Antwone Quenton Fisher (born August 3, 1959) is an American director, screenwriter, author, and

film A film also called a movie, motion picture, moving picture, picture, photoplay or (slang) flick is a work of visual art that simulates experiences and otherwise communicates ideas, stories, perceptions, feelings, beauty, or atmospher ...

producer. His 2001 autobiographical book '' Finding Fish'' was a ''New York Times'' Best Seller. The 2002 film '' Antwone Fisher'' was written by Fisher and directed by

Denzel Washington Denzel Hayes Washington Jr. (born December 28, 1954) is an American actor and filmmaker. He has been described as an actor who reconfigured "the concept of classic movie stardom". Throughout his career spanning over four decades, Washington ha ...

Early life and education

Fisher was born in prison to 17-year-old single mother Eva Mae Fisher. His father, 23-year-old Edward Elkins, had been shot dead by a jealous girlfriend two months earlier. Antwone was placed in a

foster home Foster care is a system in which a minor has been placed into a ward, group home ( residential child care community, treatment center, etc.), or private home of a state-certified caregiver, referred to as a "foster parent" or with a family ...

weeks after he was born, and remained in foster care through most of his childhood. After living with a foster mother for two years, Fisher was taken away from her. He was then placed into another foster home with Rev. Ulysses and Isabella Pickett. He spent 14 years of his childhood with the Pickett's. Antwone was sent to George Junior Republic School, a discipline school for boys, from which he graduated before he joined the

United States Navy The United States Navy (USN) is the maritime service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the eight uniformed services of the United States. It is the largest and most powerful navy in the world, with the estimated tonnage ...

Career

Government work

Fisher joined the

U.S. Navy The United States Navy (USN) is the maritime service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the eight uniformed services of the United States. It is the largest and most powerful navy in the world, with the estimated tonnage o ...

to escape homelessness. Fisher spent 12 years in the Navy, retiring in 1989. Here, he met Lt. Commander Williams, a

psychiatrist A psychiatrist is a physician who specializes in psychiatry, the branch of medicine devoted to the diagnosis, prevention, study, and treatment of mental disorders. Psychiatrists are physicians and evaluate patients to determine whether their sy ...

who helped him work through his emotional traumas. After the discharge from the Navy, Fisher joined the Federal Bureau of Prisons as a federal correctional officer.

Writer and filmmaker

After three years with the Bureau of Prisons, he began work as a security guard for

Sony Pictures Sony Pictures Entertainment Inc. (commonly known as Sony Pictures or SPE, and formerly known as Columbia Pictures Entertainment, Inc.) is an American diversified multinational mass media and entertainment studio conglomerate that produces, acq ...

. It was there Fisher decided to find his true family members. He contacted Annette Elkins, who turned out to be his aunt. Within months of this contact, Fisher met all of his family, including his mother Eva Mae. He learned that she had given birth to four other children who were all taken away as wards of the state. Fisher said after their meeting: "In the place inside me where the hurt of abandonment had been, now only compassion lived." Fisher penned his screenplay. Stories about Fisher's life began spreading around the Sony lot, and many people from Hollywood lined up to develop the project. He initially declined all offers. After writing over 40 drafts, he sold the rights to his story to

20th Century Fox 20th Century Studios, Inc. (previously known as 20th Century Fox) is an American film production company headquartered at the Fox Studio Lot in the Century City area of Los Angeles. As of 2019, it serves as a film production arm of Walt Disn ...

. The feature film '' Antwone Fisher'' was directed by

, and starred

Derek Luke 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. ...

in the title role. Fisher was credited as both writer and co-producer. Fisher is still working as a director, author, poet, lecturer, college professor, movie producer, and screenwriter. His latest book, ''A Boy Should Know How to Tie a Tie: And Other Lessons for Succeeding in Life,'' was published by

Simon & Schuster Simon & Schuster () is an American publishing company and a subsidiary of Paramount Global. It was founded in New York City on January 2, 1924 by Richard L. Simon and M. Lincoln Schuster. As of 2016, Simon & Schuster was the third largest publi ...

in April 2010. Fisher has written and directed other films, including a documentary, ''This Life of Mine: The Story of Leon T. Garr'', a short film, "My Summer Friend", starring Michael T. Williams, and was a co-writer of the 2006 American drama ''ATL''.

Personal life

Fisher and his wife, LaNette Canister, married December 1, 1996. They have two children, Azure and Indigo.

Awards and honors

* Honorary Doctor of Humane Letters,

Cleveland State University Cleveland State University (CSU) is a public research university in Cleveland, Ohio. It was established in 1964 and opened for classes in 1965 after acquiring the entirety of Fenn College, a private school that had been in operation since 1923 ...

(May 10, 2003) Linked to from here: https://www.csuohio.edu/board-of-trustees/honorary-degrees .

References

External links

Official website

''Antwone Fisher'' (film)
at

Fox Searchlight Pictures Searchlight Pictures, Inc. is an American film production company and a subsidiary of Walt Disney Studios, which is part of the Walt Disney Company. Founded in 1994 as Fox Searchlight Pictures, Inc. for 20th Century Fox (later 20th Century Stu ...

*
The Antwone Fisher Story as a Case Study for Child Welfare: Hearing Before the Committee on Finance, United States Senate, One Hundred Thirteenth Congress, First Session, April 23, 2013
{{DEFAULTSORT:Fisher, Antwone American male screenwriters African-American screenwriters Screenwriters from Ohio Writers from Cleveland 1959 births Living people American adoptees United States Navy sailors Film producers from Ohio 21st-century African-American people 20th-century African-American people African-American male writers African-American United States Navy personnel African American adoptees