Arlene Duncan
Born
Arlene Duncan

Oakville, Ontario, Canada
NationalityCanadian
Other namesKairene
Alma materSheridan College
Occupation(s)Actress, singer
Years active1978–present

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 more than 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

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 Railroad 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 Oakville’s resident Black historian until his death in 2009. Additionally, Duncan's mother founded the Canadian Caribbean Association of Halton.[6] Canadian Olympic sprinter Donovan Bailey is Duncan's half-brother.[7]

Duncan attended T. A. Blakelock High School in Oakville. During her time there, she was active drama and student band.[8] She graduated from Sheridan College's musical theatre program.[9][10] Duncan was a winner of the Du Maurier's Search for Stars contest and represented Canada at the Pacific Song Contest in 1979.[11][12]

Career

In 1982, Duncan released her debut single "I Wanna Grove", 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,[9] releasing the single "I Need a Man" under Radikal Records in 1993. She has additionally sung jingles for McDonald's, Pepsi and Toyota.[13] In 1994, the Black Label Artists Coalition awarded Duncan for Outstanding Achievement in Dance/House Music.[9]

Duncan has been active in musical and dramatic theatre. She 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[14] and The Who's Tommy.[9][15][16] Duncan won a Dora Mavor Moore Award in 2012 for Outstanding Performance by a Female (Musical) for her performance in Caroline, or Change.[17] 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)[17] and a Toronto Theatre Critics Award for Best Actress in a Musical.[18][19]

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. Duncan later reprised the role of Harriet Tubman in 1995 in CBS's Gemini Awards-nominated "Sing Out, Freedom Train".[20][9][21] 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.[22]

Duncan has cited Diana Ross, Salome Bey, and Melba Moore as influences.[10]

Work

Film

Year Film Role
1979 An American Christmas Carol Jennie Reeves
1987 The Liberators Amanada[23]
1988 All for One Harriet Tubman[15]
1995 Sing Out Freedom Train Harriet Tubman[15]
1996 Extreme Measures E.R. Nurse
2000 Enslavement: The True Story of Fanny Kemble Harriet
2001 Drop the Beat Mrs. Brown[13]
2001 Don't Say a Word Aide
2002 The Scream Team Sherriff[24]
2003 Eloise at Christmastime Lily
2005 Get Rich or Die Tryin' Judge[25]
2009 Chloe Party Guest[26]
2012 Silent Hill: Revelation Teacher[27]
2014 A Fighting Man Mary[28]
2017 Flint Claire McClinton[29]
2019 Easy Land Mrs. Fraser
2019 A Dog's Journey Hilda[30]

Television

Year Series Role Notes
1997–2004 Franklin Officer Rabbit[9]
2005–2008 Degrassi: The Next Generation Mrs. Van Zandt[24][15] 4 Episodes
2007–2012 Little Mosque on the Prairie Fatima Dinssa[1] 91 Episodes
2013 Covert Affairs Patricia[7]
2013–2017 But I'm Chris Jericho! Ms. Lawrence[24] 12 Episodes
2014–2017 Teenagers Sandra 7 Episodes
2015 Suits Emma Powell 2 Episodes
2018 The Rick Mercer Report Announcer[24]
2019–2020 Diggstown Velma Diggs[31] 6 Episodes

Theatre

Year(s) Production Role Notes
1987 Sophisticated Ladies N/A[32]
1997 Ain't Misbehavin' 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[10] Won Dora Mavor Moore Award for Performance
2014 Recurring John The Park Dweller[14]
2014 The Mother Club Marge[35]
2014 Once on This Island Mama Euralie[36]

References

  1. ^ a b "A Pillar in the Community - Arlene Duncan". Canadian Caribbean Association of Halton. May 25, 2010. Archived from the original on August 26, 2011.
  2. ^ Brioux, Bill (January 9, 2007). "Little Mosque On The Prairie: CBC's 'Mosque' needs a miracle". Toronto Sun. Archived from the original on July 13, 2012.
  3. ^ Levy, Genelle. "Ontarians should know more about the Black history of Oakville". TVO.org. Retrieved February 19, 2021.
  4. ^ Zekas, Rita (May 30, 2009). "A little shopping, not on the Prairie". thestar.com. Retrieved February 19, 2021.
  5. ^ "Well-known actor/singer returns to help church celebrate its 169th anniversary" (PDF). The Oakville Beaver. September 14, 2001.
  6. ^ Levy, Genelle (December 1, 2020). "Ontarians should know more about the Black history of Oakville". TVO.org. Retrieved February 19, 2021.
  7. ^ a b "Arlene Duncan | TVSA". www.tvsa.co.za. Retrieved February 19, 2021.
  8. ^ "Thomas A. Blakelock High School - Arlene Duncan". tab.hdsb.ca. Retrieved February 19, 2021.
  9. ^ a b c d e f Williams, Paul (July 11, 2013). "Arlene Duncan". www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca. Retrieved February 18, 2021.
  10. ^ a b c MacLean, Bill (December 15, 2011). "Arlene leaves the prairie for Caroline, or Change". Beach Metro Community News. Retrieved February 19, 2021.
  11. ^ "Canadian Singer to Visit New Zealand". Ottawa Citizen. 1 September 1979. p. 14. Retrieved August 13, 2012.
  12. ^ Bessey, Melissa (January 16, 2012). "Woman of the Week: Arlene Duncan". womenspost.ca. Archived from the original on May 10, 2012. Retrieved August 13, 2012.
  13. ^ a b "Arlene Duncan | Black In Canada". www.blackincanada.com. Retrieved February 19, 2021.
  14. ^ a b "Cast". Recurring John. Retrieved February 19, 2021.
  15. ^ a b c d Staff (February 23, 2017). "Arlene Duncan - Biography". Northernstars.ca. Retrieved February 19, 2021.
  16. ^ 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 February 19, 2021.
  17. ^ a b "'Crash,' 'Caroline, or Change' big winners at Dora Mavor Moore theatre awards". Canadian Press, June 25, 2012.
  18. ^ "The 2nd Annual Toronto Theatre Critics' Awards". JAZZ.FM91. May 31, 2012. Retrieved February 19, 2021.
  19. ^ "Kim's Convenience gets five thumbs up at Toronto Theatre Critics Awards". nationalpost. May 31, 2012. Retrieved February 19, 2021.
  20. ^ Quill, Greg (February 1994). "Freedom Train packed too full". The Toronto Star.
  21. ^ "The 1995 Gemini nominees". January 30, 1995. Retrieved February 19, 2021.
  22. ^ 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 February 19, 2021.
  23. ^ "The Liberators". www.tcm.com. Retrieved February 19, 2021.
  24. ^ a b c d "Arlene Duncan". IMDb. Retrieved February 19, 2021.
  25. ^ "Little Mosque is big hit for Arlene Duncan". InsideHalton.com. Retrieved February 19, 2021.
  26. ^ "CHLOE | a film by Atom Egoyan". www.sonyclassics.com. Retrieved February 19, 2021.
  27. ^ "Arlene Duncan". Spicyonion.com. Retrieved February 19, 2021.
  28. ^ Sumi, Glenn (April 24, 2014). "A Fighting Man". NOW Magazine. Retrieved February 19, 2021.
  29. ^ Flint (2017), retrieved February 19, 2021
  30. ^ A Dog's Journey (2019), retrieved February 19, 2021
  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 February 19, 2021.
  32. ^ Rochon, Lisa (June 15, 1987). "Ladies fitting tribute for the Duke". The Globe and Mail.
  33. ^ "Arlene Duncan: 'a little more sexual'". The Hamilton Spectator. March 15, 1997.
  34. ^ Wagner, Vit (March 13, 1999). "Music saves Princess". The Toronto Star.
  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.
  36. ^ Sumi, Glenn (January 30, 2014). "Once On This Island". NOW Magazine. Retrieved February 19, 2021.

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