Forest Whitaker - Actor, Activist, Filmmaker
Age: 64
Country: United States Occupations:
Actor, Activist, Filmmaker
Forest Whitaker is an American actor, producer, director, and activist widely recognized for his intense and nuanced character portrayals across film and television.
Key Career Highlights:
Academy Award Win: He won the Academy Award for Best Actor for his acclaimed portrayal of Ugandan dictator Idi Amin in the 2006 film The Last King of Scotland.
Iconic Roles: His notable film roles span multiple genres and include jazz legend Charlie "Bird" Parker in Clint Eastwood's Bird (for which he won Best Actor at the Cannes Film Festival), Jody in The Crying Game, Zuri in Black Panther, Colonel Weber in Arrival, and Saw Gerrera in the Star Wars franchise (Rogue One, Rebels, Andor).
Television Work: On television, he is known for starring as Ellsworth "Bumpy" Johnson in the series Godfather of Harlem and for his roles in series like The Shield and ER.
Filmmaker: Beyond acting, he has directed films such as Waiting to Exhale and Hope Floats.
Activism:
Whitaker is also a dedicated humanitarian and activist. He is the founder and CEO of the Whitaker Peace and Development Initiative (WPDI), a non-profit organization dedicated to fostering peace and reconciliation in disadvantaged and conflict-affected communities. He has also served as a UNESCO Special Envoy for Peace and Reconciliation.