'The Green Mile' Actor Michael Clarke Duncan Dead At 54

Hollywood lost an inimitable presence Monday. Massively muscled character actor Michael Clarke Duncan died in Los Angeles at the age of 54, The Associated Press reported.

Duncan had been hospitalized at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center since July after suffering a heart attack, according to a released statement from his fiancé, former "The Apprentice" reality TV personality Rev. Omarosa Manigault.

Unfortunately, he never full recovered from the July 13th myocardial infarction.

"Manigault is grateful for all of your prayers and asks for privacy at this time. Celebrations of his life, both private and public, will be announced at a later date," Manigault's statement through publicist Joy Fehily read.

A former bodyguard who turned to acting in his 30s, Duncan was likely best known for his 1999 Best Supporting Actor Oscar-nominated role as supernaturally gifted, gentle-giant death row inmate John Coffey in Frank Darabont's Stephen King adaptation "The Green Mile."  That role was merely the biggest of dozens he played.

Possessing a thundering but gentle voice and often affable presence, Duncan dropped out of Alcorn State University in his 20s to support his ailing mother. He took jobs as a ditch-digger and bouncer, but eventually moved to Los Angeles and became a bodyguard while pursuing acting jobs. He'd once been assigned to protect late rapper The Notorious B.I.G., but switched it out for another gig.  When Biggie was later gunned down, Duncan took it as his call to take up acting full-time.

In addition to "The Green Mile," Duncan was a hulk of a man with dramatic range. He was a warrior gorilla beneath extensive makeup and prosthetics in Tim Burton's "The Planet of the Apes" remake. In a race-swapped performance in Daredevil, he shined in a rare villain performance as Marvel Comics nemesis Wilson Fisk, The Kingpin. He pulled off comedic support alongside Will Ferrell in "Talladega Nights" and in the Bruce Willis-Matthew Perry hit "The Whole Nine Yards."

Putting his most recognizable asset to good use, he even brought a Javan rhinoceros guard to life in DreamWorks' animated "Kung Fu Panda."

Most recently, he played an eloquent but intimidating companion in FOX's "Bones" spin-off "The Finder," before its cancelation after its freshman mid-season run.

Prior to his heart attack, Duncan had been a vegetarian for three years, and had recorded a public-service announcement for PETA extolling the improvements in his health since clearing his refrigerator of an estimated "$5,000 worth of meat."

Photo source: NY Daily