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Michael Clarke Duncan
American actor (1957–2012) From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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Michael Clarke Duncan (December 10, 1957 – September 3, 2012) was an American actor best known for his breakout role as John Coffey in The Green Mile (1999) for which he was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor and other honors. He also played Kingpin in Daredevil and Spider-Man: The New Animated Series (both 2003). In addition, he appeared in movies such as Armageddon (1998), The Whole Nine Yards (2000), Planet of the Apes (2001), The Scorpion King (2002), Sin City (2005), and Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby (2006), as well as in the role of Leo Knox in the television series Bones (2011) and its spin-off The Finder (2012); he also appeared in episodes of Two and a Half Men. He also had voice roles in films, including Brother Bear (2003), Kung Fu Panda (2008), and Green Lantern (2011); he had the voice role of Benjamin King in the video game Saints Row (2006).
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 | This article's lead section may be too short to adequately summarize the key points. (September 2025) |
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Early life
Duncan was born in Chicago and raised in a single-parent household along with his sister, Judy by his mother, Jean Duncan (a house cleaner) after his father left.[1][2] When he was young, he wanted to play football and tried out for the Chicago Bears of the National Football League (NFL) but decided to become an actor instead when his mother refused to let him play, fearing he would get injured.[3] He always wanted to act but had to drop out of the communications program at Alcorn State University to support his family when his mother became ill.[4]
Duncan's large frame—6 feet 5 inches (196 cm) and 315 pounds (143 kg) helped him in his jobs digging ditches for Peoples Energy and as a bouncer at several Chicago clubs.[5] He also played basketball at Kankakee Community College and, for one season, for the Alcorn State Braves.[6]
In 1979, he participated in the Disco Demolition Night at Comiskey Park, home of the Chicago White Sox, where he was among the first 100 people to run onto the field and slide into third base.[7] During the ensuing riot, his silver belt buckle was stolen[8] while he was stealing a baseball bat from the dugout.[9]
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Career
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Duncan took various security jobs in Los Angeles while trying to get some acting and modeling work in commercials. During this time, he worked as a bodyguard for celebrities like Will Smith, Martin Lawrence, Jamie Foxx, LL Cool J, and The Notorious B.I.G., all the while doing bit parts in television and films. When rapper Notorious B.I.G. was killed in 1997, Duncan quit the personal protection business.[10]
After beginning his career with several bit parts playing bouncers in films such as Bulworth and A Night at the Roxbury, Duncan came to prominence when he was cast as Bear in the blockbuster Michael Bay action film Armageddon (1998). During the production of the film, he became friends with cast mate Bruce Willis, and it was Willis' influence that helped him get his breakout role as the gentle giant, John Coffey, in the Frank Darabont film The Green Mile (1999).[11] Starring with Tom Hanks, Duncan's performance netted him an Academy Award nomination for Best Actor in a Supporting Role, and a Golden Globe nomination for Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role in a Motion Picture.[12][citation needed]
Following his role as Coffey, Duncan was then cast in a string of films that helped to establish him as an actor in both action and comedy roles: The Whole Nine Yards (2000), See Spot Run (2001), Planet of the Apes (2001), The Scorpion King (2002) and Daredevil (2003), where he played Kingpin.
When Duncan was cast as Kingpin in 2002,[13] he faced the dual challenge of portraying a typically white character,[14][15] having to gain 40 pounds (18 kg) to fit the character's large physique. In July 2006, Duncan showed interest in returning for the role of Kingpin, but stated that he would not be willing to regain the weight that he had lost.[16] In 2009, he stopped eating meat and later appeared in a PETA ad campaign, touting the health benefits and his increased strength from a vegetarian diet.[17][18]
In 2005, Duncan appeared in The Island and Sin City, in which he played Manute, a powerful mobster. Critic Roger Ebert praised him for his performance in The Island, writing that '[Duncan] has only three or four scenes, but they're of central importance, and he brings true horror to them.'[19] Duncan appeared in a supporting role in the 2006 comedy Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby as Lucius Washington, and in 2009, he played Balrog in Street Fighter: The Legend of Chun-Li and starred as the titular Cleon "Slammin'" Salmon in Broken Lizard's farce The Slammin' Salmon.
With his deep, resonant voice, Duncan did voice roles for films such as Brother Bear (2003) and its sequel Brother Bear 2 (2006), Kung Fu Panda (2008), and Green Lantern (2011); playing the voice of Kilowog from DC Comics alongside Ryan Reynolds.
His other voice roles include TV series such as Loonatics Unleashed and Operation: Z.E.R.O., Quiznos commercials, and a number of video games such as Demon Stone, SOCOM II U.S. Navy SEALs, The Suffering: Ties That Bind, Saints Row, Soldier of Fortune, and God of War II, where he provided the voice of the Titan Atlas. He additionally reprised his role as the Kingpin in Spider-Man: The New Animated Series.
In addition to his film roles, Duncan guest starred in a number of television shows including an episode of The Suite Life of Zack & Cody and a first season episode of CSI: NY.[20] In 2008, he appeared as Mr. Colt in the second season premiere of Chuck, "Chuck Versus the First Date"[21] and as a guest star on two episodes of Two and a Half Men. Most notably, in April 2011, he guest starred on an episode of the TV series Bones as Leo Knox which, in 2012, led to him receiving his first starring role as the same character in the spinoff series The Finder. The Bones Season 8 episode "The Partners in the Divorce", which aired three weeks after his death, was dedicated to him.
During the week of May 14, 2012, Duncan appeared as a guest on the late night talk show The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson when the show was taping for a week in Scotland. Duncan was one of the show's more frequent guests, appearing a total of 18 times, and, the day after Duncan's death in September, Ferguson began his show with a tribute to him. In January 2013, during The Late Late Show's winter break, reruns of the Scotland episodes were broadcast with a tribute to him at the beginning of each of the five episodes featuring his photo on a pink background and the text "In memory of our friend Michael Clarke Duncan."
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Personal life
Duncan trained in Brazilian jiu-jitsu at the Gracie Academy in Torrance, California, and held a purple belt in the discipline.[22]
At the time of his death, Duncan was dating reality television personality Omarosa Manigault.[23] His family later claimed that Omarosa changed his will and testament.[24][25] They also claimed that Omarosa manipulated Duncan in his final days, lied about their engagement, and sold his belongings without the family's knowledge.[26][27] In 2013, Omarosa appeared in the cast of The All-Star Celebrity Apprentice and played in Duncan's honor for his favorite charity and one he had benefited from himself, the Sue Duncan Children's Center. In episode two of the season, Omarosa won $40,000 for the charity.[28]
Death
Duncan was taken to Cedars-Sinai Medical Center after suffering a heart attack on July 13, 2012.[29] By August 6, 2012, he had been moved from the intensive care unit but remained hospitalized.[30] On September 3, 2012, while in the hospital, Duncan died of respiratory failure. He was 54 years old.[31]
On September 10, 2012, a private funeral was held for Duncan in Los Angeles. Among the attendees at his memorial service were Tom Hanks, comedian Jay Leno, and professional wrestler Mark Henry, the latter having served as one of the pallbearers.[32][33] He was interred at Forest Lawn Memorial Park, Hollywood Hills.[34]
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Filmography
Films
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References
External links
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