# Why does Forrest Whitaker keep getting work? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [July 12, 2003, 8:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-forrest-whitaker-keep-getting-work/188033 "2003-07-12T20:39:17Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 15\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![astro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/9dc877/32.png) [@astro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astro)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2003, 8:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-forrest-whitaker-keep-getting-work/188033/1 "2003-07-12T20:39:17Z")
I’ve seen him on the new Twilight Zone, Battlefield Earth and (IIRC) in Species, and in _none_ of these was he particularly impressive. In point of fact he seems pretty much like an everyday schlub. Is there some masterwork of his that I need to see that could show me what a masterful actor he is? ---
**Author:** ![Ryan\_Liam](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ryan_liam/32/3965_2.png) [@Ryan\_Liam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ryan_Liam)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2003, 8:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-forrest-whitaker-keep-getting-work/188033/2 "2003-07-12T20:46:14Z")
Two words: Ghost Dog ---
**Author:** ![Ukulele\_Ike](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/df788c/32.png) [@Ukulele\_Ike](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ukulele_Ike)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2003, 8:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-forrest-whitaker-keep-getting-work/188033/3 "2003-07-12T20:50:40Z")
Well, there was _Bird_…no, wait, he was pretty awful in that. Ummmm…_The Crying Game_? No, he sucked in that. That pretty much covers _my_ experience with his _oeuvre_. Goes without saying that I don’t rush right out for tickets when he opens in a new flick. ---
**Author:** ![Horatio\_Hellpop](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/e5b9ba/32.png) [@Horatio\_Hellpop](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Horatio_Hellpop)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2003, 9:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-forrest-whitaker-keep-getting-work/188033/4 "2003-07-12T21:17:14Z")
He’s appealing _because_ he’s an ordinary shlub. There should be more movies without Mel Gibson or Josh Hartnett in them. ---
**Author:** ![Snooooopy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ee7513/32.png) [@Snooooopy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snooooopy)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2003, 9:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-forrest-whitaker-keep-getting-work/188033/5 "2003-07-12T21:37:34Z")
Maybe it’s that funny-looking eye. Turns him from an ordinary schlub into a schlub with a face that you just want to keep staring at. ---
**Author:** ![Athena](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/35a633/32.png) [@Athena](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Athena)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2003, 9:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-forrest-whitaker-keep-getting-work/188033/6 "2003-07-12T21:40:46Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Ryan\_Liam \* > \*\*Two words: > > Ghost Dog \*\* I second this. If you haven’t seen Ghost Dog, go see it. Now. ---
**Author:** ![Hodge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/5f9b8f/32.png) [@Hodge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hodge)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2003, 9:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-forrest-whitaker-keep-getting-work/188033/7 "2003-07-12T21:48:22Z")
_Ghost Dog_ is great. And I liked him in _Bird_. Ditto _The Panic Room_. I agree that it really is easy to identify with his ordinary schlub persona. Also, he’s smart and it shows through in his characters. Check out his bit part in _The Color of Money_ where he steals the scene (and the money) right out from under Paul Newman. Best scene in the whole movie, AFAIC. ---
**Author:** ![Stuffy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f17d59/32.png) [@Stuffy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stuffy)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2003, 11:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-forrest-whitaker-keep-getting-work/188033/8 "2003-07-12T23:14:39Z")
The guy has range, with another nod to Ghost Dog. He’s great in A Rage in Harlem, The Panic Room. ---
**Author:** ![Nvme77](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/c89c15/32.png) [@Nvme77](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nvme77)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2003, 11:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-forrest-whitaker-keep-getting-work/188033/9 "2003-07-12T23:53:52Z")
Hmm…He was great in Good Morning Vietnam…He’s directed as well. Some girly movie. He’ll be around for a long time. ---
**Author:** ![3trew](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/3/13edae/32.png) [@3trew](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/3trew)\ **Post date:** [July 13, 2003, 12:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-forrest-whitaker-keep-getting-work/188033/10 "2003-07-13T00:00:54Z")
After Ghost Dog, the man can coast for years if he wants to. ---
**Author:** ![Manduck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/manduck/32/256_2.png) [@Manduck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Manduck)\ **Post date:** [July 13, 2003, 12:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-forrest-whitaker-keep-getting-work/188033/11 "2003-07-13T00:19:41Z")
I thought he was great in The Crying Game. He’s a good actor - I mean, what do you want him to do differently? ---
**Author:** ![Fiver](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/e274bd/32.png) [@Fiver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fiver)\ **Post date:** [July 13, 2003, 12:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-forrest-whitaker-keep-getting-work/188033/12 "2003-07-13T00:27:09Z")
I haven’t seen _Ghost Dog,_ but he was amazing in _The Crying Game,_ and he was the only redeeming feature of the otherwise appallingly bad _Phenomenon._ ---
**Author:** ![raisinbread](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/8491ac/32.png) [@raisinbread](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/raisinbread)\ **Post date:** [July 13, 2003, 12:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-forrest-whitaker-keep-getting-work/188033/13 "2003-07-13T00:36:07Z")
He has photos of various Hollywood executives in compromising positions with aroused dobermans. ---
**Author:** ![Lizard](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/dfb087/32.png) [@Lizard](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lizard)\ **Post date:** [July 13, 2003, 12:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-forrest-whitaker-keep-getting-work/188033/14 "2003-07-13T00:58:16Z")
He fulfills the dep-seated need in the American public for unnattractive middle-aged men in leading film roles. ---
**Author:** ![ElwoodCuse](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/edb3f5/32.png) [@ElwoodCuse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ElwoodCuse)\ **Post date:** [July 13, 2003, 2:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-forrest-whitaker-keep-getting-work/188033/15 "2003-07-13T02:36:48Z")
Hey, I’m not going to star him a huge spectacle picture, but I thought he was great in _Panic Room_ and _Phone Booth_. He did a good job with the character types of “antagonist, but not really” and “stay cool while stuff around you is going to shit”. And the eye thing–seriously, what is that? I noticed it a lot on Stu Scott during “I Love the 80s”. He should get that checked out, it led to major surgery for me.