Winston Duke Facts for Kids

Quick facts for kids Winston Duke
Duke in 2020
Born	(1986-11-15) 15 November 1986 (age 38) Argyle, Saint Paul, Tobago, Trinidad and Tobago
Alma mater	University at Buffalo (BA) Yale University (MFA)
Occupation	Actor
Years active	2014–present
Relatives	Watson Duke (cousin)

Winston Duke (born November 15, 1986) is an actor from Tobago, a part of Trinidad and Tobago. He is famous for playing the character M'Baku in the Marvel superhero movies, like Black Panther. He also starred in the horror film Us and other popular movies. Winston moved to Brooklyn, USA, when he was nine years old.

Early Life and Education
Acting Career
Personal Life
Selected Film and Television Roles
Awards and Recognition
Images for kids
See also

Early Life and Education

Winston Duke was born in a village called Argyle in Tobago, Trinidad and Tobago, on November 15, 1986. He grew up with his mother, Cora Pantin, who worked for the government and owned a restaurant. He also has an older sister named Cindy. His cousin, Watson Duke, is a well-known politician in Tobago.

When Winston was a child, he helped his mother at her restaurant. He learned how to greet customers and make them feel welcome. When he was nine, his mother decided to move the family to the United States. They sold their restaurant and belongings and settled in a small apartment in Brooklyn, New York City. This move allowed his sister, Cindy, to go to medical school.

Winston went to a public school in Crown Heights. He often visited the local library and comic book store after school. He finished high school in Rochester, New York, in 2004. He then studied theatre at the University at Buffalo. Later, he earned a special degree in acting from Yale School of Drama in 2013. His mother passed away in 2022.

Acting Career

Duke promoting Black Panther at San Diego Comic-Con in 2017

Winston Duke started his acting journey in theatre plays for companies like Portland Stage Company. He then got small roles in TV shows. For example, he appeared in Law & Order: Special Victims Unit and Modern Family. He also had a regular role in the science fiction series Person of Interest.

In 2016, Winston was chosen to play M'Baku in the Marvel movie Black Panther. This movie came out in 2018 and made him very famous. Critics praised his performance, calling him "funny" and "imposing." He played M'Baku again in Avengers: Infinity War (2018) and Avengers: Endgame (2019). These movies are some of the highest-earning films ever made.

In 2019, Winston starred in the popular horror film Us, directed by Jordan Peele. He also took on leading roles in other films. These include the fantasy drama Nine Days (2020) and the action comedy Spenser Confidential (2020) with Mark Wahlberg.

In 2021, Winston received the Maverick Award at the Newport Beach Film Festival. In 2022, he voiced Bruce Wayne in the Spotify podcast audio drama Batman Unburied. Fans were very supportive of his role. He returned as M'Baku in Black Panther: Wakanda Forever in 2022.

Personal Life

Winston Duke is good friends with actress Lupita Nyong'o. They met while studying at Yale and have acted together in several films. He is also known for being very interested in art.

Selected Film and Television Roles

Winston Duke has appeared in many films and television shows. Here are some of his notable works:

2018: Black Panther as M'Baku
2018: Avengers: Infinity War as M'Baku
2019: Us as Gabriel "Gabe" Wilson / Abraham
2019: Avengers: Endgame as M'Baku
2020: Nine Days as Will
2020: Spenser Confidential as Hawk
2022: Black Panther: Wakanda Forever as M'Baku
2024: The Fall Guy as Dan Tucker

He has also been in TV series such as:

2014–2015: Person of Interest as Dominic Besson
2016: Modern Family as Dwight

Awards and Recognition

Winston Duke has received several awards and nominations for his acting:

In 2019, he won the Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture for Black Panther.
He also won Black Reel Awards for Outstanding Breakthrough Performance, Male, and Outstanding Ensemble for Black Panther in 2019.
In 2023, he won another NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Ensemble Cast in a Motion Picture for Black Panther: Wakanda Forever.
He received the Maverick Award at the Newport Beach Film Festival in 2021.