Winston Duke (born November 15, 1986) is a Tobagonian actor. He is best known for his role as M'Baku in the Marvel Cinematic Universe films Black Panther (2018), Avengers: Infinity War (2018), Avengers: Endgame (2019) and Black Panther: Wakanda Forever (2022). He also starred in Jordan Peele's horror film Us (2019).
Duke was born in Argyle, Saint Paul, Trinidad & Tobago[1][2] and moved to the United States with his mother, Cora Pantin,[3] and sister when he was nine years old. He graduated from Brighton High School in Rochester, New York in 2004.[4] He attended University at Buffalo, receiving a Bachelor of Arts in theatre. He then moved on to Yale School of Drama where he received a Master of Fine Arts (MFA) in acting and graduated in 2013.[5] His cousin is the Tobagonian politician and Progressive Democratic Patriots leader Watson Duke.[6]
Duke started acting in theater productions for Portland Stage Company and Yale Repertory Theatre before being cast in Person of Interest.[7] While at Yale, he befriended fellow actor Lupita Nyong'o, with whom he later starred in Black Panther and Us.[8] In 2012 Duke returned to his native Trinidad and Tobago to appear in the theatre production of An Echo in the Bone starring alongside actress Taromi Lourdes Joseph and directed by fellow Yale alumna Timmia Hearn Feldman.
Duke has starred in Marvel Cinematic Universe's Black Panther, Avengers: Infinity War, and Avengers Endgame as M'Baku.[9] In 2019, Duke starred in the blockbuster horror film Us, directed by Jordan Peele.[10] In October 2019, Duke signed on to headline in the upcoming Apple TV+ drama series Swagger, but was replaced by O'Shea Jackson Jr. due to an injury suffered on-set in February 2020.[11] In March 2020, he starred alongside Mark Wahlberg in the Netflix thriller Spenser Confidential.[12]
It was reported in July 2021 that Duke would be playing Bruce Wayne/Batman in the podcast audio drama Batman Unburied.[13] The podcast was released in 2022.
On October 24, 2021, Duke received the Maverick Award at the Newport Beach Film Festival.[14]
Year | Title | Role | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
2018 | Black Panther | M'Baku | Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture Nominated – MTV Movie Award for Best Fight |
Avengers: Infinity War | |||
2019 | Us | Gabe Wilson / Abraham | |
Avengers: Endgame | M'Baku | ||
2020 | Nine Days | Will | |
Spenser Confidential | Hawk | ||
2022 | Black Panther: Wakanda Forever | M'Baku | |
2024 | The Fall Guy | Filming |
Year | Title | Role | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
2014 | Law & Order: Special Victims Unit | Cedric Jones | Episode: "Gridiron Soldier" |
2014–2015 | Person of Interest | Dominic Besson / Mini | 7 episodes |
2015 | The Messengers | Zahir Zakaria | 3 episodes |
Major Crimes | Curtis Turner | Episode: "#FindKaylaWeber" | |
2016 | Modern Family | Dwight | 3 episodes |
Year | Title | Role | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
2022 | Batman Unburied | Bruce Wayne | Main role |
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