Photo: Monique Wingard from DMV, United States / CC BY 2.0 (source: Wikimedia Commons)
Derek Luke is credited as a television actor and film actor. Derek Luke was born on April 24, 1974 in Jersey City, New Jersey, United States. That works out to 52 years old in 2026. Education on record includes Linden High School. Awards on record include Independent Spirit Award for Best Male Lead (2003) and BET Award for Best Actor & Actress (2003).
My Take
Derek Luke is one of those actors whose entire trajectory hinges on a single, extraordinary break. Winning the Independent Spirit Award for his screen debut in Antwone Fisher, directed by Denzel Washington, is about as strong a launch as I can imagine. What I respect is that he didn't vanish after that high-water moment; he built a steady career across film and television instead. From what I can see he keeps a relatively low public profile, and I tend to read that as a sign of someone more interested in the work than the noise around it. I'd put him in the underrated-but-respected category.
1. Profile
- Name (English)
- Derek Luke
- Name (Japanese)
- デレク・ルーク
- Reading
- でれく・るーく
- Born
- April 24, 1974 (age 52)
- Zodiac / Chinese zodiac
- Taurus / Tiger
- Origin
- Jersey City, New Jersey, United States
- Occupation
- actor / television actor / film actor
2. Background
- High school
- Linden High School
Awards & achievements
- 2003 Independent Spirit Award for Best Male Lead
- 2003 BET Award for Best Actor & Actress
3. Links
4. About this entry
Tags
- Last updated
- 2026-06-02
Facts are limited to publicly available information up to 2024; non-public or unconfirmed items are omitted. English text is machine-assisted (facts translated by Sonnet, "My Take" written by Opus 4.8). The Japanese page is the source of record.
Frequently asked questions
When was Derek Luke born?
Born April 24, 1974 (age 52).
Where is Derek Luke from?
Derek Luke is from Jersey City, New Jersey, United States.
What does Derek Luke do?
Derek Luke works as actor, television actor, film actor.
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