Damon Whitaker (born 21 October 1970) is an American actor. Forest Whitaker and Kenn Whitaker, also actors, are his elder brothers. He is often cast as the younger version of Forest’s characters due to his resemblance to Forest.

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Early life

Damon Whitaker was born on 21 October 1970 in Los Angeles County, California to Laura Francis (née Smith), a special education teacher, and Forest Steven Whitaker Jr., an insurance salesman.

He is the younger brother of American actors Forest Whitaker and Kenn Whitaker, and director, Deborah Whitaker. He is also the ex-brother-in-law of American actress Keisha Nash Whitaker, who was married to Forest Whitaker from 1996 to 2018. Actress Sonnet Noel Whitaker (born 1996 to Forest and Keisha) is his niece.

Career

Whitaker made his acting debut in 1988 in Clint Eastwood-directed film, Bird. The film was a biographical account of the troubled life and career of jazz musician Charlie “Bird” Parker. Whitaker played the character of young Bird and his brother, Forest Whitaker, played the lead role of Charlie “Bird” Parker.

The following year, in 1989, he was seen as Ron’s Barber in “Take This Job and Love It” episode of television series, A Different World.

Whitaker’s first major role was in 1994 crime/action film, Saints and Sinners. Whitaker played the character of “Rockitt” and Jennifer Rubin and Damian Chapa were in the lead roles of Eva and Pooch, respectively. The following year he was seen as “Bobby Tidd” in Stephen Herek’s Mr. Holland’s Opus.

In 1999, he was seen in action/drama, Ghost Dog: The Way of the Samurai, playing the younger version of the lead character, “Ghost Dog,” which was played by his elder brother, Forest Whitaker.

In 2004, Whitaker portrayed the character of “Charles” in First Daughter. The film was directed by his brother, Forest, and had Marc Blucas and Katie Holmes in the lead roles of James Lansome and Samantha Mackenzie, respectively. Forest’s daughter, Sonnet Noel Whitaker also had a minor role in the film –– she was 8 years old at the time.

Most recently, he was seen in a minor role of a TV host in Jesse V. Johnson-directed action/thriller, Triple Threat (2019.) He has also finished filming for Wildtrack –– a Dante Del Mare-directed action film in which Whitaker will be seen in one of the lead roles, alongside Milena Gorum, Dean Alexandrou and Byron Gibson. The release date for the film is yet to be announced.

Filmography