Filmography
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1982 | Tag: The Assassination Game | Gowdy's Bodyguard | |
| 1982 | Fast Times at Ridgemont High | Charles Jefferson | |
| 1985 | Vision Quest | Balldozer | |
| 1985 | North and South | Cuffey | |
| 1986 | Color of Money, TheThe Color of Money | Amos | |
| 1986 | North and South, Book II | Cuffey | |
| 1986 | Platoon | Big Harold | |
| 1987 | Stakeout | Jack Pismo | |
| 1987 | Good Morning, Vietnam | Edward Garlick | |
| 1988 | Bird | Charlie 'Bird' Parker | Cannes Film Festival Award for Best Actor Nominated — Golden Globe Award for Best Actor - Motion Picture Drama |
| 1988 | Bloodsport | Rawlins | |
| 1989 | Johnny Handsome | Dr. Steven Fisher | |
| 1990 | Downtown | Dennis Curren | |
| 1991 | Diary of a Hitman | Dekker | |
| 1991 | Rage in Harlem, AA Rage in Harlem | Jackson | |
| 1992 | Article 99 | Dr. Sid Handleman | |
| 1992 | Crying Game, TheThe Crying Game | Jody | |
| 1992 | Consenting Adults | David Duttonville | |
| 1993 | Bank Robber | Officer Battle | |
| 1993 | Body Snatchers | Major Collins | |
| 1994 | Blown Away | Anthony Franklin | |
| 1994 | Prêt-à-Porter | Cy Bianco | NBR Award for Best Cast |
| 1994 | Jason's Lyric | Maddog | |
| 1995 | Species | Dan Smithson, Empath | |
| 1995 | Smoke | Cyrus Cole | |
| 1996 | Phenomenon | Nate Pope | |
| 1998 | Body COunt | Crane | |
| 1999 | Ghost Dog: The Way of the Samurai | Ghost Dog | |
| 1999 | Light It Up | Officer Dante Jackson | |
| 1999 | Witness Protection | US Marshal Steven Beck | |
| 2000 | Battlefield Earth | Ker | Nominated — Razzie Award for Worst Supporting Actor |
| 2000 | Four Dogs Playing Poker | Mr. Ellington | |
| 2001 | Fourth Angel, TheThe Fourth Angel | Agent Jules Bernard | |
| 2001 | Follow, TheThe Follow | The Employer | uncredited |
| 2001 | Green Dragon | Addie | |
| 2002 | Panic Room | Burnham | Nominated — Black Reel Award for Best Supporting Actor |
| 2002 | Phone Booth | Captain Ed Ramey | Theatrical release was delayed due to the Beltway sniper attacks in October 2002. |
| 2004 | First Daughter | Narrator | also directed |
| 2005 | Little Trip to Heaven, AA Little Trip to Heaven | Abe Holt | |
| 2005 | American Gun | Carter | Nominated — Independent Spirit Award for Best Lead Male |
| 2005 | Mary | Ted Younger | |
| 2006 | Even Money | Clyde Snow | |
| 2006 | The Marsh | Geoffrey Hunt | |
| 2006 | Everyone's Hero | Lonnie Brewster | voice only |
| 2006 | Last King of Scotland, TheThe Last King of Scotland | Idi Amin | Academy Award for Best Actor BAFTA Award for Best Actor in a Leading Role BET Award for Best Actor Broadcast Film Critics Association Award for Best Actor Golden Globe Award for Best Actor - Motion Picture Drama Kansas City Film Critics Circle Award for Best Actor Las Vegas Film Critics Society Award for Best Actor London Film Critics Circle Award for Best Actor Los Angeles Film Critics Association Award for Best Actor NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Actor in a Motion Picture National Board of Review Award for Best Actor National Society of Film Critics Award for Best Actor New York Film Critics Circle Award for Best Actor Online Film Critics Society Award for Best Actor Phoenix Film Critics Society Award for Best Actor Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Leading Role Washington D.C. Area Film Critics Association for Best Actor Nominated — British Independent Film Award for Best Actor |
| 2007 | Air I Breathe, TheThe Air I Breathe | Happiness | |
| 2007 | Ripple Effect | Philip | |
| 2007 | Great Debaters, TheThe Great Debaters | James L. Farmer, Sr. | |
| 2008 | Vantage Point | Howard Lewis | |
| 2008 | Street Kings | Capt. Jack Wander | |
| 2008 | Dragon Hunters | Lian Chu | Voice — English version |
| 2009 | Powder Blue | Charlie | |
| 2009 | Winged Creatures | Charlie Archenault | |
| 2009 | Where the Wild Things Are | Ira | (voice only) |
| 2009 | Lullaby for Pi | George | |
| 2009 | Hurricane Season | Al Collins | |
| 2010 | Repo Men | Jake Freivald | |
| 2010 | My Own Love Song | Joey | |
| 2010 | Experiment, TheThe Experiment | Barris | |
| 2010 | Our Family Wedding | Bradford Boyd | |
| 2011 | Catch .44 | Ronny | |
| 2012 | Freelancers | Dennis LaRue | |
| 2013 | The Last Stand | Agent John Bannister | filming |
| Year | Title |
|---|---|
| 1993 | Strapped |
| 1995 | Waiting to Exhale |
| 1998 | Hope Floats |
| 2004 | First Daughter |
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1982 | Making The Grade | Episode "Marriage David Style" | |
| 1983 | Cagney & Lacey | Night Manager | Episode "The Grandest Jewel Thief of Them All" |
| 1984 | Trapper John, M.D. | Lewis Jordan | Episode "School Nurse" |
| 1984 | Hill Street Blues | Floyd Green | Episode "Blues for Mr. Green" |
| 1985 | Diff'rent Strokes | Herman | Episode "Bully for Arnold" |
| 1985 | Grand Baby, TheThe Grand Baby | Television movie | |
| 1985 | Fall Guy, TheThe Fall Guy | Friend | Episode "Spring Break" |
| 1986 | Amazing Stories | Jerry | Episode "Gather Ye Acorns" |
| 1987 | Hands of a Stranger | Sergeant Delaney | Television movie |
| 1990 | Criminal Justice | Jessie Williams | Television movie |
| 1993 | Lush Life | Buddy Chester | Television movie |
| 1993 | Last Light | Fred Whitmore | Television movie |
| 1994 | Enemy Within, TheThe Enemy Within | Colonel MacKenzie 'Mac' Casey | Television movie |
| 1996 | Rebound: The Legend of Earl "The Goat" Manigault | Mr. Rucker | Television movie |
| 1999 | Witness Protection | Steven Beck | Television movie |
| 2001 | Feast of All Saints | Daguerreotypist Picard | Television movie |
| 2003 | Deacons for Defense | Marcus Clay | Television movie |
| 2002– 2003 |
Twilight Zone, TheThe Twilight Zone | Host / Narrator | 44 episodes |
| 2006– 2007 |
ER | Curtis Ames | 6 episodes |
| 2006– 2007 |
The Shield | Lieutenant Jon Kavanaugh | (Seasons 5 and 6) |
| 2007– 2009 |
American Dad! | Turlington | 3 episodes |
| 2010 | Criminal Minds | Sam Cooper | Episode "The Fight" |
| 2011 | Criminal Minds: Suspect Behavior | Sam Cooper | Spin-off |
Read more about this topic: Forest Whitaker