Friday, October 4, 2013

Forest Whitaker to Receive Actor Tribute at Gotham Awards

Forest Whitaker will be presented with the Actor Tribute at this year's GothamIndependent Film Awards, it was announced today.

The Butler star will receive the award at the 23rd annual event, set to take place on Dec. 2 at Cipriani Wall Street in New York.

Director Richard Linklater and NYC media and entertainment commissionerKatherine Oliver will also receive tributes at the ceremony.
STORY: Gotham Awards to Honor Richard Linklater With a Director Tribute

"We are thrilled to pay honor to a man whose work has played a significant role in the film world over the last 25 years,"Joana Vicente, Executive Director of the Independent Filmmaker Project, which presents the Gotham Awards, said in a statement. “Breaking boundaries and challenging audiences with complex, multi-faceted roles, Forest Whitaker is a significant independent voice whose performances have only been elevated by his visionary work as a producer, director and humanitarian.”  

Whitaker won the 2007 best actor Oscar for his work in The Last King of Scotland and most recently received acclaim for his performance as the titular White House staffer inLee Daniels' The Butler. He also produced this summer's Fruitvale Station, another Weinstein Company awards hopeful. He can next be seen in Black Nativity and Out of the Furnace, slated to be released later this year.
STORY: Gotham Awards to Honor NYC Film Commissioner Katherine Oliver With Industry Tribute

Whitaker also directed Waiting to Exhale and Hope Floats. He is also the UNESCO Goodwill Ambassador for Peace and Reconciliation and has participated in many humanitarian endeavors.

 Previous recipients of the Gotham Actor Tribute include Matt Damon, Marion Cotillard, Charlize Theron, Robert Duvall, Stanley Tucci, Natalie Portman,Javier Bardem, Penelope Cruz and Kate Winslet.