Michael Clarke Duncan, the Oscar-nominated star of The Green Mile, has died after nearly two months of treatment following a heart attack in July.
Publicist Joy Fehily released a statement from 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 for the first time as his fiancée, saying: 'The Oscar-nominated actor suffered a myocardial infarction on July 13 and never fully recovered.'
Tragedy: Michael Clarke Duncan, pictured with fiancée Omarosa Manigault-Stallworth in February at a Grammys party, has died aged 54, two months after suffering a severe heart attack
Hollywood success: Michael was nominated for an Oscar following his performance in 1999's The Green Mile
The US website report that 'both public and private memorials are being planned'.
Michael's death came 'very suddenly', with TMZ reporting that Omarosa 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's Green Mile co-star Tom Hanks also released a heartfelt message, referring to the actor as 'Big Mike'.
He 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.'
RIP: Michael was in high spirits during an appearance on The Tonight Show With Jay Leno in February
Big break: Michael was cast in Armageddon alongside Ben Affleck and Bruce Willis
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 film, based on the Stephen King novel of the same name, starred Tom Hanks as a corrections officer at a penitentiary in the 1930s. Duncan played John Coffey, a convicted murderer.
