Michael Clarke Duncan has passed away, aged 54.
A steatement from Clarke’s fiancee, Rev. Omarosa Manigault-Stallworth, confirmed the star died Monday morning in a Los Angeles area hospital.
The Oscar nominated actor had been hospitalized for the past two months, receiving treatment for a recent heart attack.
Duncan was found in a state of cardiac arrest on July 13 by Manigault-Stallworth. She was able to revive Duncan and rush him to the hospital, where he spent more than two weeks in an intensive care unit.
The Actor was deemed well enough to leave the ICU around August 6, which left many optimistic about his chances of recovery, including his rep who said Duncan was ‘stable and looking forward to a full recovery.’ News of his death coming less than a month after a positive prognosis has left many people shocked.
Sources indicate Duncan’s passing was very sudden. His financee was with him in his hospital room this morning only stepped out for a moment. When she had returned, he had died, reports TMZ; who also indicated the actor never fully recovered from his July heart attack.
Michael Clarke Duncan first started acting in 1995, primarily appearing in minor roles while moonlighting as a bodyguard for a large number of celebrities, inlcuding Will Smith and Notorious B.I.G. When Biggie was killed in 1997, Duncan left his bodyguard duties behind, and focused on acting full-time. Just a year later, he was cast as Bear in ‘Armageddon,’ alongside Bruce Willis.
Since then, he has gone on to appear in many box office hits, including ‘Planet of the Apes’ and ‘Kung Fu Panda.’ Most notably, however, was his breakout appearance in ‘The Green Mile,’ for which he received an Adademy Award nomination for Best Actor in a Supporting Role.
Watch a recent interview with Michael Clarke Duncan below:
