indeed, Forest Whitaker is a complete Hollywood icon. The actor is known for his extensive character study, especially the real-life characters, in which he manages to internalize his movie persona and in turn, casts a perfect on-screen retort.
Whitaker outdid himself with his portrayal of Uganda’s infamous dictator Idi Amin in the 2006 historical drama film The Last King of Scotland. He shocked the world with his performance in the biopic. This performance earned him many accolades, including a well-deserved Academy Award, BAFTA, Golden Globe, Screen Actors Guild, BET, and National Board of Review Awards for Best Actor. At that time, he was the 4th African American to win an Academy Award for Best Actor.
Unlike the monstrous character portrayed by Whitaker in The Last King of Scotland, he’s been known to have an infectious calm in real life. This gentle giant with a voice so soft that those who interact with him find themselves lowering their voices.
Forest Whitaker began his Hollywood career aged 21 and has so far starred in over 50 feature films to high acclaim. He also received accolades for a number of his roles behind the camera. Whitaker starred opposite Oprah Winfrey in the 2013 historical drama The Butler and also played the character Zuri in the hit 2018 black superhero film Black Panther.
Whitaker also shares his time and resources as an activist and humanitarian. In 2011, he was appointed UNESCO Special Envoy for Peace and Reconciliation. In 2012, he founded the Whitaker Peace and Development Initiative (WPDI), which works to restore and sustain peace in formerly war-torn communities.
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Bio of Forest Whitaker
Forest Whitaker III was born on July 15, 1961 in Longview, Texas. His mother, Laura Francis (née Smith) was a teacher. His father Forest Steven Whitaker worked as a marketing agent for an insurance company. The family moved to Los Angeles when he was 4 years old.
Whitaker’s multi-talented nature was very prominent in his college days. He started out attending college on an athletic scholarship, before a back injury led him to switch to music. He eventually earned a Bachelor of Fine Arts from the University of South Carolina, which earned him a scholarship to Berkeley, where he majored in theater and acting.
Forest Whitaker made his film debut in 1982 in the new film Fast Times at Ridgemont High, where he played the role of a football player. He announced his presence in Hollywood in the 1986 film The Color of Money, with an epic scene as an ordinary pool player.
The exposure he gained from this film earned him several other roles, all leading to his first role in the 1988 biopic of struggling jazz saxophonist Charlie ‘Bird’ Parker. Whitaker received critical acclaim for this performance, including the Best Actor award at the Cannes Film Festival and a Golden Globe nomination. After that, he continued to work with several big names on films such as The Crying Game, The Great Debaters, Ghost Dog: The Way of the Samurai, The Butler, and The Arrival.
His roles behind the camera began in the 1990s, as co-producer of the 1991 crime drama A Rage in Harlem. Whitaker’s first outing as director was on the 1995 crime thriller Sanglé
Whitaker, however, quit his production company Spirit Dance Entertainment in 2005 to focus on his acting career. He certainly garnered all the attention he could devote to his unique portrayal of African dictator Idi Amin in 2006. His performance took Hollywood by storm and critics were equally overwhelmed.
Almost every major Best Actor award went to Whitaker in the 2007 awards season, including the 2007 Cinema for Peace award. The iconic actor received a star on Hollywood’s Walk of Stars in April 2007.
Forest Whitaker blessed the world with another moving performance alongside Oprah Winfrey in Lee Daniels’ 2013 historical drama. The butler. The iconic actor received several accolades for the role, including the NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Actor and Best Actor Award from the African-American Film Critics Association.
Forest Whitaker’s W si, Son
Forest Whitaker is married to former model, actress and producer, Keisha Nash. She was born on March 81972,in Boston, Massachusetts.
The couple first met on the set of the action thriller Blown away, with Keisha Nash cast as Whitaker’s character’s girlfriend. The two men decided to concretize their love story on the screen and started going out as soon as the shooting was over.
The couple tied the knot on May 4, 1996 in Montego Bay, Jamaica. Before they met, they had 2 children from previous relationships, son Ocean and daughter Autumn. Whitaker’s son, Ocean, was the ring bearer in their marriage, while Keisha’s daughter, Autumn, was a flower girl.
Ocean Whitaker was born in 1990 and Autumn in 1991. After their marriage, Whitaker and his wife welcomed two more daughters, Sonnet Noel in 1996 and True in 1998.
What happened to his eyes?
If you know Forest Whitaker very well, then you might have noticed something odd in his left eye. According to the multi-talented Hollywood icon, her father was also affected. It turns out that Whitaker suffers from an inherited condition called Ptosis, also known as “lazy eye.” The condition causes drooping of the upper eyelid which worsens if the person stays awake for too long.
Forest Whitaker is lucky to only have one eye affected because the condition sometimes affects both eyes. He also admitted that the condition sometimes affects his vision. Other than it interfering with his vision, Whitaker doesn’t really have to worry about the condition.
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Forest Whitaker net worth
For one who has blessed Hollywood with his incredible talent for several decades, Forest Whitaker has truly come a long way. In addition to his highly illustrious acting career, he has also had success as a producer and director.
Forest Whitaker’s net worth is currently estimated at $40 million. True to his celebrity status, Whitaker spends his money on a life of luxury, including a Hollywood Hills mansion and several fancy cars. However, as a humanitarian, he also donates generously to many humanitarian causes around the world.
Height and body measurements
Height: 6′ 2″
Weight: 220 lbs.
Biceps: 38cm
Chest: 117cm
Height: 102cm
Size: 11 (US) or 44 (EU)