1961-07-15 -
Forest Whitaker was born July 15, 1961 in Longview, Texas. While Forest was still a toddler his family moved to the Los Angeles area. Whitaker was a standout football player at Palisades High School and attended Cal State Polytechnic University on a football scholarship, but his college football career was cut short by a back injury.
His first major movie appearance was in 1982's "Fast Times at Ridgemont High". Through the years Forest has had notable supporting roles in such movies as "Good Morning Vietname", "Battlefield Earth", and "Phone Booth". Forest Whitaker has also dabbled in directing ("Waiting To Exhale" and "Hope Floats") and television ("The Twilight Zone").
Critical acclaim started pouring in for Whitaker's portrayal of Idi Amin in 2006's "The Last King of Scotland". He won the Best Actor Academy Award for his performance of the dictator.
| Year | Award | For |
| 2007 | 38th NAACP Image Awards - Actor in a Motion Picture | The Last King Of Scotland |
| 2007 | 79th Academy Awards: Best Actor | The Last King Of Scotland |
| 2007 | 13th SAG Awards: Outstanding Lead Movie Actor | The Last King Of Scotland |
| 2007 | 64th Golden Globes: Actor in a Motion Picture (Drama) | The Last King Of Scotland |
| 2007 | 2006 Critics Choice Award: Best Actor | The Last King Of Scotland |