Celebrity Underrated - The Michael Clarke Duncan Story

00:00:00 - 00:40:00In the "Celebrity Underrated - The Michael Clarke Duncan Story" YouTube video, the speaker pays tribute to the late actor's acting career and personal life. Michael Clarke Duncan gained recognition for his roles in "The Green Mile" and "Welcome Home Roscoe Jenkins," with the speaker expressing his belief that Duncan should have received an Oscar nomination for his performance in "The Green Mile." The speaker also shares that Duncan was known for his kindness and gentle nature in Hollywood. Born in Chicago, Duncan faced challenges growing up in a dangerous neighborhood but was encouraged by his mother to pursue acting. Despite initial struggles in California, Duncan eventually landed roles in films and TV shows, including "Friday" and "Armageddon." His friendship with Bruce Willis led to bigger opportunities, such as the role of John Coffey in "The Green Mile." However, Duncan's life took a tragic turn when he gained 40 pounds for a film role, sparking rumors of steroid use. He was later diagnosed with a rare form of sarcoidosis and changed his lifestyle, becoming a vegetarian and losing over 90 pounds. Duncan's death in 2012 was sudden and suspicious, with allegations of questionable actions by his girlfriend, Omarosa, regarding his belongings and funeral arrangements. The speaker offers condolences for Duncan's passing at the age of 54 and expresses prayers for his family. The video leaves many unanswered questions about the circumstances surrounding Duncan's death and the infighting among his family members and friends.See more00:00:00 In this section of the YouTube video titled "Celebrity Underrated - The Michael Clarke Duncan Story," the speaker expresses his admiration for Michael Clarke Duncan's acting in the movies "The Green Mile" and "Welcome Home Roscoe Jenkins." The speaker believes that Duncan should have won an Oscar for his role in "The Green Mile," which was his first leading role after appearing in "Armageddon." The speaker then shares that Duncan was known for being a kind and gentle person in Hollywood, earning him the nickname "Big Mike." Despite his size and late entry into Hollywood at the age of 42, Duncan left a significant impact on the industry. However, trusting people in the industry ultimately led to negative consequences during his final days. Duncan was born in Chicago and grew up in the Robert Taylor Homes housing projects with his mother, who encouraged him to pursue acting after recognizing his deep voice and talent. Despite her initial refusal to let him play football due to safety concerns, she supported his acting aspirations and even helped him develop his skills. By the age of 12, Duncan had focused on acting and faced challenges from other children due to his size.00:05:00 In this section of the "Celebrity Underrated - The Michael Clarke Duncan Story" YouTube video, Michael Clarke Duncan's upbringing in a dangerous Chicago neighborhood is discussed. His mother played a crucial role in keeping him away from gangs and encouraging his education. Despite the challenges, Duncan excelled in basketball and hitchhiked long distances to attend college. His mother disapproved of his desire to play football due to the risk of injury and instead supported his acting aspirations. An intriguing fact revealed is that Duncan was present at the infamous Disco Demolition Night at Chicago White Sox Stadium, where the majority of attendees brought records to destroy, but instead brought R&B, jazz, and funk music. Duncan eventually quit college to take care of his sick mother and worked as a bouncer while continuing to pursue his acting dreams, with his friends nicknaming him "Hollywood Mike."00:10:00 In this section of the "Celebrity Underrated - The Michael Clarke Duncan Story" YouTube video, the focus is on Michael Clarke Duncan's struggles as an aspiring actor in California. After leaving Chicago and joining a travel and theater company, he went to about 50 auditions but was rejected each time. He considered joining the LAPD as a police officer but was encouraged to keep trying by his mother. Despite the hardships, Duncan continued to pursue acting and took on security jobs to make ends meet. His big break came when he appeared in music videos for the rap group Quad City DJ's and later landed a role as a bodyguard in R. Kelly's "Downlow Deep" music video. In 1995, he made his film debut in Ice Cube's "Friday" and continued to work as a bodyguard for various celebrities while taking on small acting roles. However, on the night of Biggie Smalls' murder in 1997, Duncan was supposed to be working as his bodyguard but had switched shifts with another guard to work for Babyface instead. Duncan never spoke about that night in detail, but it's speculated that he may have been saved from harm had he been with Biggie that night.00:15:00 In this section of the "Celebrity Underrated - The Michael Clarke Duncan Story" YouTube video, the narrative focuses on Michael Clarke Duncan's transition from being a security guard to an actor, following the death of Notorious B.I.G. In 1997, after quitting security work due to the East Coast and West Coast hip-hop feuds, Duncan's acting career began to take off with roles in various TV shows and movies, including "Caught Up with Bo King." However, it was his friendship with Bruce Willis during the filming of "Armageddon" that opened doors to bigger opportunities. Willis recommended Duncan for the role of John Coffey in "The Green Mile," which earned him an Oscar nomination and critical acclaim. Despite initial resistance from black institutions due to the stereotypical portrayal of a black man accused of a crime against a white person, Duncan continued to land prominent roles in films like "The Whole Nine Yards," "Planet of the Apes," and "Scorpion King." Despite facing challenges, such as playing a white character in "Daredevil" and already weighing 300 pounds when cast, Duncan's acting career continued to thrive.00:20:00 In this section of the "Celebrity Underrated - The Michael Clarke Duncan Story" YouTube video, Michael Clarke Duncan's transformation for a film role led him to gain 40 pounds, which sparked rumors of steroid use. However, he was only consuming unhealthy foods and lifting weights. His fame grew with voice acting work in animated movies and television shows, including "Kung Fu Panda" and "Welcome Home Roscoe Jenkins." Around this time, he was diagnosed with a rare form of sarcoidosis, the same condition that killed comedian Bernie Mac. The diagnosis led him to change his lifestyle, becoming a vegetarian and losing over 90 pounds. He also joined PETA due to his love for animals. At a Christmas party, his family noticed he was acting strangely, and he later changed his will, which turned out to be his last will before his sudden death.00:25:00 In this section of the YouTube video titled "Celebrity Underrated - The Michael Clarke Duncan Story," it is revealed that Michael Clarke Duncan's fiancée, Omarosa, found him unresponsive in bed due to a heart attack in July 2012. She performed CPR and called emergency services, saving his life. However, when his family arrived at the hospital, they were not allowed to enter his house and had to stay in a hotel due to Omarosa's request. The family was also suspicious of her actions while he was in a coma, as she allegedly asked for his sperm and kept bringing up his will. Additionally, Omarosa claimed they had gotten engaged in Scotland, but family members noted she wasn't wearing a ring in the photo she showed them. The family was also concerned about business deals and contracts that might be affected by Michael's hospitalization, which they were not allowed to discuss publicly. Weeks later, the family was told Michael was getting better, but his condition suddenly worsened, and he died on September 3rd, 2012.00:30:00 In this section of the "Celebrity Underrated - The Michael Clarke Duncan Story" YouTube video, the tragic death of actor Michael Clarke Duncan is discussed. Duncan's health took a turn for the worse, and his organs began to fail, starting with his kidneys and pancreas, leading to high blood pressure and eventually respiratory failure. Despite his celebrity friends paying their respects at his funeral, including Tom Hanks, Jay Leno, and Loretta Devine, there were allegations of questionable actions by his girlfriend, Omarosa, regarding his belongings and funeral arrangements. Duncan's family claimed that Omarosa had sold many of his belongings, including his Green Mile chair, watches, cologne, and other personal items. They also accused her of putting his house on the market and planning to move into a condo in one of Trump's properties. Furthermore, Omarosa had allegedly controlled the funeral arrangements, even changing the flowers chosen by the family. One of the most contentious issues was Omarosa's presence during Duncan's final days. His sister, Judy Duncan, claimed that Omarosa was in Florida with her mother on the day of his death and had left him alone during his initial heart attack in July 2012 until his death in September 2012. The family also expressed concern that no autopsy was performed, making it difficult to understand the circumstances of his death. Omarosa responded to the family's accusations, accusing them of coming forward only to demand money after his death. The complex situation left many unanswered questions and a lingering sense of sadness and confusion surrounding Michael Clarke Duncan's untimely demise.00:35:00 In this section of the "Celebrity Underrated - The Michael Clarke Duncan Story" YouTube video, the discussion revolves around the suspicious circumstances surrounding Michael Clarke Duncan's death in 2012 and the infighting among his family members and friends. Five weeks after his death, his sister Judy and Latoya Jackson appeared on Donald Trump's Celebrity Apprentice show, leading to a heated argument. Jackson accused Judy of trying to extort money from her and threatened to reveal secrets if she didn't comply. However, Judy claimed she only asked for a monthly allowance to help take care of their ailing mother. The tension escalated when Omarosa, another friend of Michael's, heard that TMZ was planning to release the 911 call she made the night of Michael's heart attack. She intervened and prevented the call from being released, fueling suspicions among the family that his death was not natural. Omarosa also had a falling out with Claudia Jordan, who posted a photo of Michael's funeral on Instagram despite Omarosa's request not to. The family was left in disarray, with Michael's grave remaining unmarked for almost a year due to the ongoing feuds. Omarosa, who went on to marry a pastor and release a book titled "Unhinged," was accused of using Michael's funeral as a press opportunity. The family is left hoping for closure and the truth about Michael's death to be revealed.00:40:00 In this section of the "Celebrity Underrated - The Michael Clarke Duncan Story" YouTube video, the speaker expresses condolences for the late actor's passing at the age of 54. Despite his advanced age, Michael Clarke Duncan maintained a healthy lifestyle, adhering to a vegetarian diet and keeping himself in good shape. The speaker laments his death and offers prayers for his family.