Can an acclaimed actor's death be news a decade later?
Apparently so. Why don't people remember that Michael Clarke Duncan passed away?
Without any movie magic, Michael Clarke Duncan was a giant.
According to Biography, he stood 6'5" and weighed over 300 pounds,
which helped him pay the bills while he was working to become an actor in Hollywood.
Before starring in movies, Duncan worked as a bouncer and bodyguard for many notable
stars of the 1990s, including Martin Lawrence, LL Cool J, and Will Smith.
According to the Rockland County Times, Duncan quit working as a bodyguard when another of his
clients, The Notorious B.I.G, was shot and killed in 1997. When Duncan started acting,
he played tough-guy roles until bigger roles came calling.
"Ain't that right, Tiny?" "Shut up."
While Duncan's size proved helpful in starting his career, the actor was conscious of his health.
In an interview with CNN in 2006, Duncan explained that he turned his life around
following a visit with a doctor. He didn't go into detail about what the doctor told him,
but he clearly learned his weight and health were something he needed to take seriously.
"He said, 'Can I be honest with you?' and I said 'No.' I said, 'You don't have to say anything.'"
By the late 2000s, Michael Clarke Duncan seemed pretty healthy. He even appeared in
an advertising campaign for PETA, saying he lost 35 pounds from a vegetarian diet.
But his health wasn't especially good for years before he started it.
Duncan's health made headlines on July 13, 2012, when he was admitted to the Intensive Care Unit
at a Los Angeles hospital. According to TMZ, he was found in cardiac arrest by his girlfriend,
Omarosa Manigault, at around 2:00 a.m. She performed CPR
and managed to resuscitate Duncan, who was transported to the hospital for treatment.
"I just started praying. I mean, I prayed like I have never prayed before."
Duncan's publicist told TMZ,
"According to doctors, Michael Clarke Duncan suffered a myocardial infarction
early this morning. He is now stable, and we look forward to his full recovery."
Duncan died on September 3, 2012, at the age of 54. So there were several weeks in which,
as far as the public was concerned, Duncan was on the mend. But Duncan continued to undergo
treatment because he hadn't fully recovered. Shortly before he died, he lapsed into a coma. His
publicist later explained that his cause of death was from complications from his heart attack.
At the time of his death, Duncan was dating Omarosa Manigault, now Omarosa Manigault Newman,
best known as an "Apprentice" contestant and later as a member of President Donald Trump's
White House staff. Reports of family infighting took over the narrative.
Duncan's family accused Manigault of manipulating him in his final days. They further alleged
she lied about their engagement and sold off several of his belongings without permission.
Omarosa's behavior threw up red flags for Duncan's family, including Omarosa's questions
about Duncan's will. Omarosa also wouldn't allow Duncan's family to stay at his home,
even though they came in from out of town. Duncan's niece claimed Omarosa likewise
asked for or attempted to secure Duncan's sperm while he was comatose. According to
The New York Daily News, the infighting left Duncan's grave unmarked for a year.
Michael Clarke Duncan worked steadily starting with an uncredited role in "Friday" in 1995.
His big break came when he was cast to play Bear in "Armageddon."
From there, he truly blew up thanks to his portrayal of John Coffey in "The Green Mile."
He received an Academy Award nomination for that performance,
among other award nominations and wins, so it's often considered his most significant role.
"I'm tired, boss."
He followed this role with appearances in "The Whole Nine Yards, "Planet of the
Apes," and "Daredevil," but none of those films achieved the same level of attention.
His performances in "Sin City" and "The Island" were praised,
but outside of some voice work and appearances in minor hits,
Duncan's body of work began to decline. He worked throughout the early 2000s,
but achieving the same level of recognition he earned for "The Green Mile" proved insurmountable.
Duncan's acting career wasn't on a lot of peoples' minds when he died in 2012,
and it didn't help that his posthumous releases were all duds.
If his profile had been higher, his death would assuredly have been bigger news.
Fans of Michael Clarke Duncan continue to show surprise upon learning of his passing.
On the Looper video about his death,
there are countless comments from fans indicating they had no idea he died.
One commenter said in 2017:
"Michael Clark[e] Duncan has to be the best supporting actor I've ever seen.
I wondered where he went. He would have made a great X-Man character."
Another person commented in 2020,
"Michael Clarke Duncan [IS] ONE OF MY FAVORITE ACTORS.
I ADORED THIS MAN TO NO END, AND I NEVER REALIZED HE WAS DEAD."
A 2019 comment said,
"Michael Clarke Duncan was one of my favorite actors!
I love him so much! [...] I just finally found out he died."
That's just a tiny sampling of the comments expressing sadness and shock
fans felt upon learning of Duncan's death years later. The video continues to receive
comments like these every week. In April 2022, one commenter wrote,
"Oh my, I love Michael Duncan not knowing he's dead already... May his soul rest in peace."
Given the outpouring of love for Duncan, it's likely comments like these will continue.