2006 James McAvoy Movie That Won Forest Whitaker an Oscar Shut Down Production after Whitaker “Lost” the Accent

One of the most iconic films of Hollywood The Last King of Scotland from 2006 which gained critical claims was halted altogether when one of the leading actors of the movie lost the accent of his character. The distinct character of Idi Amin required the actor Forest Whitaker to hold on to the unique accent. Even though Whitaker earned an Oscar for his performance in this role, the journey to this iconic portrayal was far from smooth sailing.

The Lost Accent Saga: Forest Whitaker lost the accent of Idi Amin, which shut down the production for a while.

Forest Whitaker is considered one of the most versatile performers through his role in movies and dramas like Fast Time at Ridgemont High, Good Morning, Vietnam, Panic Room, and Respect. However, his role in the 2006 historical period film The Last King of Scotland, earned the actor an Oscar, The Academy Award for Best Actor, the British Academy Film Award, the Golden Globe Award, and the Screen Actors Guide Award.

Also Read: “She was pretty ruthless in so many ways”: Emily Blunt Opens Up About the Challenges of Playing a ‘Bad Mother and Wife’ in Oppenheimer

The character of Idi Amin held and unique accent which made it very challenging for Forest Whitaker to enact the character. In an interview with CBS News back in 2006, Whitaker said that he had to work very hard to master Amin’s accent. He revealed that he used to stay in the character even when not on the set. During this interview, Whitaker also recalled the time when he lost his accent which resulted in impeding the shooting of the film.

“There was one time into rehearsals that I dropped it because I had to go down and meet all the dignitaries, and it took me days to get it back,” Whitaker revealed. “I was so frightened because I was there a month before and I was like, ‘this is not going to happen again, I am not going to lose this character.’”

Forest Whitaker’s Resilience and Commitment

The Last King of Scotland, was an iconic historical drama that showcased the story of Uganda’s dictator, President Idi Ami which was narrated through the perspective of a Scottish doctor named Dr. Nichoals Garrigan. As per reports The Last King of Scotland was released in only limited theaters although the film gained a lot of popularity among critics and fans.

Other actors like James MacAvoy were also praised a lot for his role of Garrigan but the performance of Forest Whitaker as Idi Ami received a lot of attention and praise. For perfecting himself for this role Whitaker learned Swahili and also gained more than 50 pounds. He drowned himself in research and learning everything about the controversial dictator.

Also Read: “I really got boxed up as nice white middle class girl”: Emma Watson Was Afraid for Her Acting Career after Playing Hermione in Harry Potter for a Decade

Even after the film was completed Forest Whitaker had a hard time leaving the character. In a similar interview, Whitaker admitted, “It took me a while. Even though I left the energy and voice, I was still talking in the first person for a while. My friends were like, ‘Could you stop saying, I, I, I? It’s a character, let it go.’”

In the end, the hard work of Forest Whitaker was acknowledged by everyone. This role gained him several awards and played a significant role in giving him new heights in his career.

 Source: IMBD