Forest Whitaker will receive this year's Actor's Tribute at the Gotham Independent Film Awards, the organization announced on Thursday. The Oscar-winning actor will be feted by power players in the New York film community at the annual event, set to take place at Cipriani's on December 2.
Previous honorees of Gotham Award tributes include actors Matt Damon, Charlize Theron and Javier Bardem, along with filmmakers Spike Lee and Martin Scorcese. 
Whitaker is gearing up for a busy fall. The actor, who won an Oscar for 2007's The Last King of Scotland, is expected to receive multiple award nominations for his starring role in Lee Daniels' The Butler, as well as recognition for executive producing the breakout independent film Fruitvale Station. 
Next up for Whitaker are crime drama Out of the Furnace opposite Christian Bale and Zoe Saldana and the lead in Black Nativity. Both films will be released after Thanksgiving. 
BET.com is your #1 source for Black celebrity news, photos, exclusive videos and all the latest in the world of hip hop and R&B music.
Click here to subscribe to our newsletter.

  (Photo: Francois Durand/Getty Images)