Arts & Entertainment
Michael Clark Duncan,
RIP: The Final Interview
By Kam Williams
Special for The Skanner News
M
ichael Clarke Duncan (1957-2012)
was born in Chicago where he was
raised by a single-mom, before
going from homeless to bodyguard to aspir-
ing actor to a Hollywood star. His career
took off after delivering an Oscar-nomina-
tion performance in the pivotal role of
gentle giant John Coffey in “The Green
Mile.”
The towering, 6’5” thespian’s resume’
reveals a long list of credits, including
“Street Fighter: The Legend of Chun-Li,”
“The Last Mimzy” and “Talladega Nights:
The Ballad of Ricky Bobby.” Among his
other film credits are “The Island,” “Dare-
Michael Clarke Duncan
devil,” “The Scorpion King,” “Planet of the
Apes,” “See Spot Run,” “Bulworth,” “The
Whole Nine Yards,” “Green Lantern” and
“Armageddon.”
Duncan also lent his distinctive, deep
voice to such animated projects as “Kung
Fu Panda,” “Racing Stripes,” “Brother
Bear,” “Delgo,” “Dintopia: Curse of the
Ruby Sunstone,” “George of the Jungle 2,”
and both “Cats & Dogs” and “Cats & Dogs:
The Revenge of Kitty Galore.”
His television credits included a lead role
on “The Finder,” and guest-starring roles on
the hit shows “Two and a Half Men,”
“Chuck,” “Family Guy,“ “The Jamie Foxx
Show,” “The Fresh Prince of Bel Air,”
“Weird Science,” “Married With Children”
and “The Wayans Bros.”
I had the privilege of interviewing Bike
Mike numerous times over the years. Below
is our last chat, which took place in 2011.
He leaves behind his beloved fiancee’, the
Reverend Omarosa Manigault, best known
as a contestant on Donald Trump’s reality
show, “The Apprentice.”
Kam Williams: Hi Michael, thanks so
much for the time.
Michael Clarke Duncan: Hey, how’re
you doing, Kam?
KW: I’m fine, thanks. I think the last time
we spoke was when you were doing The
Island.
MCD: Man, that was a long time ago. But
I remember that we share the same birthday.
Isn’t that right?
KW: Almost. Mine is December 11th;
yours is the 10th. But I also have a few
years on you.
MCD: That’s alright. It’s all in your mind.
KW: I have a lot of questions for you
from fans, so why don’t I jump right into
them. Editor/Legist Patricia Turnier says: I
‘Memphis’ in Portland Next Week
Portland Opera Presents Broadway Across America’s production of
“Memphis,” the 2010 Tony Award Winner for Best Musical, opens at Keller
Auditorium on Sept. 11, for a limited engagement.
“Memphis” is set in the smoky halls and underground clubs of the
segregated 50’s, where a young white DJ named Huey Calhoun fell in
love with a fabulous Black singer named Felicia. “’Memphis’ is an original
story about the cultural revolution that erupted when his vision met her
voice, and the music changed forever. Come along on their incredible
journey to the ends of the airwaves — filled with laughter, soaring emotion
and roof-raising rock ‘n’ roll.”
The show has won Broadway’s top honors including Best Musical, Best
Original Score (David Bryan and Joe DiPietro), Best Book (Joe DiPietro), and
Best Orchestrations (David Bryan and Daryl Waters). For ticket information
go to www.PortlandOpera.org\Broadway.
think you’re a great actor and you should
have won the Academy Award when you
were nominated for The Green Mile.
MCD: Thank you, Patricia. I have to
admit that I agree with her. I think I should
have won the Oscar and I believe The Green
Mile should’ve won for Best Picture. It was
the best movie made by anybody that year,
hands down.
KW: Patricia asks: Is there a movie genre
or type of role that you haven’t had the
opportunity to do that you would like to?
MCD: Yes, what I have not done is play
the lead in a romantic comedy. I have a
comedic side and I bet people would enjoy
seeing me get the beautiful woman in the
end. Something like that would definitely
work.
KW: Patricia also asks: What advice can
you give to young people who want to fol-
low in your footsteps?
MCD: First off, have a plan. Know what
you want to do, because if you don’t know
what you want to do, you’ll get stuck. It’s
not as easy as people think.
A lot of kids think they can
just go to Hollywood and
become an actor or actress.
It’s not that easy. There are
millions of kids who come
out here wanting to act. So,
you have to have a plan, and
you have to stick with that
plan, because it’s not going
to be easy by any means.
You’re aware of that, Kam,
because of all the degrees
you have. You had to go to
school and study. And aspir-
ing actors need to take
acting classes… know your
craft inside and out… and
get a job when you arrive in
L.A. Don’t depend on act-
ing as your sole source of
income. Work nights, so
you can have your days off
to attend auditions. Have
something to fall back on.
That’s what my mother
taught me, and it’s critical in
Hollywood.
KW: You play voice of
Kilowog in Green Lantern.
Did you ever have to be on
the set for this role?
MCD: No, I was never on
the set, Kam. Martin [Direc-
tor Martin Campbell] had
me in a studio in Burbank.
He knew what he wanted
and was very specific. He’s
an excellent director who
See GIANT on page 9
Page 6 The Portland Skanner September 5, 2012