Forest Whitaker in ‘Emperor of Ocean Park’ on MGM+.
As a kid I detested reading. By middle school my parents became concerned because (for the most part) I refused to read books on my own. The school librarian mentioned that she had some books about historical events, including memoirs about surviving genocide. From 2005-2008 I only read books about genocide survivors. I was in the 6th grade when I watched a film about genocide for the first time. It was about a ruthless Ugandan dictator named Idi Amin. Forest Whitaker’s performance as Idi Amin didn’t just win him an Oscar— it changed lives, including mine. Sometimes conflict outside of The United States seems distant. It comes in the form of tweets and Instagram posts. Watching The Last King of Scotland made the concept of genocide less distant to me.
For the first time I wanted to really make a difference when it came to an international issue. So I started raising money to help people affected by conflict in Darfur, Sudan. I gave up chocolate for years to protest child labor. I even began looking at colleges that had strong history programs. And during my undergraduate experience, I took several classes about terrorism and genocide. Forest Whitaker’s performance in The Last King of Scotland essentially changed the trajectory of my life. Watching that film made me have more empathy for Black people outside of The United States. It reminded me to always stand up for what is right. And it showed me how colonization still impacts how Black and brown people treat each other across the world.
Last week I had the privilege of interviewing Forest Whitaker about his latest role on the MGM+ series Emperor of Ocean Park. The show is set in the worlds of politics, elite academia, and the beaches of Martha’s Vineyard. It follows Talcott Garland (Grantham Coleman), an esteemed law professor whose quiet life is shattered when his father, Judge Oliver Garland, dies of an apparent heart attack. The nature of the judge’s death is questioned by Tal’s sister Mariah, a former journalist and conspiracy theorist. I spoke with Forest Whitaker about advice he has for aspiring actors. Check it out below.
Build Relationships
It is important to form relationships when starting off in any industry. For those who want to become actors, building relationships with casting directors, directors, producers, and screenwriters can go a long way. You may notice that some actors repeatedly work together under the same director. That’s not just because of their talent. It’s also because those actors have formed a relationship with the director and may not have to audition because of it. For Whitaker, acting has always been “more of an isolated art.”
He told me that the beginning of his career was a solo venture. “Early on in my acting career you could much say that I was pretty much isolated and a hermit. I would just go out and audition. Luckily, because I was obsessed, a lot of times I got the role. I didn’t use a chain or ladder of people to get to where I am. I would say it was from destiny and being willing to work twenty four hours or more,” he told me.
Developing relationships will help you get further in your career. But Whitaker is such a moving actor that he never needed to use people to get in the door. Most people who pursue acting never land a role. Some get cast in one thing and never act again. Others lose themselves to outside influences and their careers dwindle. Whitaker, on the other hand, has remained true to who he is despite experiencing fame. He recommends that up and coming actors prioritize the craft of acting, not the celebrity that may come with it. “I focus on my work and as a result I don’t get distracted by a lot of things. I am just trying to do something that is true and honest,” he said.
Do Research
It’s clear that Whitaker fully understands what it takes to get ready for a role. He offered great advice about how to prepare for roles. “It [how you prepare] depends on the role itself. It could be as extensive as learning a new language, learning a new instrument, learning an accent, learning about the history of a place. First go to the basics: where the person was from, what they do. I study lots of tapes of people,” he said. He told me a little bit about what he did to prepare for his role in Emperor of Ocean Park, which included studying the mannerisms of supreme court justices including their voices, the way they walk, and even the way they laugh.
“I worked on trying to find his voice. It started to suddenly find itself. It starts getting more in-depth with more understanding of the character. Then I look at the different registers of the voice. It always feels true. I mean the internal meter of the character, like the way you feel it, the way your heart beats,” he said. I asked him about why Emperor of Ocean Park has cultural significance. “It deals with the notion of Black excellence, parenting, and how to help a child rise to their full potential. It’s from the perspective of a Black conservative family. I think it’s important to see the full breadth of the Black experience. The more you see Black excellence the more understanding you have of the culture, Black culture, itself. People don’t recognize the successes going on behind the curtain,” he told me.
Be Persistent
Trying to land roles and getting turned down can be really disheartening. Some aspiring actors never get a single audition. Whitaker believes that talent and persistence are the keys to success as an actor. Sadly, there are thousands if not millions of people who want to be actors and will never make it. Despite the odds, Whitaker kept auditioning. He recommends that young actors be incredibly persistent. Also, having versatility as an actor never hurts. Whitaker has played a dictator. He’s been a butler. He has portrayed someone who was schizophrenic, which he said was the hardest role he’s had to prepare for. The combination of persistence and versatility has taken Whitaker’s career to new heights.
Unlike him, most people who audition for roles will never be on screen. Knowing that can be discouraging, but persistence may change things for you as an aspiring actor. Whitaker stressed the importance of not giving up on your dreams. He believes persistence has been a huge part of his own success. “Being persistent is really important. If you are willing to do the work, you’ll be rewarded,” he said.
