Derek Luke

**Derek Nathanial Luke** (born April 24, 1974) is an established American actor known for his remarkable portrayals in a number of popular films and televisions series. His acting debut began with a bang as he won the Independent Spirit Award for his outstanding performance in the 2002 film Antwone Fisher, a film directed and produced by the celebrated actor, Denzel Washington. Set to never slow down, his prowess continued to shine through in impacting roles such 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). Born in Jersey City, New Jersey, Derek was the son of a pianist, Marjorie Dixon, and a former actor, Maurice Luke, whose origins traced back to Georgetown, Guyana. Derek's acting journey began with minor appearances like his role as a nurse in the 1999 episode 'White Collar' of the sitcom The King of Queens and the group member of Mayhem in the Moesha episode 'Mayhem at the Jam Esp'. His big break came in the title role of the Denzel Washington film Antwone Fisher. Derek then transitioned into intriguing characters like Kid in the 2003 film Biker Boyz and the attempt ofJames 'Boobie' Miles in the 2004 film Friday Night Lights.