forest-whitaker (Tim P. Whitby/Getty Images)
Actor Forest Whitaker has excellent taste not only in the roles he picks, but also in real estate. For the past 14 years, he and his family have been living in a two-home compound in the Hollywood Hills. He purchased the property in 2003 for about $2 million, and it's now on the market for $6 million.
Whitaker, who won an Oscar in 2006 for his role as Ugandan dictator Idi Amin in "The Last King of Scotland," wife Keisha Whitaker, and their four children have had plenty of space to spread out in the Balinese-style estate with two houses, 11 bedrooms, and 11.5 bathrooms.
But the 1.66-acre lot, located at the end of a private cul-de-sac and surrounded by hills and trees, feels worlds away from the city.
The main house has six bedrooms and six baths spread over 5,641 square feet of space. Because it's built on the side of a hill, there's a dramatic entryway on the top floor with twin staircases leading down into the living room.
There are gleaming wood floors, wrought-iron railings, and abundant windows throughout. The colorful kitchen features a peninsula and an island, plus double ovens, double dishwashers, and a wine refrigerator.
The second house has its own address and a gated entry. It measures 2,725 square feet and three stories, and has five bedrooms and five baths.
Both houses share a pool and spa, an outdoor kitchen, outdoor dining areas, and city and canyon views from ornate balconies. The complex, which was built in 1998, features carved wood brought in from Bali.
Whitaker, who attended Cal Poly Pomona on a football scholarship, also studied opera, drama, and international relations in London and New York. His degree is from the University of Southern California.
His film career started in 1982 in Cameron Crowe's "Fast Times at Ridgemont High." He's since starred in films such as "The Color of Money," "Platoon," "The Crying Game," "The Butler," and "Rogue One: A Star Wars Story." At the moment, he has five films in various stages of production.