MICHAEL CLARKE DUNCAN

'Michael Clarke Duncan' (born December 10, 1957) is an Academy Award-nominated actor who has starred in a number of successful films.

Contents

Biography

Early life

Career

Personal life

Filmography

Footnotes

External links

Biography

Early life

Duncan was born in Chicago, Illinois and grew up in a single-parent household with his sister, Judy, and mother, Jean Duncan, after his father left.^[1] 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. Duncan's large frame — 6' 5" (196 cm) and 320 lbs (145 kg) — helped him in his jobs digging ditches for the People's Gas Company and being a bouncer at different Chicago clubs. In 1979 he participated in the Infamous Disco Demolition Night at Comiskey Park, home of the Chicago White Sox. Through working at the clubs, he was able to get a security job and ended up in Los Angeles. In 1985, he tried out for the Chicago Bears and never played a down; however, he was still given a Super Bowl ring.

Career

Duncan took other security jobs while in Los Angeles while trying to get some acting work in commercials. During this time, worked as a bodyguard for celebrities like Will Smith, Martin Lawrence, Jamie Foxx and LL Cool J, all the while doing bit parts in television and films. He was also the bodyguard for Notorious B.I.G. for some time, although he let a friend take over for him the night that Notorious B.I.G. was shot. This was the event that made him decide to get out of the bodyguarding business.
In 1998, Duncan was cast as Bear in the film ''Armageddon'', where he struck up a friendship with castmate Bruce Willis. It was Bruce Willis' influence that helped him to get his breakout role in the Frank Darabont-directed, ''The Green Mile'', a role which netted him an Academy Award nomination and a Golden Globe nomination.
Duncan then was cast in a string of films that helped to establish him as a star: ''The Whole Nine Yards'', ''Planet of the Apes'', ''The Scorpion King'' (where he starred alongside his friend, The Rock), ''Daredevil'' (as The Kingpin) and ''The Island''. Duncan has also provided his voice for a number of roles including ''Brother Bear'', '', and the video games '', '', '', ''Saints Row'', and ''Soldier of Fortune'', with his most recent role being ''God of War II'', where he provides the voice of Atlas, the Titan condemned by Zeus to stand at the western edge of the earth and hold up the sky on his shoulders. In 2005, he starred in the film ''Sin City'' as Manute, a powerful mobster. Duncan appeared in a minor role in the 2006 movie ''. In 2006, he voiced the role of Numbuh 26 in the animated movie ''. He reprised his role as the Kingpin on the .
Duncan made an uncredited appearance in the film ''Friday'' playing in a dice game along side Chris Tucker and guest-starred in a first-season episode of '' alongside Gary Sinise.

Personal life

Duncan is a life long fan of the Chicago White Sox and was at the historical Disco Demolition Night. He also supports the UFC and is frequently seen in attendance in UFC broadcasts. Occasionally, he is asked to give his opinion on upcoming fights. He holds a blue belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu and is good friends with ''Daredevil'' and ''Armageddon'' co-star Ben Affleck as well as The Rock.
Duncan is a fan of ''The O.C.'' on FOX and he admits he cried when Marissa Cooper, one of the main characters on the show, died. (This was admitted on a recent appearance on ''Late Night with Conan O'Brien'') He is also a fan of the television series ''24''.
Duncan gives $5 (US) to anyone on the street who recognizes him and can remember his full name . Many people confuse him with fellow actor Tommy "Tiny" Lister Jr..
On an appearance on the ''Tonight Show'', he stated that he has never had an alcoholic drink.

Filmography

Year	Movie	Role	Notes
1995	''Friday''
1997	''Back in Jail Suits''	Huge Guard
1998	''Caught Up In a Noose''	BB
	''The Players Club''	Bodyguard
	''BullShit''	Bouncer
	''Armageddon''	Bear
	''A Night at the Roxbury''	Bouncer
1999	''Breakfast of Champions''	Eli
	''Underground Comedy Movie''
	''The Green Mile''	John Coffey
2000	''The Whole Nine Yards''	Franklin 'Frankie Figs' Figueroa
2001	''See Spot Run''	Murdoch
	''Cats & Dogs''	Sam
	''Planet of the Apes''	Attar
2002	''The Scorpion King''	Balthazar
2003	''Daredevil''	Wilson Fisk/The Kingpin
	''Brother Bear''	Tug
2004	''D.E.B.S.''	Mr. Phipps
	''George and the Dragon''	Tarik
	''The Land Before Time XI''
	''Pursued''	Franklin
2005	''American Crude''	Spinks
	''The Golden Blaze''	Thomas Tatum/Quake
	''Racing Stripes''	Clydesdale
	''Sin City''	Manute
	''	Stinktooth
	''The Island''	Starkweather
2006	''Air Buddies''	The Wolf
	''	Lucius Washington
	''Brother Bear 2''	Tug
	''School for Scoundrels''	Lesher
2007	''The Last Mimzy''	Nathaniel Broadman
	''One Way''	The General
	''Delgo''	Elder Marley	In production
	''Slipstream''	Tug
2008	''Sin City 2''	Manute	Pre-production
	''Sin City 3''	Manute	Announced

Footnotes

1. http://www.usaweekend.com/01_issues/010729/010729duncan.html

External links

★

★ Centerstage article on Michael Clarke Duncan

★ Michael Clarke Duncan Online (fansite)