5 questions for … Denzel Whitaker

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What kind of work would you expect an aspiring teenager to do if he has the name of two Academy Award winners? Of course, it would be acting. That's what 17-year-old Denzel Whitaker (no relation to Denzel Washington or Forest Whitaker) is doing, and moviegoers are beginning to compare him to his namesakes after his portrayal of James Farmer Jr. in the movie The Great Debaters. After recently completing the filming of the new movie Dadnapped, he took time to talk about his much-talked-about name, being intimidated and what he hopes to do in the future.

EBONY: There are stories that say you were named after Denzel Washington; others say you weren't. Were you named after Denzel?

WHITAKER: Yes, in a way. My mom wanted a name to resemble my dad's name, which is Dale, and she was looking for names that started with a D. When she thought about the name Denzel, she liked it. It just happened to be Denzel Washington's name.

EBONY: In The Great Debaters, were you intimidated to work with two of the biggest names in Hollywood, Denzel and Forest?

WHITAKER: I was very intimidated. But Denzel helped me through everything. He just told me to keep it simple; that was his continuing message to me, to keep it simple. He and Forest Whitaker are great mentors and teachers. They helped me to understand the craft a little better, and I got a better understanding of acting while doing that movie.

EBONY: How is your schooling being conducted?

WHITAKER: I go to public school, but when I'm working, I get my assignments e-mailed to me. My teachers arc very understanding, knowing that [acting] is a career opportunity. The papers that I have to do arc mailed back to the school. The system works, and since I'm a senior, I'll be able to graduate in the spring.

EBONY: What are your plans after graduation?

WHITAKER: I very much want to continue acting, but I also want to go to UCLA to learn more about directing. I started thinking about making movies when I was 14. I told Denzel about wanting to be a director, and he bought me a director's viewfinder that I take everywhere I go. He told me to continue following my dream, and that he believes I'll become a great director.

EBONY: When you're not on a movie set or at school, what's a normal day like for you?

WHITAKER: I wake up somewhere around noon, go to my computer and do some research, then I get into my ear and go hang out with my friends. I'll come back and watch TV, preferring to mix comedy with drama [Smallville, Heroes, Family Guy, Robot Chicken]. But one of the best parts of the day is enjoying some family time.

ABOUT DENZEL WHITAKER

Birthday: June 15, 1990

Parents: Dale and Younalanda Whitaker

Previous Role: Worked with Denzel Washington in Training Day as Macy Gray's nephew, Dimitri

Favorites: Spider-Man and Transformers

Scary Moment: Performing "Rapper's Delight" to warm up the audience at the 2005 Kids Choice Awards

On His iPod: Graduation by Kanye West and Jay-Z's American Gangster

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