Derek Luke life and biography

Derek Luke is an American actor. He won the Independent Spirit Award for his big-screen debut performance in the 2002 film Antwone Fisher, directed and produced by Denzel Washington.

Luke was born in Jersey City, New Jersey, the son of pianist Marjorie Dixon and Guyanese native Maurice Luke, a former actor. He graduated from Linden High School, Linden, NJ, Class of 1993.

Luke displayed a precocious interest in drama at the age of four, telling his mother he wanted to be an actor, and, in 1995, he moved to California in hopes of making a career for himself in film and television. The 1,000-dollar nest egg Luke brought with him didn't last long, but, determined to get his foot in the door of the business, he took jobs that would allow him to meet people in the entertainment industry -- first serving as an usher for television tapings at the Universal Pictures studios and later as a sales clerk at a shop selling candy, gifts, and sundries on the Sony Pictures Studios lot. While there, Luke became acquainted with Antwone_Fisher, a screenwriter who had a development deal with the studio, and learned that Fisher's memoir about his turbulent early life was being made into a film. Luke became even more intrigued when he learned Denzel Washington was interested in directing the film, but, despite landing an audition for the project, the picture was put on hold before casting could be completed. In the meantime, Luke continued to work at the store and landed bit parts on the sitcoms The King of Queens and Moesha before auditioning for Antwone Fisher a second time in 2001. While Luke wasn't happy with his reading, Washington was convinced the actor had the right emotional pitch for the character, and, several weeks later, the Hollywood veteran stopped by the Sony Studios store to tell Luke he'd won the part. Though opinions on the film were mixed, Luke was singled out for his raw, authentic, and emotional performance. After completing Antwone_Fisher, Derek Luke was soon cast in two 2003 features: Pieces of April and Biker Boyz.

Though Luke was still every bit the dramatic powerhouse that he was in Antwone_Fisher, his abilities were put on the back burner somewhat in the ensemble casts of Spartan, Friday Night Lights, and Glory Road. As a wronged family man who becomes a freedom fighter in apartheid-era South Africa, however, Luke proved in Phillip_Noyce's 2006 biopic Catch a Fire that he was more than capable of carrying a major film.

Filmography:

Antwone Fisher (2002)
Biker Boyz (2003)
Pieces of April (2003)
Friday Night Lights (2004)
Spartan (2004)
Glory Road (2006)
Catch a Fire (2006)
Lions for Lambs (2007)
Definitely, Maybe (2008)
Miracle at St. Anna (2008)
Notorious (2009)
Madea Goes to Jail (2009)
Captain America: The First Avenger (2011)

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