Forest Steven Whitaker (born July 15, 1961) is an American actor, producer, and director. He has earned a reputation for intensive character study work for films such as Bird and Ghost Dog: The Way of the Samurai,and for his recurring role as ex-LAPD Lieutenant Jon Kavanaugh on the award-winning television series, The Shield. Whitaker won an Academy Award for his performance as Ugandan dictator Idi Amin in the 2006 film The Last King of Scotland. Whitaker has also won a Golden Globe and a BAFTA.

 

Early life

Whitaker was born in Longview, Texas and his family moved to Los Angeles, California when he was four.His father, Forest Whitaker, Jr., was an insurance salesman and the son of novelist Forest Whitaker, Sr. His mother, Laura Francis (née Smith), was a special education teacher who put herself through college and earned two Masters degrees while raising her children. Whitaker has two younger brothers, Kenn and Damon, and an older sister, Deborah.

 

His first role as an actor was the lead in Dylan Thomas' play, Under Milk Wood.Whitaker graduated from "Pali High" in 1979.

 

Whitaker then attended Cal Poly Pomona on a football scholarship, but due to a debilitating back injury, he changed his major to music (voice). He toured England with the Cal Poly Chamber Singers in 1980. While still at Cal Poly, he briefly changed his major to drama. He was accepted to the Music Conservatory at the University of Southern California to study opera as a tenor, and subsequently was accepted into the University's Drama Conservatory.He graduated from USC in 1982. He also earned a scholarship to the Berkeley, California branch of the Drama Studio London.Whitaker also is pursuing a degree in The Core of Conflict: Studies in Peace and Reconciliation at New York University's Gallatin School of Individualized Study.

 

Producing and directing

Whitaker branched out into producing and directing in the 1990s. He co-produced and co-starred in A Rage in Harlem in 1991. 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, which was based on the Terry McMillan novel of the same name. Roger Ebert observed that the tone of the film resembled Whitaker's own acting style: "measured, serene, confident." Whitaker also directed co-star Whitney Houston's music video of the movie's theme song, "Exhale (Shoop Shoop)".

 

Whitaker continued his directing career with the 1998 romantic comedy, Hope Floats, starring Sandra Bullock and Harry Connick, Jr. He directed Katie Holmes in the romantic comedy, First Daughter in 2004; he had co-starred with Holmes in Phone Booth in 2002. 

 

Whitaker served as an executive producer on First Daughter. He had previously gained experience as the executive producer of several made-for-television movies, most notably the 2002 Emmy-award winning Door to Door, starring William H. Macy. He produced these projects through his production company, Spirit Dance Entertainment, which he shut down in 2005 to concentrate on his acting career.

 

Honors

In addition to the numerous awards Whitaker won for his performance in The Last King of Scotland, he has also received several other honors. In September 2006, the 10th Annual Hollywood Film Festival presented him with its "Hollywood Actor of the Year Award," calling him "one of Hollywood's most accomplished actors." He was honored at the Santa Barbara International Film Festival 2007, where he received the American Riviera Award.

 

Previously, in 2005, the Deauville (France) Festival of American Film paid tribute to him.Whitaker was the recipient of the 2,335th star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame on April 16, 2007.He received an Honorary Degree from Xavier University of Louisiana in 2009 at the 82nd Commencement Ceremony.He has also produced Monte Carlo.

 

Personal life

Family

In 1996, Whitaker married actress Keisha Nash, whom he met on the set of Blown Away.The Whitakers have four children: two daughters together (Sonnet and True), and his son (Ocean) and her daughter (Autumn) from previous relationships. On Inside the Actors Studio, Whitaker said that a genetic test indicated he was of Igbo descent on his father's side, and Akan descent on his mother's side.

 

Martial arts

Whitaker studies yoga and has a black belt in kenpō.He also trains in the Filipino martial art of Kali, under Dan Inosanto.

 

Ptosis

Whitaker's left eye ptosis has been called "intriguing" by some critics and "gives him a contemplative look."Whitaker has explained that the condition is hereditary and that he has considered having surgery to correct it, not for cosmetic reasons but because it affects his vision.