Derek Luke proves he’s more than a handsome face in “Antwone Fisher,” the directorial debut of actor Denzel Washington. This bio-pic chronicles the story of a young man in the U.S. Navy with an explosive temper. Fisher was an orphan whose mother gave birth to him in a Cleveland penitentiary. His father was gunned down by a disgruntled mistress four months before his birth. Fisher grew up in the foster system. He was placed in a home where his adoptive mother introduced him and his adopted brothers to a world of brutality and mistreatment. He escapes the confines of an abusive home only to find himself homeless on the streets of Cleveland. Fed up with his situation, Fisher then enlists in the Navy where he is constantly demoted for getting into scuffles with his fellow shipmates. In an effort to find out what is at the root of Fisher’s problems, a superior officer sends him to the naval psychologist Jerome Davenport, played by Denzel Washington, for an evaluation. Initially, he is hesitant to open up to Davenport, but once the ice is broken, Fisher finds Davenport is the patriarchal figure he has longed for all of his life. Joy Bryant, former model who made her acting debut in “Carmen,” a hip-hopera, is Fisher’s love interest, Cheryl. She offers love and support in Fisher’s attempt to find out his true identity. With a combination of drama, romance and even a little bit of humor, “Antwone Fisher” is sure to make a ripple in the movie industry this year as one of the must-sees of 2003. The Northeastern News sat down with Derek Luke, the star of the autobiographical film “Antwone Fisher,” to pick his brain on the experience of making the film. The Northeastern News: Did you think your former job in a gift shop would get you where you are today? Derek Luke: (Laughs) No, I read the story. That encouraged me. The News: How did you feel playing Antwone? Did you feel comfortable playing that role? Luke: No, I felt comfortable about the film. Every day was a challenge for me. It was everyday that was a hope for me to get it right, hope to get through the day. The News: How do you feel about the film? Luke: I’m happy. Antwone had such a challenge growing up. I’m happy because he’s happy [now.] The News: What did you do prior to landing this role? Luke: My whole pursuit was my dream. My dream was to act. The News: Did you have any formal training? Luke: Hell yeah, life. The News: What was your life like before? Luke: I left [New] Jersey in 1995, took two years of training. Two years before Antwone began, I received two speaking roles in the “King of Queens” and “Moesha.” The News: How much of you came out of Antwone? Luke: I think the caring part for other people. Other people who didn’t get to confront the giants in their lives. I felt like I was crying more for other people than for myself. The News: How was it working with Denzel? Luke: It was amazing. He’s a man’s man. He always treated me like a peer. He directed me in his silence. He rarely came up to me and gave me a critique. He’s an actor’s actor. He knows what it’s like to be an actor. He was patient. The News: Was Denzel [Washington] nervous about his directorial debut? Luke: I heard him say he was nervous, but he never showed a sign of nervousness. The News: What was the hardest part of making this film? Luke: The hardest part was shooting out of sequence. The end of the movie was filmed first.