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Denzel Whitaker
Denzel Whitaker by Gage Skidmore.jpg
Whitaker at the 2018 San Diego Comic-Con
Born
Denzel Dominique Whitaker

(1990-06-15) June 15, 1990 (age 34)
Occupation Actor
Years active 2001–present

Denzel Dominique Whitaker (born June 15, 1990) is an American actor. Beginning his career as a child actor, he acted in the films Training Day (2001) and The Ant Bully (2006) before portraying James Farmer Jr. in The Great Debaters (2007), earning an NAACP Image Award for his work in the film. His other film work includes My Soul to Take (2010), Abduction (2011) and Black Panther (2018).

On television, Whitaker was a cast member on Nickelodeon's All That between 2004 and 2005. He has appeared in recurring roles on Brothers & Sisters (2009) and The Purge (2019), in addition to guest roles on various series.

Early life

Whitaker was born on June 15, 1990 in Torrance, California, the son of Younalanda and Dale Whitaker. He went to Palos Verdes Peninsula High School, but while acting as a teenager he would receive and conduct schoolwork via email correspondence.

He was named after actor Denzel Washington. Whitaker disputed this fact on The Oprah Winfrey Show while promoting the movie The Great Debaters, only to learn later from his father that, in fact, Washington was his namesake. Washington would later serve as an acting mentor for Whitaker on The Great Debaters.

Career

Whitaker made his acting debut in the 2001 film Training Day as Dimitri. He was a regular cast member during the tenth and final season of the Nickelodeon sketch-comedy series All That.

He portrayed James Farmer Jr. in The Great Debaters (2007). Whitaker's acting in this film was well received, with one reviewer praising his "sweetness and vulnerability" and another describing him as a standout among the younger actors in the film. For his performance as James, Whitaker won the 2008 NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Motion Picture, and received a Young Artist Award nomination.

Whitaker played Sheldon in the Disney Channel Original Movie Dadnapped (2009). Whitaker was a blind teenager named Jerome in Wes Craven's My Soul to Take (2010). In 2011, he performed in two feature films, portraying Gilly in thriller Abduction and appearing in sports drama Warrior.

Whitaker appeared as Eddie in thriller Submerged (2016) and was a young Zuri in the 2018 superhero film Black Panther.

His television work includes ER, The Suite Life of Zack & Cody, The War at Home, Rizzoli & Isles and Blue Bloods. Whitaker also appeared in Werner Herzog's Bad Lieutenant: Port of Call New Orleans.

As a voice actor, Whitaker provided the voice of Albert in The Ant Bully (2006) and portrayed Kyle in preschool series Handy Manny. In the third season of The Boondocks, Whitaker gave voice to Sgt. Gutte, and on Black Dynamite: The Animated Series he played Donald the Accountant.

He has also worked as an assistant voice director for the 2010 film Freaknik: The Musical. Whitaker has directed films and music videos as well.

Filmography

Film

Year Title Role Notes
2001 Training Day Dimitri
2006 The Ant Bully Albert (voice)
2007 The Great Debaters James Farmer Jr. NAACP Image Award, Outstanding Supporting Actor
2009 Bad Lieutenant: Port of Call New Orleans Daryl
2010 My Soul to Take Jerome
2011 Abduction Gilly
Warrior Stephon
2015 Back to School Mom Noah Riley
2016 Submerged Eddie
2018 Black Panther Young Zuri
2019 U Shoot Videos? Moji Short film
2019 Will 'The Machine' Joe Walker Short film
2020 No Escape Thomas
2021 5150 N/A Short film; director and writer
2023 The Angry Black Girl and Her Monster Kango

Television

Year Title Role Notes
2004 One on One Young Duane Episode: "You Don't Have to Go Home..."
2004–2005 All That Denzel 6 episodes
2005 What's New, Scooby-Doo? Jake / Kid (voice) Episode: "Camp Comeoniwannascareya"
All That: 10th Anniversary Reunion Special Denzel Television special
SpongeBob SquarePants Background Fish Character
(voice)
Uncredited
ER Hassan Episode: "Wake Up"
2006 The War at Home Jeff 2 episodes
Teachers Martin Sanders Episode: "Schoolympics"
2007 Handy Manny Kyle (voice) Episode: "Join the Club"
The Suite Life of Zack & Cody Trent Episode: "Back in the Game"
2009 House Rules Peter Chiba Television film
Dadnapped Sheldon
CSI: Crime Scene Investigation Frankie Kirkland Episode: "No Way Out"
Brothers & Sisters Carter 3 episodes
2010 R U There? Max Television film
Freaknik: The Musical Fruit Bowl Boys Member
(voice)
The Boondocks Sgt. Gutter (voice) 1 episode
2012 Black Dynamite Donald the Accountant (voice) Episode: "Taxes and Death or Get Him to the Sunset Strip"
Rizzoli & Isles Trevor Episode: "Virtual Love"
2013 Monday Mornings Nick Villanueva Episode: "Communion"
Legit Clay 2 episodes
2015 Blue Bloods Curtis Turner
2019 The Purge Darren Moore 7 episodes
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