Green Mile's Gentle Giant Leaves Us
September 5, 2012By Billy Delgado

There are movie roles for which we'll remember certain actors for the rest of our lives. Sylvester Stallone will always be Rocky to me or Rambo for others. Arnold Schwarzenegger will always be remembered as the Terminator. Eddie Murphy will always be Prince Akeem from Coming to America. And I'll always remember Michael Clarke Duncan for his role as "John Coffey" in Green Mile. I actually always referred to him as "Green Mile."


Michael Clarke Duncan passed away this Monday at the age of 54 due to heart complications from a heart attack he suffered almost 2 months ago in July. Ironically, last May he tweeted "Being a vegetarian was the best life choice I've ever made all natural all organic!" Sometimes, God inexplicably has an expiration date on our lives that may be earlier than we anticipated. When he suffered the heart attack, he was actually resuscitated by his fiance and former Apprentice contestant Omarosa Manigualt-Stallworth.


I was sad to hear the news of his death. I don't know the guy but I couldn't help but develop a fondness for his character portrayal of a gentle giant for which he also received an Oscar nomination. You almost believe his character to be true-to-life when you see interviews of him and take in his big, baritone laugh. He almost did seem like John Coffey. A humble giant.


He jumped up and down and placed a friend in a headlock out of sheer joy when he found out he was merely nominated for an Oscar for the 200 film. He Tebow-ed and thanked the Lord for his nomination and you felt happy for him when you realized how far he had come in his career. From the tough Southside of Chicago to digging ditches to working as a security/bodyguard for celebrities to becoming a successful actor with numerous blockbusters under his belt.


Acting is a hard way to make a financial living. In fact, it may be impossible for some. So it's always heart-warming when you read about the success of those like Michael Clarke Duncan who grew up in tough situations and dropped out of college to pursue a dream that is ridiculously difficult to realize. I'm sure his hulking and imposing stature won him a lot of roles but there is no denying that diligence was the most important ingredient to his success.


In the movie Green Mile, John Coffey (Duncan) heals his warden's (Tom Hanks) body which reinvigorates Hanks to go home and make love to his wife. John Coffey actually grabbed his Hoo-Ha's and healed them. In fact, later in the movie, he resurrects a little mouse that was stepped on.


His role in that movie, although simplistic and unassuming, was what had me referring to Duncan as "Green Mile." The role mean that much Even though he died from a broken heart, I'm sure healed a lot of the hearts of the world with that role. Duncan left the world a little better than he found it.


May we keep his fiance, who also lost her brother last year, and his family in prayer and that they would find the strength to move on from this tragedy.


May you rest in the Lord, Michael Clarke Duncan.





The self-proclaimed Zig Ziglar of rap, Billy Delgado, is a Music Producer/Artist and Writer by day and sleeping pillow-drooler by night. He is currently producing the debut album for his band The 288's, a God-inspired Hip Hop/R&B group that combines soul-baring lyricism with an electric innovative sound, breaking from the norm and reaching all cultures & ages (save senior citizens). He still can't believe he's a family man with a beautiful wife Mari & three boys Chris, Nelson and Joshua, so he continues to pinch himself silly to this day.








Visitor Comments (1)
The Gentle Giant
Posted By LINGOSO on September 11, 2012
The gentle giant Green Mile’s star has passed away at the young age of 54 due to heart complications, when I heard I was saddened by the thought. Granted he has done many other movies, but this movie is the most memorable and I saw it when I was around 12 years old. Still to this day I can remember his character very vividly, he was a sweetheart and you could tell that he as himself related to his character in some ways. I was moved when I heard that he thanked God for his Oscar nomination for the film; it showed that he knew he didn’t do it on his own and that God has a hand in everything that we do and prosper in. He will be missed and I pray for his family and their comfort in this rough time.
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