Forest Whitaker has had quite a career. From acting as a soldier in war with Vietnam to being a butler in The White House, to playing roles in superhero movies and fantasy lands, Whitaker has done it all. We thought to take a look at the most memorable Forest Whitaker roles to celebrate the legendary actor.
Whitaker started his career in the early 80s as a side character in the film Fast Times at Ridgemont High, a light-hearted comedy that was successful at the time. From there, he went on to act in many movies and TV shows with multiple leading roles along the way. Despite a genetic disorder, which has created quite the notable facial flaw, he has still seen an unimaginable amount of success. He has also won four awards for his work, including an Academy Award for Best Actor, and was nominated for multiple others. Without further ado, here are some of his most memorable roles in his career.
Most Memorable Forest Whitaker Movie Roles
Fast Times at Ridgemont High (1982)
Considered to be his first movie, Fast Times at Ridgemont High is about a teenaged-girl who follows the advice of a trusted friend and ends up in a love triangle. Outside of said love triangle, she also has a slacking, surfing, stoner classmate who frequently butts heads with their teacher, Mr. Hand. Forest Whitaker plays as Charles Jefferson, a star football player. While it was a small role, it got the ball rolling for him.
Platoon (1986)
This war movie follows a man who drops out of college to help in the war with Vietnam. However, plans start to go sideways when disagreements start to arise between sergeants, as one side believes in having mercy on the civilians while the other wants to do whatever it takes to succeed. Forest Whitaker plays Big Harold, and is also accompanied by veteran actor Keith David who he’s worked with at other points in his career as well.
Bird (1988)
This drama follows the life of Charlie Parker, a saxophonist. It covers multiple different aspects of his life including his rocky relationship with his wife, his stage performances, and more. Whitaker stars as the main character, Charlie Parker, and this was his first lead role. Other cast members include Keith David once again and Samuel E. Wright.
Ghost Dog: The Way of the Samurai (1999)
Here, Whitaker plays the role of Ghost Dog, a contract killer who is very good at his job. He serves under a mobster who rescued him from death a long time ago. Other cast members include Isaach de Bankole, RZA and a very young Camille Winbush. This breakout role went quadruple platinum on BET networks for a while. You had to be there!
The Last King of Scotland (2006)
This thriller is about a doctor on a medical trip in Uganda who becomes the doctor of a dictator, Amin. After being there for his health and gaining some of his trust, he realizes that Amin is a horrible leader who had been ruling his people with violence. He now has to find a way out alive. Whitaker stars as Amin. Other cast members include David Oyelowo and Kerry Washington. He won three awards for this movie role, one being the BAFTA Award for Best Actor in a Leading Role in 2007.
The Butler (2013)
Here, Whitaker plays the role of the butler of the White House, an incredible opportunity for the real life story being portrayed here. The butler, Cecil Gaines worked at The White House for about 30 years, and was able to see first hand how officials work in the Oval Office. The movie also goes into his home life, including his relationship with his wife and son. Whitaker was nominated for multiple awards for this movie.
Repentance (2013)
This drama is about a man named Tommy Carter who becomes a therapist and life coach after narrowly surviving a drunken car crash. Whitaker plays Angel, one of Carter’s clients. The movie also features other successful actors including Anthony Mackie and Peter Weller.
Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016)
Whitaker went on the play a role in the hit series Star Wars where he plays as Saw Gerrera, a leader of the rebels throughout the Galatic Empire and the Clone Wars. This is one of those roles that he took on that really shows the diversity in his work, as before this, he wasn’t seen in many movies in the fantasy, sci-fi genre.
Black Panther (2018)
While he didn’t have a lead role in this movie, Black Panther was too big to leave out of this list. Whitaker is Zuri, an advisor for our main character T’Challa and previously his father T’Chaka, and a shaman that helps T’Challa see his father in the afterlife. This movie allowed him to work alongside Chadwick Boseman, Michael B. Jordan, Angela Bassett and more.
Havoc (2025)
Despite being in his 60s, Whitaker is still a major player in the game. He was recently in the movie ‘Havoc,’ a thriller about a detective that has to rescue the son of a politician after a drug deal went sour. Whitaker stars as Lawrence Beaumont, the politician in question. He is joined by actors including Tom Hardy, Jessie Mei Li, and more.
What’s your favorite of the Forest Whitaker movie roles? Let us know!
