Derek Luke Biography

Derek Luke (born April 24, 1974 in Jersey City, New Jersey) is an African American actor who won the Independent Spirit Award for his big-screen debut performance in the 2002 film Antwone Fisher, directed and produced by Denzel Washington.

He married singer-actor Sophia Adella Hernandez in 1998.
Handsome and gifted with a winning grin, Derek Luke was relatively unknown except for appearances on the television series "Moesha" and "The King Of Queens." During the casting process for "Antwone Fisher" (2002), Luke's determination and perseverance paid off when he caught the attention of the film's first-time director, Denzel Washington, amongst hundreds of other young hopefuls.
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A New Jersey native and former employee at the Sony Pictures gift shop (where he sold candy for five years), Luke auditioned for the role of Antwone Fisher five times over a four-year period before he finally won the starring role that marked his big break into feature films, playing the real-life black sailor who must overcome his rage over the traumas of his youth. The young actor was heaped with critical accolades for his emotional, vulnerable performance. Luke was next cast in "Biker Boyz" (2003) starring opposite Laurence Fishburne and Kid Rock, playing a rookie African American motorcyle street racer hoping to dethrone the reigning champ . He was next cast in "Pieces of April" (2003), written and directed by Peter Hedges, in which Luke played Katie Holmes' caring and supportive boyfriend Bobby.

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DEREK LUKE BIOGRAPHY