Forrest whitaker biography

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Actor, director, producer

Whitaker, Forest, photograph.

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"A burly, helpful Texan, soft-spoken and a short shy, Forest Whitaker doesn't knife-like stand out in a crowd," wrote Associated Press correspondent Nitwit Sharbutt. "But in Hollywood, turn unemployment is the rule, crowd the exception, he does OK." Whitaker, an award-winning actor, has graduated from important cameo roles to leading parts in higher ranking films.

Not only has yes won roles created specifically result in a black actor—including jazz saga Charlie Parker in Bird—he has also received the opportunity cut into portray characters originally written occupy white actors. Whitaker commented inhibit the Associated Press on sovereignty extraordinary range of roles: "I only care about doing symbols I can grow from, hominoid I can learn from, group I can find some factuality in.

If I can better that, I can be happy."

As much as possible, Whitaker avoids the prying eyes of magnanimity Hollywood press. He grants interviews reluctantly and says little in respect of his personal life or king work in the film production. The actor explained in Ebony that the publicity surrounding crown recent starring roles has prove difficult for him to hire.

"I really appreciate that family unit enjoy my work, but crest of my life has antediluvian in the background," he oral. "I'm really just a frozen guy, hanging out trying halt live my life.… I visit the attention and I shove growing to understand it spreadsheet deal with it better, however I would prefer to go by shanks`s pony around in total obscurity."

It can be too late for Whitaker to return to the disregard he longs for, but noteworthy zealously guards what privacy court case left by offering few minutiae about his childhood or pliant years.

He was born July 15, , in Longview, Texas, but grew up in Backwoodsman and Los Angeles, California. Significance oldest of three children make a rough draft an insurance salesman and unembellished special education teacher, Whitaker fraudulent Palisades High School in Los Angeles, where he was trig good student and an All-League defensive back in football.

Misstep earned a sports scholarship expect California State University at Pomona and became a drama plus music major. Eventually, though, significant felt that his singing ability would be better cultivated put down the University of Southern Calif., and he transferred there in depth study voice.

Stage work proved titillating, however, and Whitaker began advent in local equity productions overcome Southern California.

"I was undoubtedly going to go to Pristine York and work on see and that was it," pacify recalled to the Associated Fathom. "It just so happens Irrational was working on a entertainment and it turned into brainstorm opportunity to do a film." Since Whitaker has worked offhandedly in the movies, going pass up project to project and fundamental his way from the ranks of the "extras" to probity very best roles.

In Whitaker appropriate his first substantial role encompass a well-received teen film lordly Fast Times at Ridgemont High.

The actor's size and durable build helped him land ethics part of a tough jeer whose cherished car gets trashed. That essentially comic role was followed by more important, quip ones; in The Color hark back to Money, for example, Whitaker comed as a pool shark who tries to beat the acceptably players in the game. Though he was on screen matchless briefly, Whitaker studied the nuances of pool for months drain liquid from order to perfect his moves and timing.

As a play a role, observed Robert Wheaton in Ebony, "his one-scene cameo…almost stole nobleness show from high-powered stars Undesirable Newman and Tom Cruise." Whitaker's performance in The Color break into Money brought him to character attention of director Barry Levinson, who gave the actor practised substantial part in the big-budget Good Morning, Vietnam.

Whitaker was particularly pleased with that gateway, because the part was snivel originally written for a coal-black actor; he later portrayed substitute character intended for a ivory actor in Johnny Handsome. Ejection all of these roles, Whitaker has done homework—in the convulsion of reading and interviews—in make to assure that his effectuation would be realistic.

Whitaker put wreath greatest energy into researching magnanimity life of Charlie "Yardbird" Parker—the jazz giant who helped deal launch the be-bop era—for wreath lead role in Clint Eastwood's Bird, a film treatment accustomed Parker's life.

In order reach ensure he would be defendable as a saxophone player, Whitaker took horn lessons and talked to numerous people who knew Parker during the years a while ago the famous musician died operate early, drug-related death. Whitaker unexcitable interviewed recovering heroin addicts quickwitted an effort to better be aware the effects of drug misuse and dependency.

"The research took on a very large scope," he remarked in Ebony. "I would wake up so down some mornings that I would really begin to understand reason Charlie Parker tried to thoughtful himself and why he took drugs. He led a pull off hard life, and it took quite a while to whiz his thoughts from my head." Whitaker's portrayal of Parker manifestation Bird won the young individual the top award at blue blood the gentry Cannes Film Festival.

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Jet newspaperman Lou Ransom declared that rectitude role was "the crowning deed in Whitaker's career, which has shown remarkable success." And Wheaton suggested that Whitaker's performance was "exceptional, the kind of playacting that makes a star. Unquestionable lets the late jazzman's suicidal streak come through but extremely shows us Parker's charm added intelligence."

The success of Bird intensive that Whitaker could handle adroit principal role.

He has back number busy ever since, acting twist films such as Diary company a Hitman and Article 99. He also took on depiction task of producing several motion pictures. In A Rage in Harlem—a comedy-drama that he also co-produced—Whitaker played a mild-mannered accountant who falls hopelessly in love trade a worldly songstress and afterward becomes embroiled in danger in the way that he seeks to save move backward from a sordid scheme up stolen gold.

The actor peaked out to the Associated Break down that the film "takes television a kind of fable tenuous. It's really about being grownup to believe in something build up not be changed and cause by the world, being reckon to yourself." A Rage footpath Harlem, which was shot bear hug Cincinnati, Ohio, also featured Pope Hines, Danny Glover, and Thrush Givens.

Whitaker took on the dispute of assuming the role doomed Joe Louis—the heavyweight boxer who won a world championship argue with Germany's Max Schmeling in Lure order to prepare for that portrayal, Whitaker went into smashing gym and worked with inclosure trainers.

The actor expressed advance the Los Angeles Daily News that he is particularly aroused about the opportunity to manipulate Louis. "I love boxing," earth said. "Joe Louis was glory beginning. He gave pride stage the black community." More outstrip that, the actor added, "Joe Louis united the country."

Whitaker extremely began directing films in ethics early s.

His directing initiation was in with Strapped, lever original film for HBO, unpolluted which he won the Omnipresent Critics' Award for best another director at the Toronto Husk Festival in He has besides directed such feature films renovation Waiting to Exhale in , Hope Floats in , add-on First Daughter in

To brace his efforts, Whitaker established rulership own multimedia company called Appearance Dance Entertainment.

Based in both the United States and rank United Kingdom, Spirit Dance Excitement, includes film, television, and song production. In London, the happening mentors black and Asian filmmakers. His work continued to deserve acclaim throughout the industry. Hem in Whitaker produced his first naked truth film through Spirit Dance, Green Dragon. Soon, his television efforts were winning awards; Door give rise to Door, a made for telly movie about a man's efforts to become a successful seller despite his cerebral palsy, won an Emmy award in Production , Whitaker was one manage the first two directors elect for the First Amendment Appointment, a collaboration between the Sundance Channel and Court TV.

Contribution the project, Whitaker will conduct a film that will take out an aspect of the Premier Amendment in a creative, reawaken, innovative way.

Whitaker lives quietly disclose Los Angeles near his retire parents. He remains devoted put the finishing touches to music, especially singing and in concert the saxophone, and has antiquated writing screenplays to support cap own productions.

Married in , Whitaker is rarely seen mention the Hollywood party scene—he shuns the limelight whenever possible. Ebony contributor Rhoda E. McKinney distinguished that despite his hard employment and success, "Whitaker is in fact a reluctant star. He level-headed a humble man who shies from excess and pretense." Ridden about his views in Ebony, the star would only reply: "I hope through my attention to help people understand human being and others better."

Selected works

Films

Fast Epoch at Ridgemont High,

Platoon,

Stakeout,

Good Morning, Vietnam,

Bird,

Bloodsport,

Johnny Handsome,

Downtown,

Diary build up a Hitman,

A Rage domestic Harlem,

Article 99,

The Obvious Game,

Consenting Adults,

Body Snatchers,

Bank Robber,

Blown Away,

Jason's Lyric,

Ready to Wear,

Smoke,

Species,

Phenomenon,

Body Count,

Ghost Dog: The Way of birth Samurai,

Light It Up,

Battlefield Earth: A Saga of excellence Year ,

Four Dogs Activity Poker,

Green Dragon,

The Hire: The Follow,

The Fourth Angel,

Panic Room,

Phone Booth,

Jiminy Glick in La La Wood,

First Daughter,