antwone fisher

Antwone Fisher
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For the autobiographical film, see Antwone Fisher (film).
Antwone Fisher
Born August 3, 1959 (1959-08-03) (age 48)
Cleveland, Ohio, U.S.
Occupation Film producer and screenwriter
Spouse LaNette Fisher
Antwone Quenton Fisher (born August 3, 1959 in Cleveland, Ohio) is an American author, screenwriter, and film producer.

Contents
1 Early life
1.1 The Picketts
2 Adult life
2.1 Navy
2.2 Life after the Navy
2.3 Interest in story
3 Current life
4 See also
5 References
6 External links

[edit] Early life
Fisher was placed in foster homes only weeks after he was born and through most of his childhood. After living with a foster family for two years, Fisher was taken away from them because the relationship he created with his foster mother could end up causing problems.[1]

[edit] The Picketts
At that point he was placed with the Picketts, who are renamed the Tates in the film Antwone Fisher. The Picketts were Reverend Pickett and Mrs. Pickett, who had nine children of their own. Fisher said in his autobiography that his life with this family was incredibly dysfunctional. He spent 14 years with the Picketts, and through these years he was physically, emotionally, and sexually abused. Among other abuses, he was beaten with a flaming newspaper, tied up in the basement for hours, and maligned, ridiculed, or ignored by family members. He was also sexually abused by a neighbor and family friend. He was often accused of crimes he never committed, such as stealing money. Antwone often skipped school or played 'hooky' out in an empty lot because of the isolation he felt. After a dispute with Mrs. Pickett, Fisher went back to social services because he was no longer welcome in the home.[1]

[edit] Adult life

[edit] Navy
Fisher joined the Navy to escape homelessness. Fisher spent 11 years in the Navy. Here, he met Commander Williams, a psychiatrist who helped him work through his emotional traumas.

[edit] Life after the Navy
After the discharge from the Navy, Fisher joined the Federal Bureau Of Prisons as a federal correctional officer, and after three years with the bureau, he began work as a security guard for Sony Pictures. It was here where 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, and that she had been repeatedly incarcerated and institutionalized. Fisher said after their meeting: "In the place inside me where the hurt of abandonment had been, now only compassion lived."[1]

[edit] Interest in story
Fisher soon penned his autobiography and titled it Finding Fish. Stories about Antwone Fisher's life soon began taking off all over Sony's lot and many people from Hollywood lined up to snatch up the project. He initially declined all offers and after writing over 40 drafts sold the rights to his story to 20th century Fox.[1] The film Antwone Fisher was set for production with Denzel Washington behind the camera as director and Derek Luke playing the title role. Antwone Fisher was credited in the movie as both writer and co-producer.[2]

[edit] Current life
Antwone is currently married to his wife of ten years, LaNette. They have two children together. Antwone is still working as an author, poet, movie producer and writer. The latest film he worked on as a screenwriter was ATL, starring T.I. and Big Boi.[3]

[edit] See also
Antwone Fisher (film)
Denzel Washington has become one of the most reliable performers in the business when it comes to his films. Recently, his starring turn in American Gangster helped propel it to a $43.6 million opening weekend. His next project is The Great Debaters - and he directs in addition to starring.

This is Washington's second go-round behind the camera. His first directorial project was Antwone Fisher, which starred Derek Luke and wound up making only $21 million total. The Great Debaters is similar in tone and quality. Will it ride the wave of Washington's latest successes or will it be viewed as a smaller, more intimate project?

The film is set in the Jim Crow south and tells the story of an unusual coach who helps students use words to achieve victory. He actually coaches debate, and works with a group of underdogs from a black East Texas college to help them become the best of the best. Given the time frame, one can only imagine the barriers that would have to be broken in order for these students to move in this world. Eventually, the group is invited to Harvard for a major competition.

The film bears some similarity to Pride, the Terrence Howard swimming movie that was released early in 2007 in that it covers African Americans in their efforts to break into society that previously did not accept them. The Great Debaters boasts two Academy Award winners in Washington and Forest Whitaker, and promises to provide some uplifting fare during the holiday season. (Kim Hollis/BOP)