I try not to emphasize on me because I feel Antwone had a harder life. I think tapping into what I overcame and (by) hearing other people's stories (has helped me heal). I think sometimes people feel it may be selfish as an actor to use what you drew on to subtract from the real story. I said, 'I gotta serve this dude right.' Then everything else falls into place.ĬNN.com: How did you relate to the character? Do you share any similarities?ĭerek Luke, 28, spoke to CNN.com about how his abuse prepared him to play Antwone Fisher, and how hearing other people's stories has helped him heal. It's not just about an acting performance it's about this man's human life. My expectation was to give a good performance to Antwone because it's about him. Many times you're working really hard, you don't know where you are sometimes day-to-day. LUKE: My expectation was to get through it. It changed.ĬNN.com: The movie hasn't come out yet, but there's been so much buzz already, did you expect it to become this big? I was on the Sony set outside of the store where I worked and sold clothes faithfully, and Denzel Washington comes up and he says, 'Antwone,' I'm like 'That's me, I can do it, I can do it, I can do it. I found out I got the role magically through Mr. I saw it through the trades that they were auditioning – usually I will hear about a film through the trades and they would say cast call.īut my manager at the time called me and says, 'Guess what, 'Antwone Fisher.' It's back up.' She knew I was really interested in the film. I always dreamt of doing it, but when I would think about it. Then they started casting again back in 2001. And then the film went down for hiatus for three years because, whatever, production. LUKE: Actually it was a little bit of both. Was it a case where you kept (it) in the back of your mind, or did they keep you in the back of their mind? Like his character, Luke says he, too, was abused:ĬNN.com: How did you get the leading role in 'Antwone Fisher?'ĭEREK LUKE: I was discovered on the Sony lot through an audition by Denzel Washington.ĬNN.com: I heard that the audition was back in 1998. (CNN) - The following is a transcript from a CNN.com interview with actor Derek Luke, who stars in Denzel Washington's directorial debut, 'Antwone Fisher.' Luke plays Fisher, a young man who must overcome his troubled past, namely emotional and sexual abuse. Denzel's discovery confronts past abuse in first film

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