Whitaker, Forest 1961–

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Forest Whitaker 1961–

Actor

“A burly, good-natured Texan, soft-spoken and a little shy, Forest Whitaker doesn’t exactly stand out in a crowd,” wrote Associated Press correspondent Jay Sharbutt. “But in Hollywood, where unemployment is the rule, not the exception, he does OK.” Whitaker, an award-winning actor, has graduated from important cameo roles to leading parts in major films. Not only has he won roles created specifically for a black actor—including jazz legend Charlie Parker in Bird —he has also received the opportunity to portray characters originally written for white actors. Whitaker commented to the Associated Press on his extraordinary range of roles: “I only care about doing characters I can grow from, someone I can learn from, people I can find some truth in. If I can do that, I can be happy.”

As much as possible, Whitaker avoids the prying eyes of the Hollywood press. He grants interviews reluctantly and says little about his personal life or his work in the film industry. The actor explained in Ebony that the publicity surrounding his recent starring roles has proven difficult for him to accept. “I really appreciate that people enjoy my work, but most of my life has been in the background,” he said. “I’m really just a normal guy, hanging out trying to live my life.… I appreciate the attention and I am growing to understand it and deal with it better, but I would prefer to walk around in total obscurity.”

It may be too late for Whitaker to return to the anonymity he longs for, but he zealously guards what privacy is left by offering few details about his childhood or formative years. He was born July 15, 1961, in Longview, Texas, but grew up in Carson and Los Angeles, California. The oldest of three children of an insurance salesman and a special education teacher, Whitaker attended Palisades High School in Los Angeles, where he was a good student and an All-League defensive back in football. He earned a sports scholarship to California State University at Pomona and became a drama and music major. Eventually, though, he felt that his singing talent would be better cultivated at the University of Southern California, and he transferred there to study voice.

Stage work proved tempting, however, and Whitaker began appearing in local equity productions in Southern California. “I was probably going to go to New York and

At a Glance…

Born July 15, 1961 in Longview, TX; son of Forest Jr. (in insurance sales) and Laura (a special education teacher) Whitaker. Education: Attended California State Polytechnic University and University of Southern California.

Actor on stage and in feature films, 1981—. Principal film appearances include Fast Times at Ridgemont High; The Color of Money; Johnny Handsome; Platoon; Good Morning, Vietnam; Bird; A Rage in Harlem; Hitman; Criminal Justice; and Article 99.

Selected awards: Cannes Film Festival award for best actor, 1988, for Bird.

Addresses: Agent —David Eidenberg, S.T.E. Representation, 9301 Wilshire Blvd., Suite 312, Beverly Hills, CA 90210.

work on stage and that was it,” he recalled to the Associated Press. “It just so happens I was working on a play and it turned into an opportunity to do a film.” Since 1982 Whitaker has worked regularly in the movies, going from project to project and working his way from the ranks of the “extras” to the very best roles.

In 1982 Whitaker earned his first substantial role in a well-received teen film titled Fast Times at Ridgemont High. The actor’s size and robust build helped him land the part of a tough guy whose cherished car gets trashed. That essentially comic role was followed by more important, serious ones; in The Color of Money, for example, Whitaker appeared as a pool shark who tries to beat the best players in the game. Although he was on screen only briefly, Whitaker studied the nuances of pool for months in order to perfect his moves and timing. As a result, observed Robert Wheaton in Ebony, “his one-scene cameo … almost stole the show from high-powered stars Paul Newman and Tom Cruise.”

Whitaker’s performance in The Color of Money brought him to the attention of director Barry Levinson, who gave the actor a substantial part in the big-budget Good Morning, Vietnam. Whitaker was particularly pleased with that opportunity, because the part was not originally written for a black actor; he later portrayed another character intended for a white actor in Johnny Handsome. For all of these roles, Whitaker has done homework—in the form of reading and interviews—in order to assure that his performance would be realistic.

Bird Became a Big Break

Whitaker put his greatest energy into researching the life of Charlie “Yardbird” Parker—the jazz giant who helped to launch the be-bop era—for his lead role in Clint Eastwood’s Bird, a film treatment of Parker’s life. In order to ensure he would be believable as a saxophone player, Whitaker took horn lessons and talked to numerous people who knew Parker during the years before the famous musician died an early, drug-related death. Whitaker even interviewed recovering heroin addicts in an effort to better understand the effects of drug abuse and dependency. “The research took on a very large scope,” he remarked Ebony. “I would wake up so depressed some mornings that I would really begin to understand why Charlie Parker tried to kill himself and why he took drugs. He led a very hard life, and it took quite a while to shake his thoughts from my head.”

Whitaker’s portrayal of Parker in Bird won the young actor the top award at the 1988 Cannes Film Festival. Jet correspondent Lou Ransom declared that the role was “the crowning achievement in Whitaker’s career, which has shown remarkable success.” And Wheaton suggested that Whitaker’s performance was “exceptional, the kind of acting that makes a star. He lets the late jazzman’s self-destructive streak come through but also shows us Parker’s charm and intelligence.”

The success of Bird proved that Whitaker could handle a principal role. He has been busy ever since, acting in films such as Criminal Justice, Hitman, and Article 99. In Criminal Justice, for instance, he appeared as an ex-con wrongfully accused of robbing a prostitute. Once again Whitaker did extensive research for the movie, even spending some time behind bars and wading through the lengthy court procedures in the criminal justice system.

Next, in A Rage in Harlem —a comedy-drama that he also coproduced—Whitaker played a mild-mannered accountant who falls hopelessly in love with a worldly songstress and subsequently becomes embroiled in danger when he seeks to save her from a sordid scheme involving stolen gold. The actor pointed out to the Associated Press that the film “takes on a kind of fable quality. It’s really about being able to believe in something and not be changed and structured by the world, being true to yourself.” A Rage in Harlem, which was shot in Cincinnati, Ohio, also featured Gregory Hines, Danny Glover, and Robin Givens.

The Rewards—and Drawbacks—of Fame

Whitaker has taken on another challenge in assuming the role of Joe Louis—the heavyweight boxer who won a world championship against Germany’s Max Schmeling in 1938. In order to prepare for this portrayal, Whitaker went into a gym and worked with boxing trainers. The actor expressed in the Los Angeles Daily News that he is particularly excited about the opportunity to play Louis. “I love boxing,” he said. “Joe Louis was the beginning. He gave pride to the black community.” More than that, the actor added, “Joe Louis united the country.”

Whitaker lives quietly in Los Angeles near his retired parents. He is still devoted to music, especially singing and playing the saxophone, and has been writing screenplays, hoping to mount his own production. Still single, Whitaker is rarely seen on the Hollywood party scene—he shuns the limelight whenever possible. Ebony contributor Rhoda E. McKinney noted that despite his hard work and success, “Whitaker is truly a reluctant star. He is a humble man who shies from excess and pretense.” Pressed about his views in Ebony, the star would only reply: “I hope through my work to help people understand themselves and others better.”