Michael Clarke Duncan

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.

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 feet 5 inches and 315 lbs — helped him in his jobs digging ditches for the People's Gas Company and being a bouncer at different Chicago clubs. On September 24, 2008, he appeared on Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson. During his interview with Craig, Duncan admitted ("for the first time ever"-his words) that one of his many jobs had been a stripper "back in the day" and his stage name was Black Caesar.

In 1979, he participated in the Infamous Disco Demolition Night at Comiskey Park, home of the Chicago White Sox: he was among the first 100 people to run onto the field and he slid into third base. He also had a silver belt buckle stolen during the ensuing riot and apparently stole one of Bill Melton's bats from the dugout.

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, LL Cool J, and Notorious B.I.G. all the while doing bit parts in television and films. A friend was covering for Duncan the night that Notorious B.I.G. was killed. This was the reason for Duncan to quit this line of work.

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 as John Coffey in the Frank Darabont-directed, The Green Mile, a role which 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. Duncan then was a cast in a string of films that helped to establish him as a star.