This is a list of awards and nominations received by American actor, filmmaker, and activist Forest Whitaker.
Over his career Whitaker has earned an Academy Award, BAFTA Award, Emmy Award, Golden Globe Award, a Cannes Film Festival Awards, and two Screen Actors Guild Awards. He won the Academy Award for Best Actor, BAFTA Award for Best Actor, Golden Globe Award for Best Actor - Motion Picture Drama, and Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Leading Role for his portrayal of Ugandan dictator Idi Amin in The Last King of Scotland (2006). In 2022 he won the Honorary Palme d'Or.
Major associations Academy Awards Year Category Nominated work Result Ref. 2007Best Actor The Last King of Scotland
BAFTA Awards Year Category Nominated work Result Ref.British Academy Film Awards 2006Best Actor in a Leading Role The Last King of Scotland
Cannes Film Festival Year Category Nominated work Result Ref. 1988Best Actor Bird 2022Honorary Palme d'Or
Critics' Choice Awards Year Category Nominated work Result Ref.Critics' Choice Movie Awards 2007Best Actor The Last King of Scotland 2014Joel Siegel Award2019Best Acting Ensemble Black PantherCritics' Choice Television Award2016Best Supporting Actor in a Movie/Miniseries Roots
Emmy Awards Year Category Nominated work Result Ref.Primetime Emmy Awards2003Outstanding Television Movie Door to DoorEmmys.com list of 2003 Nominees & Winners2007Outstanding Guest Actor in a Drama Series ER2010Exceptional Merit in Nonfiction Filmmaking Brick City2025Outstanding Guest Actor in a Drama Series Andor (for "I Have Friends Everywhere")Emmys.com list of 2025 Nominees & Winners News & Documentary Emmy Awards 2012Outstanding Informational Programming – Long Form Brick City
Golden Globes Awards Year Category Nominated work Result Ref. 1988Best Actor – Motion Picture Drama Bird 2006 The Last King of Scotland
Independent Spirit Awards Year Category Nominated work Result Ref.2006Best Male Lead Actor American Gun2014Best First Feature Fruitvale Station (as a producer)2016 Songs My Brother Taught Me (as a producer)2019 Sorry to Bother You (as a producer)
Screen Actors Guild Awards Year Category Nominated work Result Ref. 1994Outstanding Actor in a Miniseries or TV Movie The Enemy Within2003 Deacons for Defense and Justice2006 Outstanding Actor in a Leading Role The Last King of Scotland2013 The ButlerOutstanding Cast in a Motion Picture2018 Black Panther
Miscellaneous awards AARP Movies for Grownups Awards The AARP Movies for Grownups Awards are given annually by the AARP to encourage the film industry to make more movies by and about people over the age of 50. YearWorkCategoryResultRef.2013 The ButlerBest ActorBest Grownup Love Story Audie Awards Year Work Category Result Ref. 2008The Bible Experience (Old Testament) Audiobook of the Year Inspirational/Spiritual rowspan=2 Multi-Voiced Performance 2010Nelson Mandela's Favorite African Folktales Audiobook of the Yearrowspan=2 Multi-Voiced Performance 2014Nelson Mandela by Kadir Nelson Children's Title for Ages Up to Eight
BET Awards YearWorkCategoryResultRef.2007 The Last King of ScotlandBest Actor2014The Butler2020Godfather of Harlem
Black Reel Awards YearWorkCategoryResultRef.2003 Panic RoomOutstanding Supporting Actor, Motion Picture2003 Black Reel Awards2004Phone Booth2004 Black Reel AwardsDeacons for DefenseOutstanding Actor, TV Movie or Limited Series2007 The Last King of ScotlandOutstanding Actor, Motion Picture2007 Black Reel Awards2010 Where the Wild Things AreOutstanding Voice Performance2010 Black Reel Awards2014Fruitvale Station (as a producer) Outstanding FilmThe ButlerOutstanding Actor, Motion Picture2016 SouthpawOutstanding Supporting Actor, Motion Picture16th Annual Black Reel Award Nominations2020 Godfather of Harlem (as a producer)Outstanding Drama SeriesOutstanding Actor, Drama Series2021 "Make It Work" (from Jingle Jangle: A Christmas Journey)Outstanding Original Song 2022 Passing (as a producer)Outstanding Film
British Independent Film Awards The British Independent Film Awards (BIFA) is an organisation that celebrates, supports and promotes British independent cinema and filmmaking talent in United Kingdom, Australia and New Zealand. YearWorkCategoryResultRef.2006 The Last King of Scotland Best Actor
Gotham Awards The Gotham Awards is an awards show presented annually by the Gotham Film & Media Institute to honor independent films in cinematic achievement. YearWorkCategoryResultRef. 2013 Fruitvale Station (as a producer) Audience Award Himself Gotham Tributes Honor 2018 Sorry to Bother You (as a producer) Audience Award 2021 Passing (as a producer) Best Feature
Guild of Music Supervisors Awards YearWorkCategoryResultRef. 2021 "Make It Work" (from Jingle Jangle: A Christmas Journey) Best Song Written and/or Recorded for a Film
NAACP Image Awards The NAACP Image Awards NAACP Image Awards is an annual awards ceremony presented by the U.S.-based National Association for the Advancement of Colored People to honor outstanding performances in film, television, theatre, music, and literature. YearWorkCategoryResultRef.1995 The Crying Game Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Motion Picture1997 Phenomenon2004 Phone Booth The Crying Game Outstanding Actor in a TV Movie, Mini-Series or Dramatic Special2007 The Last King of Scotland Outstanding Actor in a Motion Picture2008 The Great Debaters Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Motion Picture2014 The Butler Outstanding Actor in a Motion Picture Himself Chairman's Award2016 Southpaw Outstanding Actor in a Motion Picture2019 Godfather of Harlem (as a producer) Outstanding Drama Series2020 Godfather of Harlem Outstanding Actor in a Drama Series2021 Jingle Jangle: A Christmas Journey Outstanding Actor in a Motion Picture2022 Godfather of Harlem Outstanding Actor in a Drama Series
National Board of Review Awards The National Board of Review Awards is an annual awards ceremony presented by the U.S.-based National Board of Review of Motion Pictures to honor outstanding performances in film. YearWorkCategoryResultRef.1994 Pret a Porter Best Acting by an Ensemble2006 The Last King of ScotlandBest Actor
Satellite Awards The Satellite Awards are annual awards given by the International Press Academy that are commonly noted in entertainment industry journals and blogs. YearWorkCategoryResultRef.2006 The Last King of ScotlandBest Actor – Motion Picture The ShieldBest Supporting Actor – Miniseries or TV Film2013 The Butler Best Actor – Motion Picture
Critics awards AssociationYearCategoryWorkResultRef.American Black Film Festival1999 Best DirectorHope Floats 2014 Best Ensemble CastThe Butler Movie of the Year Fruitvale Station (as a producer) Artist of the YearHimself AAFCA Awards2006Best ActorThe Last King of Scotland 2013 The Butler Austin Film Critics Association 2019 Best Ensemble Black Panther Blockbuster Entertainment Award1997Favorite Supporting Actor – DramaPhenomenon Boston Society of Film Critics2006Best ActorThe Last King of Scotland Capri Hollywood International Film FestivalCapri Legend AwardHimself Chicago Film Critics Association2006Best ActorThe Last King of Scotland Christopher Award2006Television & Cable AwardDoor to Door Dallas–Fort Worth Film Critics Association2006Best ActorThe Last King of Scotland Deauville American Film Festival1993Best DirectorStrapped Florida Film Critics Circle2006Best ActorThe Last King of Scotland Georgia Film Critics Association2019Best EnsembleBlack Panther Hollywood Film Awards2006Actor of the YearThe Last King of Scotland London Film Critics' Circle2006Actor of the Year Los Angeles Film Critics Association2006Best Actor National Society of Film Critics2006 New York Film Critics Circle2006 New York Film Critics Online2006 Online Film Critics Society2006 Santa Barbara International Film Festival2007American Riviera Award 2014Excellence in Film AwardHimself Seattle Film Critics Society2018Best EnsembleBlack Panther St. Louis Film Critics Association2006Best ActorThe Last King of Scotland Toronto Film Critics Association2006Best Actor Vancouver Film Critics Circle2006Best Actor Retrieved on January 13, 2009.Washington DC Area Film Critics Association2006Best Actor 2018Best EnsembleBlack Panther
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