Born in Argyle, Trinidad and Tobago on November 15, 1986, Winston Duke probably never imagined he would become a successful Hollywood actor. At the age of nine, Duke, his mother, and his sister immigrated to America settling in Brooklyn, New York. He attended Brighton High School in Rochester, New York and graduated in 2004. He began working towards his acting career when he obtained his Bachelor of Arts degree in Theatre from the University of Buffalo. After receiving his Bachelor’s degree, he continued his education at the Yale School of Drama where he received a Master of Fine Arts in Acting in 2013. While at Yale, Duke met his best friend, Lupita Nyong’o, who would later become his co-star in the Marvel Cinematic Universe’s Black Panther and the Sci-Fi thriller Us.
Duke started acting in theater productions for Portland Stage Company and Yale Repertory Theatre before his Hollywood debut in Person of Interest. In 2012 Duke returned to his home of Trinidad and Tobago to star in the theatre production of An Echo in the Bone. Since 2012 he has starred in an array of television shows and blockbuster films. Law & Order (2014), The Messengers (2015), Major Crime (2015), and more are stamped on his resume, but most people know him for portraying the role of M’Baku in Black Panther and Avengers: Endgame. Currently you can see Duke playing an overprivileged family man in the highly anticipated Jordan Peele film Us.
Although his resume and career in Hollywood is short, he is just getting started. Be on the lookout for more things to come from this talented young man.