Rotten Tomatoes
Cancel Movies Tv shows FanStore News Showtimes

Forest Whitaker

Highest Rated: 100% Mysteries of the Unseen World (2013)

Lowest Rated: 0% A Dark Truth (2012)

Birthday: Jul 15, 1961

Birthplace: Longview, Texas, USA

Though actor Forest Whitaker started college on an athletic scholarship, the charismatic and award-winning performer made the unlikely shift from football to studying to become a classical tenor and eventually, an actor. After gaining some attention in several stage musicals, Whitaker made an immediate impression with a small, but memorable role in his feature debut, "Fast Times at Ridgemont High" (1982). Following a quick succession of supporting roles in features and on television, he earned his first wave of critical accolades for his portrayal of drug-addicted jazz saxophonist Charlie Parker in "Bird" (1988). Once he was established as a viable leading man, Whitaker easily oscillated between low-budget and studio projects, earning equal acclaim for his performances. Taking his career to the next level, he made several forays into feature directing - most notably "Waiting to Exhale" (1995) - but continued to churn out one sterling performance after another until finally reaching new heights with his Oscar-winning portrayal of Ugandan dictator Idi Amin in "The Last King of Scotland" (2006), which came hot on the heels of another mesmerizing performance as an obsessive internal affairs officer on season five of "The Shield" (FX, 2002-08). Both roles only confirmed that Whitaker was one of Hollywood's most versatile, surprising and talented actors of his day. His work as a producer on films like "Fruitvale Station" (2013) and "Dope" (2015) helped shepherd a new generation of African-American filmmakers while his work in hits like "The Butler" (2013), "Rogue One: A Star Wars Story" (2016) and "Black Panther" (2018) kept him firmly in audiences' minds.

Show Less Show More

Highest rated movies

100% 75% Mysteries of the Unseen World
Watchlist
98% 89% Ernest & Celestine
Watchlist
96% 79% Fancy Dance Watchlist 96% 79% Black Panther Watchlist
95% 78% The Crying Game
Watchlist
94% 67% Songs My Brothers Taught Me Watchlist
94% 87% Fruitvale Station
Watchlist
94% 82% Arrival Watchlist 93% 70% Sorry to Bother You Watchlist
92% Layla
Watchlist

Filmography

Movies

Credit
92% No Score Yet Layla Executive Producer - 2024
96% 79% Fancy Dance Executive Producer - 2023
43% 96% Big George Foreman: The Miraculous Story of the Once and Future Heavyweight Champion of the World Doc Broadus (Character) $5.3M 2023
No Score Yet No Score Yet For the Sake of Peace Producer - 2022
91% 86% Passing Producer - 2021
68% 95% Respect Rev. C.L. Franklin (Character) $24.3M 2021
91% 69% Jingle Jangle: A Christmas Journey Jeronicus (Character) - 2020
20% No Score Yet A Fall From Grace Unknown (Character) - 2019
50% 83% City of Lies Jack Jackson (Character) $565.7K 2018
49% 97% Burden Reverend Kennedy (Character) $134.1K 2018
46% 61% Finding Steve McQueen Howard Lambert (Character) - 2018
17% 17% How It Ends Tom (Character) - 2018
93% 70% Sorry to Bother You First Equisapien/Demarius (Character),
Producer
$17.5M 2018
No Score Yet No Score Yet Triumph: The Untold Story of Perry Wallace Narrator - 2018
96% 79% Black Panther Zuri (Character) $700.2M 2018
No Score Yet No Score Yet We Are One Narrator,
Executive Producer
- 2017
68% 63% Roxanne Roxanne Producer - 2017
55% 45% The Forgiven Desmond Tutu (Character) - 2017
84% 87% Rogue One: A Star Wars Story Saw Gerrera (Character) $533.2M 2016
94% 82% Arrival Colonel Weber (Character) $100.5M 2016
94% 67% Songs My Brothers Taught Me Producer $34.2K 2015
60% 75% Southpaw Tick Willis (Character) $52.4M 2015
88% 83% Dope Narrator,
Producer
$17.5M 2015
50% 26% Two Men in Town William Garnett (Character) - 2014
13% 43% Taken 3 Inspector Frank Dotzler (Character) $89.3M 2014
91% 84% Food Chains Narrator - 2014
No Score Yet No Score Yet Sewing Hope Narrator - 2013
100% 75% Mysteries of the Unseen World Narrator - 2013
No Score Yet 60% Zulu Ali (Character) - 2013
33% 42% Repentance Angel (Character),
Producer
$1.2M 2013
53% 52% Out of the Furnace Wesley Barnes (Character) $11.3M 2013
51% 51% Black Nativity Rev. Cornell Cobbs (Character) $7.0M 2013
71% 78% Lee Daniels' The Butler Cecil Gaines (Character) $116.6M 2013
94% 87% Fruitvale Station Producer $16.1M 2013
No Score Yet 27% Pawn Will (Character) $2.1K 2013
61% 53% The Last Stand Agent John Bannister (Character) $12.0M 2013
79% 84% Rising From Ashes Narrator,
Executive Producer
$37.7K 2012
98% 89% Ernest & Celestine Ernest (Voice) $71.4K 2012
0% 36% A Dark Truth Francisco Francis (Character) $5.8K 2012
No Score Yet 30% Freelancers LaRue (Character) - 2012
No Score Yet 14% Catch .44 Ronny (Character) - 2011
41% 50% Monte Carlo Executive Producer $23.2M 2011
No Score Yet 50% Higglety Pigglety Pop! or There Must Be More to Life Lion (Voice) - 2010
No Score Yet 66% Lullaby for Pi George (Character) - 2010
No Score Yet 33% My Own Love Song Joey (Character) - 2010
No Score Yet 49% The Experiment Barris (Character) - 2010
15% 48% Our Family Wedding Bradford Boyd (Character) $20.2M 2010
22% 41% Repo Men Jake (Character) $13.8M 2010
No Score Yet 75% Toys in the Attic Teddy (Voice) - 2009
No Score Yet 69% Hurricane Season Al Collins (Character) - 2009
73% 57% Where the Wild Things Are Ira (Voice) $77.2M 2009
25% 40% Powder Blue Charlie (Character),
Producer
- 2009
45% 29% Winged Creatures Charlie Archenault (Character) - 2008
67% 61% Dragon Hunters Lian-Chu (Voice) - 2008
76% 73% Crips and Bloods: Made in America Narrator $69.6K 2008
37% 58% Street Kings Capt. Jack Wander (Character) $26.4M 2008
34% 57% Vantage Point Howard Lewis (Character) $72.3M 2008
29% No Score Yet Ripple Effect Philip (Character),
Executive Producer
$13.8K 2007
11% 61% The Air I Breathe Happiness (Character) $19.5K 2007
80% 86% The Great Debaters Dr. James Farmer Sr. (Character) $30.2M 2007
No Score Yet 32% The Marsh Geoffrey Hunt (Character) - 2006
24% 29% Even Money Clyde Snow (Character) - 2006
87% 89% The Last King of Scotland Idi Amin (Character) $17.6M 2006
42% 44% Everyone's Hero Lonnie Brewster (Voice) $14.5M 2006
33% 41% A Little Trip to Heaven Holt (Character) - 2005
39% 43% American Gun Carter (Character),
Executive Producer
$24.0K 2005
59% 43% Mary Ted Younger (Character) - 2005
No Score Yet No Score Yet Odyssey in Rome Unknown (Character) - 2005
23% 33% Jiminy Glick in Lalawood Self $25.7K 2004
8% 43% First Daughter Director,
Executive Producer
$9.1M 2004
No Score Yet 89% Deacons for Defense Marcus Clay (Character) - 2003
15% 40% Chasing Papi Producer $6.1M 2003
No Score Yet No Score Yet American Storytellers Unknown (Character) - 2003
72% 64% Phone Booth Captain Ramey (Character) $46.6M 2002
76% 64% Panic Room Burnham (Character) $95.3M 2002
No Score Yet 28% The Fourth Angel Agent Jules Bernard (Character) - 2001
63% 50% Green Dragon Addie (Character),
Executive Producer
$146.1K 2001
3% 13% Battlefield Earth Ker (Character) $21.5M 2000
No Score Yet 41% Four Dogs Playing Poker Mr. Ellington (Character) - 2000
60% 61% Witness Protection Steven Beck (Character) - 1999
84% 86% Ghost Dog: The Way of the Samurai Ghost Dog (Character) $3.3M 1999
40% 76% Light It Up Officer Dante Jackson (Character) $5.9M 1999
No Score Yet 41% Body Count Crane (Character) - 1998
27% 72% Hope Floats Director $60.0M 1998
No Score Yet No Score Yet The Split Crane (Character) - 1998
No Score Yet 94% Rebound -- The Legend of Earl The Goat Manigault Mr. Rucker (Character) - 1996
49% 59% Phenomenon Nate Pope (Character) $104.6M 1996
42% 31% Species Dan Smithson, Empath (Character) $58.7M 1995
56% 79% Waiting to Exhale Director $64.2M 1995
88% 89% Smoke Cyrus Cole (Character) $8.3M 1995
No Score Yet 36% The Enemy Within Col. MacKenzie "Mac" Casey (Character) - 1994
21% 27% Ready to Wear (Pret-a-Porter) Cy Bianco (Character) $10.7M 1994
38% 40% Blown Away Anthony Franklin (Character) $30.1M 1994
58% 90% Jason's Lyric Maddog (Character) $20.3M 1994
No Score Yet 82% Lush Life Buddy Chester (Character) - 1994
No Score Yet 17% Bank Robber Officer Battle (Character) - 1993
No Score Yet 82% Strapped Director - 1993
71% 47% Body Snatchers Major Collins (Character) $54.8K 1993
No Score Yet 67% Last Light Fred Whitmore (Character) - 1993
No Score Yet 35% Diary of a Hitman Dekker (Character) - 1992
43% 54% Article 99 Dr. Sid Handleman (Character) $6.2M 1992
23% 31% Consenting Adults David Duttonville (Character) $21.6M 1992
95% 78% The Crying Game Jody (Character) $60.7M 1992
68% 52% A Rage in Harlem Jackson (Character) $8.8M 1991
No Score Yet 32% Downtown Dennis Curren (Character) $2.2M 1990
No Score Yet No Score Yet Criminal Justice Jessie Williams (Character) - 1990
60% 48% Johnny Handsome Dr. Steven Fisher (Character) $6.6M 1989
77% 79% Bird Charlie 'Bird' Parker (Character) $1.5M 1988
48% 74% Bloodsport Rawlins (Character) $10.8M 1988
90% 82% Good Morning, Vietnam Edward Garlick (Character) $123.9M 1987
89% 56% Stakeout Jack Pismo (Character) $65.4M 1987
87% 73% The Color of Money Amos (Character) $52.3M 1986
89% 93% Platoon Big Harold (Character) $138.5M 1986
60% 78% Vision Quest Bulldozer (Character) - 1985
78% 80% Fast Times at Ridgemont High Charles Jefferson (Character) - 1982

TV

Credit
63% 86% Emperor of Ocean Park Judge Oliver Garland (Character) 2024
No Score Yet No Score Yet North and South, Book II Cuffey (Character),
Unknown (Guest Star)
1986 2024
44% 59% Extrapolations Augustin (Character) 2023
No Score Yet 87% Godfather of Harlem Bumpy Johnson (Character),
Executive Producer
2019 2021 2023
96% 87% Andor Saw Gerrera (Character) 2022
No Score Yet 91% Young Rock Forest Whitaker (Guest Star) 2022
No Score Yet 55% The Kelly Clarkson Show Guest 2021
No Score Yet 18% The Late Late Show With James Corden Guest 2021
No Score Yet 42% Jimmy Kimmel Live! Guest 2019
84% 47% Empire Eddie Barker (Guest Star) 2017-2018
No Score Yet No Score Yet Rachael Ray Guest 2010-2011 2018
98% 85% Star Wars Rebels Saw Gerrera (Voice) 2017-2018
No Score Yet No Score Yet Larry King Now Guest 2013 2018
96% 75% Roots Fiddler (Character) 2016
No Score Yet No Score Yet The Wendy Williams Show Guest 2015
No Score Yet No Score Yet Tavis Smiley Guest 2014
No Score Yet No Score Yet Late Night With Jimmy Fallon Guest 2010-2011 2013
No Score Yet 95% Africa Narrator 2013
42% 27% Criminal Minds: Suspect Behaviour Special Agent Sam Cooper (Character) 2011
No Score Yet No Score Yet Lopez Tonight Guest 2011
No Score Yet 83% Criminal Minds Unknown (Guest Star) 2010
No Score Yet 90% American Dad! Daniel Turlington (Guest Voice) 2007 2009
90% 96% The Shield Lt. Jon Kavanaugh (Character) 2006-2008
No Score Yet 54% American Idol Guest 2008
No Score Yet 57% Saturday Night Live Host 2007
No Score Yet 85% ER Curtis Ames (Guest Star) 2006-2007
No Score Yet No Score Yet Inside the Actors Studio Guest 2006
50% 77% The Twilight Zone Host 2002-2003
No Score Yet No Score Yet The Daily Show Guest 2000
No Score Yet 82% Amazing Stories Unknown (Character) 1986
No Score Yet 75% North and South Cuffey (Guest Star) 1985
No Score Yet No Score Yet Diff'rent Strokes Unknown (Guest Star) 1985
No Score Yet No Score Yet The Fall Guy Unknown (Guest Star) 1985
97% 85% Hill Street Blues Floyd Green (Guest Star) 1984
No Score Yet No Score Yet Trapper John, M.D. Unknown (Guest Star) 1984