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Michael Clarke Duncan: Green Mile
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Michael Clarke Duncan is that really huge dude that you see in all of the movies. He has actually developed into a decent actor. You really believe that he got into acting because he loves it for what it is. In his roles, you sense more realism than many other actor's who are considered more talented than he. Of all of his roles in all of his movies, my favorite has to be "The Green Mile."
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From All Movie Guide: Standing 6'5" and weighing over 300 pounds, African American actor Michael Clarke Duncan inarguably possesses one of Hollywood's more unforgettable figures. A former bodyguard and bouncer, Duncan first gained attention when he appeared as one of a group of oil drillers sent to stop an asteroid from annihilating the Earth in the 1998 blockbuster Armageddon. A year later, Duncan's career got another significant boost when the actor earned lavish critical plaudits for his portrayal of a wrongfully convicted death row inmate in The Green Mile.
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At 6'5" and in excess of 300 pounds, Michael Clarke Duncan cuts an imposing figure and it comes as no surprise that his resume includes stints working in security. But this gentle giant, a jovial man with a warm personality and keen sense of humor proved his mettle as a screen actor with his powerful performance as the death row inmate John Coffey in "The Green Mile" (1999), Frank Darabont's adaptation of the Stephen King novel. The Chicago native was encouraged by his mother to pursue acting, and despite obtaining a college degree in communications, Duncan found himself digging ditches for the local gas company. Moonlighting as a bouncer and guard at various clubs on the city's South Side, he met one of the producers of the touring stage show, "Beauty Shop, Part 2" and was hired as the producer's personal security. Although he often asked for the opportunity to act in the play, the producer would not let him.
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Michael Clarke Duncan's performance as the gentle giant in The Green Mile received widespread critical-acclaim and has led to a career of diversified roles. Duncan most recently starred in the indie film D.E.B.S and will next be seen in Michael Bay's The Island and American Crude alongside Jennifer Esposito, Ron Livingston and Rob Schneider.
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Duncan tried to cheer up Willis after the latter's breakup with actress Demi Moore. Willis returned the favor by recommending Duncan to director Frank Darabont, who was in the midst of screening a cast for his new film, The Green Mile. "There are not a lot of roles for big, black, bald-headed men," Duncan was quoted as saying in Entertainment Weekly. However, the Green Mile role seemed custom made for him, and he landed the part. Duncan poured his heart and soul into the role. "I'm an emotional person," he told Entertainment Weekly.
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Raised by his single mother on Chicago's South Side, Michael grew up resisting drugs and alcohol, instead concentrating on school. He wanted to play football in high school, but his mother wouldn't let him, fearing he would hurt himself. He then turned to acting, dreaming of becoming a famous actor. After graduating from high school and attending community college, he worked digging ditches at Peoples Gas Company in Chicago. When he quit his job and headed to Hollywood, he landed small roles while working as a bodyguard. Michael's role in the movie Armageddon led to his breakthrough performance in The Green Mile, when his Armageddon co-star Bruce Willis called director Frank Darabont, and suggested Michael for the part of convicted killer John Coffey.
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