# Michael Clarke Duncan

Michael Clarke Duncan (December 10, 1957 – September 3, 2012) was an American actor. He is 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, and for playing Kingpin in Daredevil and Spider-Man: The New Animated Series (both 2003). He also 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).

## Early life

Duncan was born in Chicago and raised in a single-parent household with his sister Judy by his mother Jean Duncan (a house cleaner) after his father left. When he was younger, 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. He always wanted to act, but had to drop out of the communication program at Alcorn State University to support his family when his mother became ill.
Duncan's large frame—6 feet 5 inches (196 cm) and 315 pounds (143 kg)—helped him in his jobs digging ditches for Peoples Gas Company and as a bouncer at several Chicago clubs. Duncan also played basketball at Kankakee Community College and for one season for the Alcorn State Braves.
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. During the ensuing riot, his silver belt buckle was stolen while he was stealing a baseball bat from the dugout.

## Career

Duncan took various security jobs in Los Angeles while trying to get some acting and modelling 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.
After having begun 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, Duncan became friends with castmate Bruce Willis, and it was Willis' influence that helped him to get his breakout role as gentle giant John Coffey in the Frank Darabont film The Green Mile (1999). 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.
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), Daredevil (2003), and in the latter movie, he played Kingpin.
When Duncan was cast as Kingpin in 2002, he faced the dual challenge of portraying a typically white character, 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. 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.
In 2005, Duncan appeared in The Island and Sin City, in which he played Manute, a powerful mobster. Critic Roger Ebert praised Duncan 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.' 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 numerous television shows. Two included an episode of The Suite Life of Zack & Cody and a first-season episode of CSI: NY. In 2008, he appeared as Mr. Colt in the second-season premiere of Chuck, "Chuck Versus the First Date" and as a guest star on two episodes of Two and a Half Men. Most notably, in April 2011, Duncan guest-starred on an episode of TV series Bones as Leo Knox which, in 2012, led to Duncan's 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 Duncan at the beginning of each of the five episodes, featuring Duncan’s photo on a pink background and the text "In memory of our friend Michael Clarke Duncan."

## Personal life

At the time of his death, Duncan was dating reality television personality Omarosa Manigault. His family later claimed that Omarosa changed his will and testament. They also claimed that Omarosa manipulated Duncan in his final days, lied about their engagement, and sold his belongings without the family's knowledge. 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.
Duncan trained in Brazilian jiu-jitsu at the Gracie Academy in Torrance, California, and held a purple belt in the discipline.

## Death

Duncan was taken to Cedars-Sinai Medical Center after suffering a heart attack on July 13, 2012. By August 6, 2012, he had been moved from the intensive care unit but remained hospitalized. On September 3, 2012, while in the hospital, Duncan died of respiratory failure. He was 54 years old.
On September 10, 2012, a private funeral was held for Duncan in Los Angeles. Tom Hanks, who co-starred with him in The Green Mile, was among the attendees at the memorial service. He was interred at Forest Lawn Memorial Park, Hollywood Hills.

## Filmography
### Films

| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
| 1995 | Friday | Craps Player (uncredited) | |
| 1997 | Back in Business | Huge Guard | |
| 1998 | Caught Up | B.B. | |
| 1998 | The Players Club | Bodyguard | Credited as Big Mike Duncan |
| 1998 | Bulworth | Bouncer | Credited as Michael "Big Mike" Duncan |
| 1998 | Armageddon | 'Bear' | |
| 1998 | A Night at the Roxbury | Roxbury Bouncer | Credited as Michael "Big Mike" Duncan |
| 1999 | The Underground Comedy Movie | Gay Virgin | |
| 1999 | Breakfast of Champions | Eli | Credited as Michael Duncan |
| 1999 | The Green Mile | John Coffey | Broadcast Film Critics Association Award for Best Supporting Actor Saturn Award for Best Supporting Actor Black Reel Award for Best Supporting Actor Nominated—Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor Nominated—Chicago Film Critics Association Award for Best Supporting Actor Nominated—Chicago Film Critics Association Award for Most Promising Actor Nominated—Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actor – Motion Picture Nominated—NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Actor in a Motion Picture Nominated—MTV Movie Award for Best Breakthrough Performance Nominated—Online Film Critics Society Award for Best Supporting Actor Nominated—Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Supporting Role Nominated—Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture |
| 2000 | The Whole Nine Yards | Franklin 'Frankie Figs' Figueroa | |
| 2001 | See Spot Run | Murdoch | |
| 2001 | Cats & Dogs | Sam | Voice |
| 2001 | Planet of the Apes | Attar | |
| 2001 | They Call Me Sirr | Coach Griffin | TV movie |
| 2002 | The Scorpion King | Balthazar | |
| 2003 | Daredevil | Wilson Fisk / Kingpin | |
| 2003 | George of the Jungle 2 | Mean Lion | Voice, direct-to-video |
| 2003 | Brother Bear | Tug | Voice |
| 2003 | Kim Possible: A Sitch in Time | Future Wade | Voice |
| 2004 | D.E.B.S. | Mr. Phipps | |
| 2004 | George and the Dragon | Tarik | |
| 2004 | Pursued | Franklin | |
| 2005 | Racing Stripes | Clydesdale | Voice |
| 2005 | Sin City | Manute | |
| 2005 | The Golden Blaze | Thomas Tatum / Quake | |
| 2005 | Dinotopia: Quest for the Ruby Sunstone | Stinktooth | Voice, direct-to-video |
| 2005 | The Island | Starkweather Two Delta / Jamal Starkweather | |
| 2005 | Stewie Griffin: The Untold Story | The Stork | Voice, direct-to-video |
| 2005 | The Land Before Time XI: Invasion of the Tinysauruses | Big Daddy | Voice, direct-to-video |
| 2006 | Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby | Lucius Washington | |
| 2006 | Brother Bear 2 | Tug | Voice, direct-to-video |
| 2006 | School for Scoundrels | Lesher | |
| 2006 | One Way | The General | |
| 2006 | Air Buddies | Wolf | Voice |
| 2007 | The Last Mimzy | Nathanial Broadman | |
| 2007 | Slipstream | Mort / Phil Henderson / Patrolman | |
| 2008 | Welcome Home Roscoe Jenkins | Otis | |
| 2008 | Delgo | Elder Marley | Voice |
| 2008 | Kung Fu Panda | Commander Vachir | Voice |
| 2008 | American Crude | Spinks | |
| 2009 | The Slammin' Salmon | Cleon Salmon | |
| 2009 | Street Fighter: The Legend of Chun-Li | Balrog / M. Bison (Japan) | |
| 2010 | Redemption Road | Augy | |
| 2010 | Cats & Dogs: The Revenge of Kitty Galore | Sam | Voice |
| 2011 | Cross | Erlik | Direct-to-video |
| 2011 | A Crush on You | Jim 'Big Jim' Nelson | TV movie |
| 2011 | Green Lantern | Kilowog | Voice |
| 2011 | Legend of Kung Fu Rabbit | Slash | Voice; English dub posthumously released in September 2013 |
| 2012 | In the Hive | Mr. Hollis | Posthumous release |
| 2013 | A Resurrection | Addison | Posthumous release |
| 2013 | From the Rough | Roger | Posthumous release |
| 2015 | The Challenger | Duane Taylor | Posthumous release; final film role |

### Television

| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
| 1995 | The Bold and the Beautiful | Slash | 2 episodes |
| 1995 | Renegade | Shake | Episode: "Living Legend" |
| 1995 | The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air | Tiny | Episode: "Bourgie Sings the Blues" |
| 1995 | Married... with Children | Bouncer | Episode: "Flight of the Bumblebee" |
| 1996 | Skwids | Body Builder | |
| 1996 | Weird Science | Cardinal Carnage | Episode: "Men in Tights" |
| 1997 | The Jamie Foxx Show | Inmate | Episode: "Little Red Corvette" |
| 1997 | Sparks | Frank | Episode: "Self Defense" |
| 1997 | The Wayans Bros. | Mike 'Big Mike' | Episode: "I Do..." |
| 1997 | Living Single | Security Guard | Episode: "High Anxiety" |
| 1997 | Built to Last | Unknown | Episode: "A Family Affair" |
| 1998 | Arliss | Lucian Balboa | Episode: "Fans First" |
| 1999 | Sister, Sister | Earl 'Big Earl' | Episode: "Before There Was Hip Hop..." |
| 2002 | King of the Hill | Coach Webb | Episode: "The Son Also Roses" |
| 2003–2005 | The Adventures of Jimmy Neutron: Boy Genius | Commander Baker | Voice, 2 episodes |
| 2003 | Spider-Man: The New Animated Series | Wilson Fisk / Kingpin | Voice, episode: "Royal Scam" |
| 2003 | The Proud Family | Mongo | Voice, episode: "Smackmania 6: Mongo vs. Mama's Boy" |
| 2004 | Static Shock | Rashid 'The Rocket' Randall | Voice, episode: "Linked" |
| 2004 | The Fairly OddParents | Rockwell | Voice, episode: "Crash Nebula" |
| 2004 | George Lopez | Dr. Holland | Episode: "George to the Third Power" |
| 2005–2007 | Loonatics Unleashed | Massive | Voice, 4 episodes |
| 2005 | Teen Titans | Hayden / Krall | Voice, episode: "Cyborg the Barbarian" |
| 2005 | CSI: NY | Quinn Sullivan | Episode: "The Closer" |
| 2006–2012 | Family Guy | Black Co-Worker / Boy On Mushrooms / Wrong-Sounding Fozzie Bear / The Stork | Voice, 4 episodes |
| 2006 | Minoriteam | Balactus | Episode: "Balactus: Part 1" and "Balaztus: Part 2" |
| 2008–2009 | Two and a Half Men | Jerome Burnette | Episodes: "The Mooch at the Boo", "The Two Finger Rule" |
| 2008 | The Suite Life of Zack & Cody | Coach Little | Episode: "Benchwarmers" |
| 2008 | Chuck | Colt | Episode: "Chuck Versus the First Date" |
| 2011 | Bones | Leo Knox | Episode: "The Finder" |
| 2012 | The Finder | Leo Knox | 13 episodes |
| 2012 | The High Fructose Adventures of Annoying Orange | Chunkee Cheeses / Marshmallow King | Voice, 2 episodes |
| 2013 | Ultimate Spider-Man | Groot | Voice, episode: "Guardians of the Galaxy"; Posthumous release; dedicated in memory |
| 2013 | Fish Hooks | Guardian Cat | Voice, episode: "Labor of Love" Posthumous release |

### Video games

| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
| 1995 | Varuna's Forces | Carl Tomas | Unreleased title for 3DO Interactive Multiplayer, Atari Jaguar CD, Dreamcast, PC, PlayStation and Sega Saturn |
| 1995 | Panic in the Park | Security Guard | — |
| 2000 | Star Trek: Klingon Academy | Opening Movie Klingons | — |
| 2000 | Soldier of Fortune | 'Hawk' | — |
| 2003 | SOCOM II U.S. Navy SEALs | SEAL Operative WARDOG | Credited as Michael Clark Duncan |
| 2003 | Brother Bear | Tug | — |
| 2004 | Forgotten Realms: Demon Stone | Slaad Lord Ygorl | — |
| 2005 | The Suffering: Ties That Bind | Torque\Blackmore | — |
| 2006 | Saints Row | Benjamin King | — |
| 2007 | God of War II | Atlas | — |
| 2013 | Saints Row IV | Benjamin King | Credited as Benjamin King in the game's credits in memoriam to him |

### Music videos

| Year | Artist | Title | Role | Notes |
| 1994 | Quo featuring Redman | "Huh What" | | |
| 1995 | Quo | "Quo Funk" | | |
| 1995 | R. Kelly featuring The Isley Brothers | "Down Low (Nobody Has to Know)" | Security Guard | Cameo |