Michael Clarke Duncan died of natural causes, a US coroner has confirmed.
The 54-year-old Green Mile actor died at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles on Monday. He had not recovered from a heart attack he suffered in July.
Meanwhile, tributes to Michael Clarke Duncan have continued to pour in.
Bruce Willis, who starred with Michael Clarke Duncan in Armageddon, called him “a great human being”.
He added: “I will miss Big Mike in a big way.”
Michael Clarke Duncan had credited Bruce Willis for recommending him to The Green Mile director Frank Darabont.
He was later nominated for an Oscar in 2000 for his role as a death row inmate in the film.
Michael Clarke Duncan died at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles on Monday
Bruce Willis and Michael Clarke Duncan went on to star in another three films together including The Whole Nine Yards and Sin City.
Director Michael Bay, who gave Michael Clarke Duncan his first major role in Armageddon, penned a lengthy tribute about the actor’s time on set, which was posted on his official website.
“It was a great time I will always remember, how proud I was to watch him grow into an actor,” he said.
“We found him in a gym. He cried at the first audition because he was so proud to audition for a Michael [Bay] and Jerry [Bruckheimer] movie, he just wanted to make his mom proud.
“We gave him the role in the room.”
But, Michael Bay recalled, the star “sucked” on his first day in front of the cameras.
“I remember looking to Ben Affleck and thinking we might need to fire him.
“But I told him <<Mike, I hired you for you. I want the sweet, Mr. Clarke Duncan I met in that room>>. I said, <<the audience is going to fall in love with you>>.
“He looked and smiled with deep voice and said <<OK>>.
“From then on out he became the most improved actor on the set. That was the award he got at the end of the film. Everyone loved him, his infectious spirit and great belly laugh.”
Actor Tom Hanks made similar comments about his former co-star.
“He was the treasure we all discovered on the set of The Green Mile. He was magic. He was a big love of man and his passing leaves us stunned.”
Green Mile director Frank Darabont added: “Michael was the gentlest of souls – an exemplar of decency, integrity and kindness. The sadness I feel is inexpressible.”
Michael Clarke Duncan is survived by his mother Jean, sister Judith, and fiancée Reverend Omarosa Manigault.
The actress and reality TV star told Radar Online she was “devastated” by the actor’s death.
“He was the love of my life,” she added.
Craig Harvey of the Los Angeles coroner’s office said that Michael Clarke Duncan’s personal physician had signed the death certificate, and there was nothing to suggest officials need to review the case.
Oscar-nominated star of The Green Mile Michael Clarke Duncan has died after nearly two months of treatment following a heart attack in July.
Publicist Joy Fehily released a statement from Michael Clarke Duncan’s partner, the Rev. Omarosa Manigault-Stallworth, saying the 54-year-old actor died on Monday morning in a Los Angeles hospital.
As the sad news was delivered, it also referred to Omarosa Manigault-Stallworth for the first time as his fiancée, saying: “The Oscar-nominated actor suffered a myocardial infarction on July 13 and never fully recovered.”
Omarosa Manigault-Stallworth confirmed the news herself to Radar, saying: “I am devastated. He was the love of my life.”
RadarOnline has reported that “both public and private memorials are being planned”.
Oscar-nominated star of The Green Mile Michael Clarke Duncan has died after nearly two months of treatment following a heart attack in July
Michael Clarke Duncan’s death came “very suddenly”, with TMZ reporting that Omarosa Manigault-Satllworth was present in the hospital room before momentarily leaving for a short period of time and when she returned he had died.
Her mother is believed to have been present when he passed.
Meanwhile, Michael Clarke Duncan’s Green Mile co-star Tom Hanks also released a heartfelt message, referring to the actor as “Big Mike”.
Tom Hanks said: “I am terribly saddened at the loss of Big Mike. He was the treasure we all discovered on the set of The Green Mile. He was magic.
“He was a big love of man and his passing leaves us stunned.”
And the director of the movie, Frank Darabont, was “devastated”, saying: “[He was] one of the finest people I’ve ever had the privilege to work with or know. Michael was the gentlest of souls – an exemplar of decency, integrity and kindness. The sadness I feel is inexpressible.”
The 6ft 5in, 300 pound star appeared in dozens of films, including box office hits Armageddon, Planet Of The Apes and Kung Fu Panda.
Duncan had a handful of minor roles before The Green Mile brought him an Academy Award nomination for Best Supporting Actor in 1999, but unfortunately he lost out to Michael Caine after the British legend won his second Oscar to The Cider House Rules.
The Green Mile, based on the Stephen King novel of the same name, starred Tom Hanks as a corrections officer at a penitentiary in the 1930s. Michael Clarke Duncan played John Coffey, a convicted murderer.
The role saw him become a global star, with Michael Clarke Duncan winning the best supporting actor category for the Black Reel Award, Broadcast Film Critics Association Award and Saturn Award ceremonies.
He was also nominated a further nine times, along with his Oscar nod, receiving recognition at the Golden Globes, MTV Movie Awards and Screen Actors Guild Awards.
MICHAEL CLARKE DUNCAN: 10.12.1957 – 03.09.2012
• Born in Chicago, Illinois on December 10, 1957
• Lived in a single-parent household with sister Judy
• Moved to Los Angeles to pursue acting, and found work as a bodyguard to the stars
• In 1995, landed an uncredited role in 1995 comedy hit Friday
• Quit bodyguard work in 1997 following the death of client Notorious B.I.G
• The following year, landed his big break as Bear in Armagedon
• Became a household name in 1999 for his Oscar-nominated role in The Green Mile
• Won Best Supporting Actor for the Black Reel Award, Broadcast Film Critics Association Award and Saturn Award, following his efforts in the Tom Hanks blockbuster
• Nominated for a further nine times for his role as John Coffey
• Starred in blockbusters Planet Of The Apes, The Scoprion King and The Green Lantern
• Suffered a heart attack on July 13, 2012 – given CPR by fiancée Omarosa Manigault
• Despite treatment, Michael Clarke Duncan sadly died on September 3, aged 54
Actor Michael Clarke Duncan has been hospitalized in Los Angeles after suffering a heart attack.
His publicist Joy Fehily says in a brief email statement that Michael Clarke Duncan “suffered a myocardial infarction” early Friday.
Joy Fehily says his heart rate has stabilized and he’s expected to make a full recovery.
She would not confirm a TMZ report that Michael Clarke Duncan’s actress-girlfriend, Omarosa Manigault-Stallworth, discovered the former bodyguard in distress at about 2:00 a.m. Friday in his Los Angeles area home.
The website reports Omarosa Manigault-Stallworth revived The Green Mile star by performing CPR.
The former The Apprentice star, who has been dating the 54-year-old actor since 2010, is understood to be by his bedside in an intensive care unit.
Her representative Priscilla Clarke confirmed Michael Clarke Duncan was hospitalized today but did not provide any further details regarding his condition or how he was found.
Michael Clarke Duncan has been hospitalized in Los Angeles after suffering a heart attack
Kent Moran, who directed Michael Clarke Duncan in The Challenger, says the actor recently wrapped scenes on the action drama, in which he stars as a trainer helping to revive the career of boxer Jaden Miller.
Kent Moran, who also stars as Miller in the film, described Michael Clarke Duncan as “very healthy” on set and said he coped well with the physicality of the role, adding that news of the actor falling ill was “unexpected”.
He added: “We were very surprised and saddened to here the news. Our film is now in post production and we have finished filming Michael’s scenes. So at this point, we are really just praying for him and wishing him a speedy recovery.”
Michael Clarke Duncan meanwhile hinted at his health issues in a public service announcement released by People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) in May.
The PSA, which promotes vegetarianism as a means to prevent heart disease and stroke, features Michael Clarke Duncan saying he was plagued with several illnesses before making the dietary change approximately three years ago.
He does not elaborate on his health problems in the clip.
The actor says watching film Meet Your Meat, about the process of animal protein production, helped him to decide to stop eating meat.
“I never knew what the process was from that animal to my plate,” he says.
“Once I looked at an animal like that I cleared out my refrigerator of about $5,000 worth of meat.”
Michael Clarke Duncan catapulted to fame after his role in 1999 prison drama The Green Mile. He is also well-known for his roles in the 2003 comic book movie Daredevil and 2005 release Sin City.
He is currently starring in TV drama The Finder.
