Forest Whitaker is an American actor, director and producer. He is known for his recurring role of Lieutenant Jon Kavanaugh in the TV series The Shield. He started his career in the early 80s with the film Fast Times at Ridgemont High. He will star as Saw Gerrera, a veteran of the Clone Wars and the leader of a militant insurgent group in the upcoming Disney+ series Andor. 

Here are his 5 best movies and TV shows. 

1. The Last King of Scotland

Whitaker portrayed the brutal Ugandan dictator Idi Amin, who terrorized his country with his brutal regime. Whitaker won the Oscar, SAG, Golden Globe, and BAFTA for this role. 

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2. Bird 

Bird is a 1988 American biographical film about jazz saxophonist Charlie Parker. Whitaker played the role of Parker and earned the Cannes Film Festival Award as Best Actor as well as a Golden Globe nomination. 

3. The Butler 

The movie is about a man who worked as a butler in the White House serving under eight Presidents. He witnesses first-hand the civil rights movement, the Vietnam War and the vast social change the country underwent during those years. Forest Whitaker portrays Cecil Gaines, the film’s main character. He received a SAG nomination as Best Actor for this role. 

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4. Godfather of Harlem

Godfather of Harlem is an American crime drama television series which premiered on September 29, 2019. The series stars Forest Whitaker as 1960s New York City gangster Bumpy Johnson. The series tells the true story of infamous crime boss Bumpy Johnson, who in the early 1960s returns from ten years in prison to the neighbourhood he once ruled.

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5. Star Wars Rebels 

Star Wars Rebel is an American 3D animated sci-fi television series set in the Star Wars universe. It takes place over a decade after Episode III: Revenge of the Sith. Forest Whitaker portrayed Saw Gerrera, a Rebel extremist and former freedom fighter.