Forest Whitaker

Career timeline

1. 1961 · Born

   Born in Longview, Texas, USA

2. 1978 · Screen debut

   Diff'rent Strokes (TV)

3. 1993 · Directing debut

   Strapped (Movie)

4. 2003 · First production

   Chasing Papi (Movie)

5. 2005 · Breakthrough

   Criminal Minds (TV)

6. 2025 · Latest release

   Havoc (Movie)

Career in numbers

1 1970s

11 1980s

17 1990s

19 2000s

27 2010s

11 2020s

• Drama61
• Crime23
• Thriller20
• Action18
• Comedy15
• Science Fiction9

Highest-rated title Andor 2022 8.3 Most popular title Criminal Minds 2005 8.3

Frequent collaborators

People who appear most often alongside Forest Whitaker in our catalogue.

Nicole Ari Parker

4 titles together

Keith David

3 titles together

John Badham

3 titles together

Atli Örvarsson

2 titles together

Troy Evans

2 titles together

David Fincher

2 titles together

Mark Ruffalo

2 titles together

Glynn Turman

2 titles together

Kirsten Vangsness

2 titles together

Usher

2 titles together

1. 2025 Havoc as Lawrence Beaumont 6.4 Movie
2. 2025 The King of Kings as Peter (voice) 8.3 Movie
3. 2024 The Emperor of Ocean Park as Judge Oliver Garland 6.5 TV
4. 2023 Big George Foreman as Doc Broadus 7.6 Movie
5. 2023 Extrapolations as Auggie Bolo 6.1 TV
6. 2022 Andor as Saw Gerrera 8.3 TV
7. 2021 Respect as C. L. Franklin 6.8 Movie
8. 2020 Jingle Jangle: A Christmas Journey as Jeronicus Jangle 6.6 Movie
9. 2020 Chadwick Boseman: A Tribute for a King as Self 8.1 Movie
10. 2019 Godfather of Harlem as Ellsworth 'Bumpy' Johnson 8.2 TV
11. 2018 City of Lies as Jack Jackson 6.3 Movie
12. 2018 Burden as Reverend Kennedy 6.1 Movie
13. 2018 How It Ends as Tom 5.3 Movie
14. 2018 Sorry to Bother You as First Equisapien / Demarius 6.8 Movie
15. 2018 The Forgiven as Desmond Tutu 6.1 Movie
16. 2018 Black Panther as Zuri 7.4 Movie
17. 2016 Rogue One: A Star Wars Story as Saw Gerrera 7.5 Movie
18. 2016 Arrival as Colonel Weber 7.6 Movie
19. 2016 Roots as Fiddler 6.9 TV
20. 2015 Southpaw as Titus 'Tick' Wills 7.4 Movie
21. 2015 Dope as The Narrator (voice) 7.0 Movie
22. 2015 Empire as Eddie Barker 7.1 TV
23. 2014 Taken 3 as Inspector Frank Dotzler 6.3 Movie
24. 2014 Star Wars Rebels as Saw Gerrera (voice) 7.7 TV
25. 2014 Repentance as Angel 4.7 Movie
26. 2013 Zulu as Ali Sokhela 6.7 Movie
27. 2013 Out of the Furnace as Chief Wesley Barnes 6.6 Movie
28. 2013 The Butler as Cecil Gaines 7.3 Movie
29. 2013 The Last Stand as Agent John Bannister 6.1 Movie
30. 2011 Catch.44 as Ronny 5.0 Movie
31. 2011 Criminal Minds: Suspect Behavior as Sam Cooper 7.1 TV
32. 2010 The Experiment as Barris 6.4 Movie
33. 2010 Repo Men as Jake 6.3 Movie
34. 2009 Where the Wild Things Are as Ira (voice) 6.5 Movie
35. 2009 Winged Creatures as Charlie Archenault 5.9 Movie
36. 2009 Powder Blue as Charlie 6.1 Movie
37. 2008 Street Kings as Captain Jack Wander 6.7 Movie
38. 2008 Vantage Point as Howard Lewis 6.4 Movie
39. 2007 The Great Debaters as Dr. James Farmer Sr. 7.3 Movie
40. 2007 The Air I Breathe as Happiness 6.3 Movie
41. 2006 The Last King of Scotland as Idi Amin 7.4 Movie
42. 2006 Everyone's Hero as Lonnie Brewster (voice) 6.1 Movie
43. 2005 Criminal Minds as Sam Cooper 8.3 TV
44. 2005 American Dad! as Turlington (voice) 7.0 TV
45. 2004 First Daughter as Narrator (voice) 6.2 Movie
46. 2003 Phone Booth as Captain Ramey 6.9 Movie
47. 2002 The Twilight Zone as Self - Host 7.2 TV
48. 2002 Panic Room as Burnham 6.8 Movie
49. 2002 The Shield as Jon Kavanaugh 8.2 TV
50. 2001 The Hire as The Employer 7.7 TV
51. 2000 Battlefield Earth as Ker 3.3 Movie
52. 1999 Light It Up as Officer Dante Jackson 6.6 Movie
53. 1999 Ghost Dog: The Way of the Samurai as Ghost Dog 7.4 Movie
54. 1996 Rebound: The Legend of Earl 'The Goat' Manigault as Mr. Rucker 7.1 Movie
55. 1996 Phenomenon as Nate Pope 6.5 Movie
56. 1995 Mr. Holland's Opus as Bobby Tidd as an adult (uncredited) 7.0 Movie
57. 1995 Species as Dan Smithson, Empath 6.0 Movie
58. 1995 Smoke as Cyrus Cole 7.2 Movie
59. 1994 Prêt-à-Porter as Cy Bianco 5.2 Movie
60. 1994 ER as Curtis Ames 7.8 TV
61. 1994 The Enemy Within as Col. MacKenzie Casey 5.8 Movie
62. 1994 Blown Away as Anthony Franklin 6.2 Movie
63. 1993 Body Snatchers as Major Collins 6.2 Movie
64. 1992 The Crying Game as Jody 6.9 Movie
65. 1992 Article 99 as Dr. Sid Handleman 6.1 Movie
66. 1989 Johnny Handsome as Dr. Steven Fisher 6.4 Movie
67. 1988 Bird as Charlie 'Bird' Parker 6.9 Movie
68. 1988 Bloodsport as Rawlins 7.1 Movie
69. 1987 Good Morning, Vietnam as Edward Garlick 7.3 Movie
70. 1987 Stakeout as Det. Jack Pismo 6.5 Movie
71. 1986 Platoon as Big Harold 7.7 Movie
72. 1986 The Color of Money as Amos 6.9 Movie
73. 1985 North and South as Cuffey 7.5 TV
74. 1985 Vision Quest as Balldozer 6.4 Movie
75. 1982 Fast Times at Ridgemont High as Charles Jefferson 6.8 Movie
76. 1981 Hill Street Blues 7.6 TV
77. 1978 Diff'rent Strokes 7.1 TV

1. 2021 Passing 6.3 Movie
2. 2019 Devil's Pie: D'Angelo Movie
3. 2018 Sorry to Bother You 6.8 Movie
4. 2015 Dope 7.0 Movie
5. 2013 Fruitvale Station 7.4 Movie
6. 2003 Chasing Papi 6.7 Movie

1. 2024 Fancy Dance 6.5 Movie
2. 2019 Godfather of Harlem 8.2 TV
3. 2011 Monte Carlo 6.8 Movie
4. 2004 First Daughter 6.2 Movie

1. 2004 First Daughter 6.2 Movie
2. 1998 Hope Floats 6.5 Movie
3. 1995 Waiting to Exhale 6.2 Movie
4. 1993 Strapped Movie

Photos

Quick facts