Derek Nathanial Luke (born April 24, 1974) is an American actor. He won the Independent Spirit Award for his big-screen debut performance as the titular character in the 2002 film Antwone Fisher, directed and produced by Denzel Washington. He is also known for his roles as Boobie Miles in Friday Night Lights (2004), Bobby Joe Hill in Glory Road (2006), Joshua Hardaway in Madea Goes to Jail (2009), Gabe Jones in Captain America: The First Avenger (2011), William Wright in Baggage Claim (2013), and Kevin Porter on the Netflix original series 13 Reasons Why (2017–2020).

Early life Luke was born in Jersey City, New Jersey, the son of Marjorie Dixon, a pianist, and Maurice Luke, a former actor. His father is from Georgetown, Guyana.

Derek attended Henry Snyder High School and graduated from Linden High School.Staff. "Actor Derek Luke comes home to talk with Snyder High students", The Jersey Journal, December 22, 2008. Accessed July 23, 2019. "Jersey City born-and-raised actor Derek Luke is at Snyder High School, where he attended, this morning to talk to students, a school official said this morning. The star of Biker Boyz, Antoine Fisher and Glory Road, is expected to talk about his life experiences and rough times growing up in Jersey City. Luke attended Snyder, but graduated from Linden High."

Career

Luke played a small role as a nurse in the 1999 "White Collar" episode of the sitcom The King of Queens, and played one of the group members of Mayhem in the Moesha episode "Mayhem at the Jam Esp" (March 19, 2001).

Luke's breakout role was the title character in the Denzel Washington film Antwone Fisher. The 2002 film is about a sailor who must go to a psychiatrist for assistance with his childhood trauma, which is the source of his outbursts. As the story develops, he comes to terms with his past and starts a journey to find his family. The following year, he appeared alongside Laurence Fishburne as Kid in the 2003 film Biker Boyz. In this film Derek Luke plays the son of a mechanic who worked for a motorcycle racer known as Smoke. As the film develops Lukes's father in the film dies while an active off-the-grid race was taking place. Later the son begins to race and shows his talent, but Smoke denies a race with him. In retaliation he decided to create a motorcycle gang to rival Smoke's gang called “Biker Boyz” which starts a conflict. Luke subsequently played James 'Boobie' Miles in the 2004 film Friday Night Lights, Bobby Joe in the 2006 film Glory Road, and Sean 'Puffy' Combs in the 2009 film Notorious. He also played Alicia Keys' love interest in her music video for "Teenage Love Affair", and appeared as singer Monica's love interest in the music videos for "So Gone" and "Knock Knock".

In 2006, Luke starred as South African anti-apartheid activist Patrict Chamusso opposite Tim Robbins in Phillip Noyce's Catch a Fire. Luke prepared for the role in South Africa, learning Zulu and South African English. Luke played one of the four male leads in Spike Lee's 2008 war film Miracle at St. Anna, replacing Wesley Snipes, who had to leave the film due to his highly publicized tax problems.Collis, Clark. "Fall Movie Summer Preview, September: Miracle at St. Anna". Entertainment Weekly, Iss. #1007/1008, August 22/29, 2008, pg. 42-45.

Luke starred in the NBC series Trauma. He played Gabe Jones, a member of the Howling Commandos, in the 2011 Marvel Studios film Captain America: The First Avenger. In June 2011, he also began starring in the TNT original medical drama series Hawthorne as Miles Bourdet, an assistant surgeon from Chicago.

From February to April 2013, he played Gregory Thomas in the FX series The Americans. In 2015, he played Malcolm Devoe, head of security for Empire Entertainment and Cookie's secret love interest, on the TV series Empire. In March 2018, he was cast in the lead role of the NBC pilot Suspicion.

Personal life Luke has been married to actress Sophia Adella Luke since April 4, 1998. They have one son.

Filmography Film Year Title Role Notes 2002 Antwone Fisher Antwone "Fish" Fisher BET Award for Best ActorBlack Reel Award for Best ActorBlack Reel Award for Best Breakthrough PerformanceIndependent Spirit Award for Best Male LeadNational Board of Review Award for Best Male Breakthrough PerformanceSatellite Award for Outstanding New TalentNominated—Chicago Film Critics Association Award for Most Promising NewcomerNominated—MTV Movie Award for Best Male Breakthrough PerformanceNominated—Teen Choice Award for Choice Breakout Movie Actor2003 Pieces of April Bobby Biker Boyz Kid 2004 Spartan Curtis Friday Night Lights Boobie Miles 2006 Glory Road Bobby Joe Hill Hollywood Film Festival Award for Best Breakthrough Actor Catch a Fire Patrick Chamusso Nominated—Black Reel Award for Best ActorNominated—Satellite Award for Best Actor – Motion Picture Drama 2007 Lions for Lambs Arian Finch 2008 Definitely, Maybe Russell T. McCormack Miracle at St. Anna 2nd Staff Sgt. Aubrey Stamps Nominated—Black Reel Award for Best ActorNominated—Image Award for Outstanding Actor in a Motion Picture2009 Notorious Sean "Puffy" Combs Madea Goes to Jail Joshua Hardaway Nominated—Black Reel Award for Best Supporting Actor 2011 Captain America: The First Avenger Gabe Jones 2012 Seeking a Friend for the End of the World Alan Speck Sparkle Stix 2013 Baggage Claim William Wright 2014 Alex of Venice Frank Supremacy Raymond Sight Unseen 2015 Self/less Anton 2021 American Refugee Greg Taylor2022Alone Together JohnDarby and the Dead Ben Harper 2023 Rare Objects Ben Winshaw 2026 Michael Johnnie Cochran Scenes deleted

Television Year Title Role Notes 1999–2000 The King of Queens Delivery Man / Orderly 2 episodes 2001 Moesha Ruckus Episode: "Mayhem at the Jam" 2009–2010 Trauma Cameron Boone 20 episodes 2011 Hawthorne Dr. Miles Bourdet 8 episodes 2013, 2018 The Americans Gregory Thomas 4 episodes 2015 Empire Malcolm DeVeaux 3 episodes 2015–2017 Rogue Marlon Dinard Series regular, 20 episodes 2016 Roots Silla Ba Dibba 2 episodes 2017–2019 13 Reasons Why Mr. Kevin Porter Main cast (Seasons 1–2); Guest (Season 3); 27 episodes 2019 God Friended Me Henry Chase Episode; "Que Sera Sera" 2019 The Purge Marcus Moore Main; 10 episodes 2023 The Crossover Chuck Bell Main role

References

External links

Interview, 1/12/06, LIFETEEN.com https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/antwone_fisher https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/biker_boyz