The sad news has just reached us that actor Michael Clarke Duncan, owner of probably the most distinctive voice in Hollywood, has passed away at the age of 54. The actor had suffered a heart attack on July 13th, and, according to his publicist, had never fully recovered.
Starting off in security, as a bodyguard, a no-brainer due to his large frame (he towered at a height of 6 feet 5 inches), to such celebrities as Will Smith, Martin Lawrence, and the Notorious B.I.G., the actor got his first role in 1998 as Bear in Armageddon, a role that I remember fondly to this day. The shot of him driving through a police road block with what seems like a hundred squad cars tailing him is my favorite from the entire movie. But it was as John Coffey, the wrongly accused convict at the heart of The Green Mile, that got people noticing him, earning an Oscar and Golden Globe nomination, both for best supporting actor, in the process. He followed this movie with roles in various genre movies, including The Scorpion King, The Island,Sin City, Planet Of The Apes, Green Lantern, and Daredevil, in which he played The Kingpin, a comic book character normally portrayed as a white man. As well as acting work, he lent his distinctive vocals to numerous animated films such as Brother Bear, and Kung Fu Panda.
Our thoughts go out to his family and fiancee Omarosa Stallworth at this tragic time.
