Forest Whitaker will receive the Santa Barbara International Film Festival’s eighth annual Kirk Douglas Award For Excellence In Film.

Whitaker, currently starring in the box office hit Lee Daniel’s The Butler, will collect the award on December 15.

“Forest Whitaker is an exceptional man and actor,” said Kirk Douglas. “His commitment to human causes, his passion for what is right, and his dedication to his craft are inspirational and at my age, inspiration is rare.”