Green Mile actor Michael Clarke Duncan dead at 54

The deep-voiced U.S. actor Michael Clarke Duncan has died at 54, according to media reports. Duncan is known for his breakout role as John Coffey in The Green Mile.

While cause of death has yet to be confirmed, TMZ writes the actor "never fully recovered from the myocardial infarction he suffered on July 13." He was found this morning by his fiancée Omarosa Manigault, who was close to him at his hospital room in Los Angeles and left for a short period of time. When she returned, Duncan had died. Michael Clarke Duncan was without oxygen during his heart attack that damaged his organs so badly he could never recover, TMZ writes today. The 54-year-old actor was nominated for an Academy Award for his Green Mile role. He lost to Michael Caine (The Cider House Rules). Duncan can also be found in Armageddon, Planet of the Apes, Sin City and Redemption Road. In the 90s, he had small roles in TV shows such as The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air and Married with Children. Thanks to his rich baritone voice, Duncan enjoyed work as a voice actor, often appearing in video games or animated movies such as Delgo and Kung Fu Panda. TMZ writes he worked as a bodyguard for celebrities such as Will Smith, Jamie Foxx, LL Cool J, and Notorious B.I.G. before he got his break. When Biggie was killed, Duncan quit. He grew up in Chicago in a single-parent household, and dropped out of the Communications program at Alcorn State University to support his family when his mother got sick. He worked odd jobs, and even claimed to work as a stripper under the name Black Caesar.