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Arlene Duncan
Born
Arlene Duncan

Oakville, Ontario, Canada
NationalityCanadian
Alma materSheridan College
Occupation(s)Actress, Singer

Arlene Duncan is a Canadian actress and singer from Oakville, Ontario.[1] Her father is African Canadian, with ancestors from Nova Scotia. Duncan has appeared in over 80 film and television roles in addition to many theatrical productions. She is best known for her television role as Fatima, a diner owner in the CBC situation comedy Little Mosque on the Prairie.[2]

Early Life and Education

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Arlene Duncan was born in Oakville, Ontario to Alvin Aberdeen Duncan, a Royal Canadian Air Force veteran of World War II and a Jamaican mother, Icilda[3]. Her father's side of the family has been living in Canada for five generations.[4] She is the great-grand daughter of Benedict Duncan, a slave who fled Maryland through the Underground railway and became a sexton in Oakville.[5] Her great-great-grandfather, Samuel Adams, moved to Canada in 1855. Duncan's family has been heavily involved in Oakville's Black community, her great-grandfather Jeremiah Adams was the groundkeeper of Turner Chapel (Oakville) and her father worked as as Oakville’s resident Black historian until his death in 2009. Additionally, Duncan's mother founded the Canadian Caribbean Association of Halton.[6]

Duncan attended T. A. Blakelock High School in Oakville. During her time there, she was active drama and student band.[7] She graduated from Sheridan College's musical theatre program.[8][9] Duncan was a winner of the Du Maurier's Search for Stars contest and represented Canada at the Pacific Song Contest in 1979.[10][11]

Career

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Duncan released her debut single "I Wanna Grove" in 1982, which won her the Female Vocalist of the Year Award at the 1983 Canadian Black Music Awards in 1983. Duncan also has performed under the name Kairene.[8] releasing the single "I Need a Man" under Radikal Records in 1993. Duncan has additionally sung jingles for McDonalds, Pepsi and Toyota.[12] In 1994, the Black Label Artists Coalition awarded Duncan for Outstanding Achievement in Dance/House Music.[8]

Duncan has been active in musical and dramatic theatre. Duncan has been involved in theatrical productions of Sophisticated Ladies, Jacob Two-Two Meets the Hooded Fang, Once on This Island, The Mother Club, A Raisin in the Sun, Ain't Misbehavin', The Nutmeg Press, Recurring John[13] and The Who's Tommy.[8][14][15] Duncan won a Dora Mavor Moore Award in 2012 for Outstanding Performance by a Female (Musical) for her performance in Caroline, or Change.[16] Duncan's performance as Caroline in Caroline, or Change earned her a Dora Mavor Moore Award in 2012 for Outstanding Performance by a Female (Musical)[16] and a Toronto Theatre Critics Award for Best Actress in a Musical.[17][18]

Duncan has appeared in many movies and televisions, most notably portraying café owner Fatima Dinssa on the CBC Television series Little Mosque on the Prairie. Duncan played Harriet Tubman in the CBC Television Special All for One, for which she received an ACTRA Award. She later reprised the role of Hariet Tubman in 1995 in CBS's Gemini Awards-nominated Sing Out, Freedom Train.[19][8][20] In recent years, she has also appeared in minor roles on Degrassi: The Next Generation, Suits, and A Dog's Journey. Duncan's most notable recent role has been as Velma Diggs in the ongoing CBC Television Series Diggstown.[21]

Duncan has cited Diana Ross, Salome Bey, and Melba Moore as influences.[9]

Work

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Film

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Year Film Role
1979 An American Christmas Carol Jennie Reeves
1987 The Liberators Amanada[22]
1988 All for One Harriet Tubman[14]
1995 Sing Out Freedom Train Harriet Tubman[14]
1996 Extreme Measures E.R. Nurse
2000 Enslavement: The True Story of Fanny Kemble Harriet
2001 Drop the Beat Mrs. Brown[12]
2001 Don't Say a Word Aide
2002 The Scream Team Sherriff[23]
2003 Eloise at Christmastime Lily
2005 Get Rich or Die Tryin' Judge[24]
2010 Chloe Party Guest[25]
2012 Silent Hill: Revelation Teacher[26]
2014 A Fighting Man Mary[27]
2017 Flint Claire McClinton[28]
2019 Easy Land Mrs. Fraser
2019 A Dog's Journey Hilda[29]

Television

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Year Series Role Notes
1997-2004 Franklin Officer Rabbit[8]
2005-2008 Degrassi: The Next Generation Mrs. Van Zandt[23][14] 4 Episodes
2007-2012 Little Mosque on the Prairie Fatima Dinssa[1] 91 Episodes
2013 Covert Affairs Patricia[30]
2013-2017 But I'm Chris Jericho! Ms. Lawrence[23] 12 Episodes
2014-2017 Teenagers Sandra 7 Episodes
2015 Suits Emma Powell 2 Episodes
2018 The Rick Mercer Report Announcer[23]
2019-2020 Diggstown Velma Diggs[31] 6 Episodes

Theatre

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Year(s) Production Role Notes
1987 Sophisticated Ladies N/A[32]
1997 Ain't Misbehavin' (musical) N/A Played the role introduced by Armelia McQueen[33]
1999 The Nutmeg Princess Nutmeg Princess[34] Based on the book of same name
2011-2012 Caroline, or Change Caroline[9] Won Dora Mavor Moore Award for Performance
2014 Recurring John The Park Dweller[13]
2014 The Mother Club Marge[35]
2014 Once on This Island Mama Euralie[36]

References

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  1. ^ a b "A Pillar in the Community - Arlene Duncan". Canadian Caribbean Association of Halton. 25 May 2010. Archived from the original on 26 August 2011.
  2. ^ Brioux, Bill (9 January 2007). "Little Mosque On The Prairie: CBC's 'Mosque' needs a miracle". Toronto Sun. Archived from the original on 13 July 2012.
  3. ^ Levy, Genelle. "Ontarians should know more about the Black history of Oakville". TVO.org. Retrieved 2021-02-19.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  4. ^ Zekas, Rita (2009-05-30). "A little shopping, not on the Prairie". thestar.com. Retrieved 2021-02-19.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  5. ^ "Well-known actor/singer returns to help church celebrate its 169th anniversary" (PDF). The Oakville Beaver. September 14, 2001.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  6. ^ Levy, Genelle (December 1, 2020). "Ontarians should know more about the Black history of Oakville". TVO.org. Retrieved 2021-02-19.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  7. ^ "Thomas A. Blakelock High School - Arlene Duncan". tab.hdsb.ca. Retrieved 2021-02-19.
  8. ^ a b c d e f Williams, Paul (July 11, 2013). "Arlene Duncan". www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca. Retrieved 2021-02-18.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  9. ^ a b c MacLean, Bill (2011-12-15). "Arlene leaves the prairie for Caroline, or Change". Beach Metro Community News. Retrieved 2021-02-19.
  10. ^ "Canadian Singer to Visit New Zealand". Ottawa Citizen. 1 September 1979. p. 14. Retrieved 13 August 2012.
  11. ^ Bessey, Melissa (16 January 2012). "Woman of the Week: Arlene Duncan". womenspost.ca. Archived from the original on 10 May 2012. Retrieved 13 August 2012.
  12. ^ a b "Arlene Duncan | Black In Canada". www.blackincanada.com. Retrieved 2021-02-19.
  13. ^ a b "Cast". Recurring John. Retrieved 2021-02-19.
  14. ^ a b c d Staff (2017-02-23). "Arlene Duncan - Biography". Northernstars.ca. Retrieved 2021-02-19.
  15. ^ Breon, Robin. "View of The Growth and Development of Black Theatre in Canada: A Starting Point | Theatre Research in Canada / Recherches théâtrales au Canada". journals.lib.unb.ca. Retrieved 2021-02-19.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  16. ^ a b "'Crash,' 'Caroline, or Change' big winners at Dora Mavor Moore theatre awards". Canadian Press, June 25, 2012.
  17. ^ "The 2nd Annual Toronto Theatre Critics' Awards". JAZZ.FM91. 2012-05-31. Retrieved 2021-02-19.
  18. ^ "Kim's Convenience gets five thumbs up at Toronto Theatre Critics Awards". nationalpost. May 31, 2012. Retrieved 2021-02-19.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  19. ^ Quill, Greg (February 1994). "Freedom Train packed too full". The Toronto Star.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  20. ^ "The 1995 Gemini nominees". January 30, 1995. Retrieved 2021-02-19.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  21. ^ Cowie, Del (March 4, 2020). "Surf's up: Vinessa Antoine is back in Diggstown and the stakes couldn't be higher | CBC Television". CBC. Retrieved 2021-02-19.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  22. ^ "The Liberators". www.tcm.com. Retrieved 2021-02-19.
  23. ^ a b c d "Arlene Duncan". IMDb. Retrieved 2021-02-19.
  24. ^ "Little Mosque is big hit for Arlene Duncan". InsideHalton.com. Retrieved 2021-02-19.
  25. ^ "CHLOE | a film by Atom Egoyan". www.sonyclassics.com. Retrieved 2021-02-19.
  26. ^ "Arlene Duncan". Spicyonion.com. Retrieved 2021-02-19.
  27. ^ Sumi, Glenn (2014-04-24). "A Fighting Man". NOW Magazine. Retrieved 2021-02-19.
  28. ^ Flint (2017), retrieved 2021-02-19
  29. ^ A Dog's Journey (2019), retrieved 2021-02-19
  30. ^ "Arlene Duncan | TVSA". www.tvsa.co.za. Retrieved 2021-02-19.
  31. ^ Karimjee, Abbas (April 16, 2019). "Interview With Arlene Duncan From CBC's Diggstown and Little Mosque on the Prairie-Exclusive In Depth". Abbas Karimjee's Weblog. Retrieved 2021-02-19.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  32. ^ Rochon, Lisa (June 15, 1987). "Ladies fitting tribute for the Duke". The Globe and Mail.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  33. ^ "Arlene Duncan: 'a little more sexual'". The Hamilton Spectator. March 15, 1997.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  34. ^ Wagner, Vit (March 13, 1999). "Music saves Princess". The Toronto Star.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  35. ^ Barnard, Elissa (March 5, 2014). "Playwright pushes boundaries; Peters tackles difficult subject of rape in black community in The Mother Club". The Chronicle Herald.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  36. ^ Sumi, Glenn (2014-01-30). "Once On This Island". NOW Magazine. Retrieved 2021-02-19.
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