… theater at the University of Buffalo. He took a year off to hone his craft in Baltimore, then went north once again to enroll in the Yale School of Drama.
In order to win the part of M’Baku, he had to audition four times over the course of three months, in front of writer and director Ryan Coogler. “He took me in every direction known to man with the character,” he says. Sometimes, he’d sneak glances at the filmmaker and realize that Coogler wasn’t even looking at him, but rather looking down and listening to the performance—sussing out “the patterns and the musicality,” Duke guesses.
So what’s next for the young star? He’s got a whole lot more coming up and he’s thankful for journey.
“Never forget to say thank you in life,” posts Duke on Instagram. “Even if at times you don’t know or have a greater understanding of why you should be grateful…life’s real gifts don’t come at any particular holiday or occasion and it’s so much easier to understand context when looking back on those “everyday moments” that later become cherished memories. So in the moment remember to say thank you to the various people that impact your life. Thank you friends, thank you mom, thank you dad, thank you God, thank you life, thank you love…even thank you, time. Nothing is guaranteed, but a lot is often taken for granted without you even knowing.”
From where we stand, the sky’s the limit! Keep rising Winston!