Forest Whitaker’s 4 Kids: All About Ocean, Autumn, Sonnet and True

Forest Whitaker may be the Godfather of Harlem, but in real life, he is the father of four children: Ocean, Autumn, Sonnet and True.

The The great George Foreman the actor had his first child and only son, Ocean (33), in 1990 with his previous partner. In 1996, Forest married his now-deceased ex-wife Keisha Nash and had two daughters, Sonnet (27) and True (25) in 1996 and 1998. Nash also had a daughter, Autumn, 32, from a previous relationship, whom Forest also helped raise as his own.

Whitaker filed for divorce from Nash in December 2018, citing irreconcilable differences. Before the split, the two were married for 22 years.

Five years later, Forest and Nash’s youngest daughter, True, announced her mother’s death on December 7, 2023, in an Instagram Story.

“Goodbye mom. Love you forever and ever,” True wrote over a black and white photo of her mother. “The most beautiful woman in the world… thank you for teaching me every thing I know. I will see you in my dreams and feel you in my heart.”

Forest Whitaker, wife Keisha Whitaker, daughters Autumn Whitaker, Sonnet Whitaker and True Whitaker arrive at the Kissable Couture Launch Party on November 13, 2007 in West Hollywood, California.

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From how they helped their dad prepare for the lead role to his thoughts on their love lives, here’s everything you need to know about Forest Whitaker’s kids.

Forest and Nash had two children from previous relationships before they married

Forest Whitaker with son Ocean Whitaker and daughter.

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Forest’s oldest child, Ocean, was born in April 1990. He was 4 years old when Forest and Nash met. Nash also had a child before he met Forest – a daughter born in 1991 named Autumn.

Ocean is a film editor who has worked on several projects including Montebello, The game of silence and One more try. Except he accompanied his father to the White House 50th anniversary of the Martin Luther King Jr. march in August 2013, Ocean stayed out of the public eye.

Autumn has also remained mostly private, although she has accompanied Forest on numerous red carpets throughout his career, including Servant premiere in 2013 i Huffington Post pre-inaugural ball 2009

After marrying in 1996, Forest and Nash had their daughters, Sonnet, on October 3, 1996, and True, on July 2, 1998.

Forest was a more lenient parent when the children were growing up

Forest Whitaker attends the Sundance Institute At Sundown with his daughters True and Autumn on June 14, 2018 in Los Angeles, California.

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In an interview with S. in 2009 ParadeForest admitted that Nash was the stricter parent when his children were young — and he was the one who let things slide.

“I’m not a dangerous lover. To be honest, my wife is much stronger with children than I am,” he said. “They come to me when they try to slip me something.”

He continued, “I always have to pause when they come over and say, ‘Hey dad, is it okay if we do this?’ So I just look at them like, ‘Did you talk to your mom about that?’ They know I’m lighter.”

His children played an active role in helping him prepare for their roles

Forest Whitaker and his daughter.

Forest Whitaker Instagram

When Forest got a role in a children’s film Where the wild things are, he enlisted the help of his children to help him prepare. Forest voiced Ira, who although a gentle “Wild Thing”, was still a beast and was meant to growl and grunt.

To prepare, Forest practiced his animal sounds at home with his children, who were already familiar with the story, he said. Parade.

“Pushing and things I used to do at home with my kids. When they were younger, I would do that a lot when I read them a book,” he said. “It kind of ran in my family because they read it to me when I was a kid. I read it to all my kids, and now they were reading it themselves. They loved the scary parts.”

While Ira was a friendlier role, Forest had experience with less welcoming characters, such as when he played the dictator Idi Amin in 2006. Last King of Scotland.

To prepare for the role, Forest told Black Film that he stayed in character even when he wasn’t filming — which led to him sometimes speaking in a voice that was different from his usual with his children.

“I tried to get rid of it as much as I could,” Forest told the newspaper when he would call his children while making the film. “My daughter would say, ‘Dad, why are you talking like that?’ I’d say, ‘Just remember, I’m just pretending for a while.’ She understands.”

Forest is not overly protective when it comes to his daughters’ love lives

Forest Whitaker with his daughters, Sonet and True.

Forest Whitaker Instagram

While promoting his 2010 film Our family weddingForest told Cleveland.com that he was relatively relaxed when it came to relationship rules, especially for his daughters.

“Whatever would make my children happy,” he told the newspaper. “It’s actually about the quality of the child they bring home. I am very open with my daughters. I try not to put my own fears on them. I believe they will find a man who will let them grow. They are strong. They wouldn’t let anyone mistreat them.”

Sonnet is a singer

Sonnet Whitaker and actor Forest Whitaker at the premiere of “Black Nativity” on November 18, 2013 in New York City.

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Forest raised his children in a creative household, encouraging his children to follow their interests and passions.

“I was very idealistic when I was younger; I read books of poetry, I didn’t care about work or money,” said Forest Paste magazine. “I’d rather sleep on the couch than do something I don’t believe in… And even though I’ve shielded my kids from work, they’re very artistic souls too.”

Although she did not inherit the acting bug, Sonnet lived up to her musical name and became a musician.

In October 2022, the proud dad announced that his daughter had released an album, NFSand encouraged his followers to listen.

“I’m so proud of my amazing daughter Sonnet for writing and recording NFS, her first album!” he wrote in the description on Instagram.

True starred alongside her father in the episode Godfather of Harlem

Forest Whitaker (L) and daughter True Whitaker attend the ‘Rogue One: A Star Wars Story’ launch event after party on December 13, 2016 in London, England.

David M. Bennett/Dave Bennett/WireImage

Forest’s youngest daughter decided to follow in his footsteps and pursue an acting career. After graduating from high school, True went to school at New York University, where she studied creative writing.

However, after graduating, she began acting, including a role in an episode of her father’s show, Godfather of Harlem.

“I acted in the last season Godfather of Harlem, starring my dad. I had a character named Sandra. She was definitely a challenge, but I loved every second of it and I hope she comes back, since it’s filming right now,” she told New York Post in July 2022.

She added that she didn’t think her dad was on set while she was filming, but when she finished, someone informed her that he was “secretly watching”.

“He is a great support for me,” she told the newspaper. “When I got back to my dressing room, I found him inside with balloons and a bottle of champagne, congratulating me. It was really special, of course, to be able to do it with my dad.”

True added that she believes she inherited her wit and empathy from her father, who she said raised all his children to be accepting of all kinds of people.

“I feel like he taught me, my brother and sister, to approach life with a sense of understanding and openness to the different types of people in this world — to embrace different types of people, with different energies and from different walks of life,” True said.

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Source: HIS Education