{{short description|Canadian actress}} {{Use mdy dates|date=November 2024}} {{Infobox person | name = Arlene Duncan | image = | alt = | caption = | other_names = Kairene | birth_name = | birth_date = | birth_place = [[Oakville, Ontario]], Canada | death_date = | death_place = | alma_mater = [[Sheridan College]] | occupation = Actress, singer | years_active = 1978–present | known_for = | notable_works = | spouse = }} '''Arlene Duncan''' is a Canadian actress and singer.<ref name=":0">{{cite web|url=http://www.ccah.ca/Default.asp?id=6&l=1&a=article&cid=116 |title=A Pillar in the Community - Arlene Duncan |date= May 25, 2010 |work=Canadian Caribbean Association of Halton |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20110826151133/http://www.ccah.ca/Default.asp?id=6&l=1&a=article&cid=116 |archivedate= August 26, 2011 |url-status=dead }}</ref> 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 Television|CBC]] situation comedy ''[[Little Mosque on the Prairie]]''.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://jam.canoe.com/Television/TV_Shows/L/Little_Mosque_On_The_Prairie/2007/01/09/3255655.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160916100734/http://jam.canoe.com/Television/TV_Shows/L/Little_Mosque_On_The_Prairie/2007/01/09/3255655.html |url-status=dead |archive-date=September 16, 2016 |title=Little Mosque On The Prairie: CBC's 'Mosque' needs a miracle |last=Brioux |first=Bill |date= January 9, 2007 |newspaper=Toronto Sun }}</ref>
== Early life and education == Duncan was born in [[Oakville, Ontario]], to [[Alvin Duncan|Alvin Aberdeen Duncan]], a [[Royal Canadian Air Force]] veteran of [[World War II]], and a Jamaican mother, Icilda.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Levy|first=Genelle|title=Ontarians should know more about the Black history of Oakville|url=https://www.tvo.org/article/ontarians-should-know-more-about-the-black-history-of-oakville|access-date=February 19, 2021|website=TVO.org|language=en}}</ref> Her father's side of the family has been living in Canada for five generations.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Zekas|first=Rita|date=May 30, 2009|title=A little shopping, not on the Prairie|url=https://www.thestar.com/life/2009/05/30/a_little_shopping_not_on_the_prairie.html|access-date=February 19, 2021|website=thestar.com|language=en|archive-date=March 13, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160313074701/http://www.thestar.com/life/2009/05/30/a_little_shopping_not_on_the_prairie.html|url-status=live}}</ref> She is the great-granddaughter of Benedict Duncan, a slave who fled Maryland through the [[Underground Railroad]] and became a sexton in Oakville.<ref>{{Cite news|date=September 14, 2001|title=Well-known actor/singer returns to help church celebrate its 169th anniversary|work=[[The Oakville Beaver]]|url=http://images.halinet.on.ca/OakvilleImages/Images/OI0110587034pf.pdf|archive-date=April 10, 2022|access-date=February 19, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220410024800/http://images.halinet.on.ca/OakvilleImages/Images/OI0110587034pf.pdf|url-status=live}}</ref> 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.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Levy|first=Genelle|date=December 1, 2020|title=Ontarians should know more about the Black history of Oakville|url=https://www.tvo.org/article/ontarians-should-know-more-about-the-black-history-of-oakville|access-date=February 19, 2021|website=TVO.org|language=en}}</ref> Canadian Olympic sprinter [[Donovan Bailey]] is Duncan's half-brother.<ref name=":8" />
Duncan attended [[T. A. Blakelock High School]] in Oakville. During her time there, she was active in drama and student band.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Thomas A. Blakelock High School - Arlene Duncan|url=https://tab.hdsb.ca/school-info/hall-of-fame/arlene-duncan|access-date=February 19, 2021|website=tab.hdsb.ca|language=en-US|archive-date=May 19, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210519032036/https://tab.hdsb.ca/school-info/hall-of-fame/arlene-duncan|url-status=dead}}</ref> She graduated from Sheridan College's musical theatre program.<ref name=":1">{{Cite web|last=Williams|first=Paul|date=July 11, 2013|title=Arlene Duncan|url=https://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/arlene-duncan|access-date=February 18, 2021|website=www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca}}</ref><ref name=":3">{{Cite web|last=MacLean|first=Bill|date=December 15, 2011|title=Arlene leaves the prairie for Caroline, or Change|url=https://www.beachmetro.com/2011/12/15/arlene-leaves-prairie-caroline-change/|access-date=February 19, 2021|website=Beach Metro Community News|language=en-US|archive-date=December 4, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221204120601/https://beachmetro.com/2011/12/15/arlene-leaves-prairie-caroline-change/|url-status=live}}</ref> Duncan was a winner of the Du Maurier's ''[https://www.broadcasting-history.ca/programming/television/search-stars Search for Stars]'' contest and represented Canada at the Pacific Song Contest in 1979.<ref>{{cite news|date=September 1, 1979|title=Canadian Singer to Visit New Zealand|page=14|work=Ottawa Citizen|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=OaMyAAAAIBAJ&sjid=zu4FAAAAIBAJ&pg=2990,774610&dq=arlene-duncan&hl=en|accessdate= August 13, 2012}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|last=Bessey|first=Melissa|date= January 16, 2012|title=Woman of the Week: Arlene Duncan|url=http://www.womenspost.ca/womanoftheweek/2012-01-16/woman-week-arlene-duncan|url-status=dead|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20120510033802/http://womenspost.ca/womanoftheweek/2012-01-16/woman-week-arlene-duncan|archivedate= May 10, 2012|access-date= August 13, 2012|work=womenspost.ca}}</ref>
== Career == In 1982, Duncan released her debut single [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Od8tHp7rMfE "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,<ref name=":1" /> releasing the single [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PVy1feyzdJQ "I Need a Man"] under [[Radikal Records]] in 1993. She has additionally sung jingles for [[McDonald's]], [[Pepsi]] and [[Toyota]].<ref name=":4">{{Cite web|title=Arlene Duncan {{!}} Black In Canada|url=http://www.blackincanada.com/2010/12/04/arlene-duncan/|access-date=February 19, 2021|website=www.blackincanada.com}}</ref> In 1994, the Black Label Artists Coalition awarded Duncan for Outstanding Achievement in Dance/House Music.<ref name=":1" />
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' (musical)|Ain't Misbehavin'<nowiki/>]]'', ''The Nutmeg Press'', ''Recurring John''<ref name=":6">{{Cite web|title=Cast|url=http://recurringjohn.weebly.com/cast.html|access-date=February 19, 2021|website=Recurring John|archive-date=November 27, 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241127003310/http://recurringjohn.weebly.com/cast.html|url-status=live}}</ref> and ''[[The Who's Tommy]]''.<ref name=":1" /><ref name=":5" /><ref>{{Cite journal|last=Breon|first=Robin|title=View of The Growth and Development of Black Theatre in Canada: A Starting Point {{!}} Theatre Research in Canada / Recherches théâtrales au Canada|url=https://journals.lib.unb.ca/index.php/tric/article/view/7342/8401|access-date=February 19, 2021|journal=Theatre Research in Canada / Recherches Théâtrales Au Canada|date=June 6, 1988 }}</ref> Duncan won a [[Dora Mavor Moore Award]] in 2012 for Outstanding Performance by a Female (Musical) for her performance in ''[[Caroline, or Change]]''.<ref name=":7">"'Crash,' 'Caroline, or Change' big winners at Dora Mavor Moore theatre awards". [[Canadian Press]], June 25, 2012.</ref> 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)<ref name=":7" /> and a Toronto Theatre Critics Award for Best Actress in a Musical.<ref>{{Cite web|date=May 31, 2012|title=The 2nd Annual Toronto Theatre Critics' Awards|url=https://jazz.fm/the-2nd-annual-toronto-theatre-critics-awards/|access-date=February 19, 2021|website=JAZZ.FM91|language=en-CA|archive-date=April 6, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220406233850/https://jazz.fm/the-2nd-annual-toronto-theatre-critics-awards/|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|date=May 31, 2012|title=Kim's Convenience gets five thumbs up at Toronto Theatre Critics Awards|url=https://nationalpost.com/entertainment/kims-convenience-gets-five-thumbs-up-at-toronto-theatre-critics-awards|access-date=February 19, 2021|website=nationalpost|language=en-CA|archive-date=January 29, 2013|archive-url=https://archive.today/20130129130022/http://arts.nationalpost.com/2012/05/31/kims-convenience-gets-five-thumbs-up-at-toronto-theatre-critics-awards/|url-status=live}}</ref>
Duncan has appeared in many movies and television shows, 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".<ref>{{Cite news|last=Quill|first=Greg|date=February 1994|title=Freedom Train packed too full|work=[[The Toronto Star]]}}</ref><ref name=":1" /><ref>{{Cite web|last=|first=|last2=|date=January 30, 1995|title=The 1995 Gemini nominees|url=https://playbackonline.ca/1995/01/30/4086-19950130/|access-date=February 19, 2021|archive-date=September 14, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210914034054/https://playbackonline.ca/1995/01/30/4086-19950130/|url-status=live}}</ref> In recent years, she has also appeared in minor roles on ''[[Degrassi: The Next Generation]], [[Suits (American TV series)|Suits]]'', and [[A Dog's Journey (film)|''A Dog's Journey'']]. Duncan's most notable recent role has been as Velma Diggs in the ongoing CBC Television series ''[[Diggstown (TV series)|Diggstown]]''.<ref>{{Cite news|last=Cowie|first=Del|date=March 4, 2020|title=Surf's up: Vinessa Antoine is back in Diggstown and the stakes couldn't be higher {{!}} CBC Television|language=en-US|work=CBC|url=https://www.cbc.ca/television/surf-s-up-vinessa-antoine-is-back-in-diggstown-and-the-stakes-couldn-t-be-higher-1.5483492|access-date=February 19, 2021|archive-date=November 6, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211106182308/https://www.cbc.ca/television/surf-s-up-vinessa-antoine-is-back-in-diggstown-and-the-stakes-couldn-t-be-higher-1.5483492|url-status=live}}</ref>
Duncan has cited [[Diana Ross]], [[Salome Bey]], and [[Melba Moore]] as influences.<ref name=":3" />
== Work ==
=== Film === {| class="wikitable sortable" !Year !Film !Role |- |1979 |''[[An American Christmas Carol]]'' |Jennie Reeves |- |1987 |data-sort-value="Liberators, The" | ''The Liberators'' |Amanada<ref>{{Cite web|title=The Liberators|url=https://www.tcm.com/tcmdb/title/465780/the-liberators|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201018080808/https://www.tcm.com/tcmdb/title/465780/the-liberators|url-status=dead|archive-date=October 18, 2020|access-date=February 19, 2021|website=Turner Classic Movies|language=en}}</ref> |- |1988 |''All for One'' |Harriet Tubman<ref name=":5" /> |- |1995 |''Sing Out Freedom Train'' |Harriet Tubman<ref name=":5" /> |- |1996 |''[[Extreme Measures]]'' |E.R. Nurse |- |2000 |''[[Enslavement: The True Story of Fanny Kemble]]'' |Harriet |- |2001 |''[[Drop the Beat]]'' |Mrs. Brown<ref name=":4" /> |- |2001 |''[[Don't Say a Word]]'' |Aide |- |2002 |data-sort-value="Scream Team, The" | ''[[The Scream Team]]'' |Sherriff<ref name=":2">{{Cite web|title=Arlene Duncan|url=http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0241903/|access-date=February 19, 2021|website=IMDb}}</ref> |- |2003 |''[[Eloise at Christmastime]]'' |Lily |- |2005 |[[Get Rich or Die Tryin' (film)|''Get Rich or Die Tryin''']] |Judge<ref>{{Cite web|title=Little Mosque is big hit for Arlene Duncan|url=https://www.insidehalton.com/whatson-story/2954110-little-mosque-is-big-hit-for-arlene-duncan/|access-date=February 19, 2021|website=InsideHalton.com|date=October 5, 2007 |language=en-CA}}</ref> |- |2009 |[[Chloe (2009 film)|''Chloe'']] |Party Guest<ref>{{Cite web|title=CHLOE {{!}} a film by Atom Egoyan|url=https://www.sonyclassics.com/chloe/|access-date=February 19, 2021|website=www.sonyclassics.com}}</ref> |- |2012 |''[[Silent Hill: Revelation]]'' |Teacher<ref>{{Cite web|title=Arlene Duncan|url=https://spicyonion.com/person/arlene-duncan-movies-list/|access-date=February 19, 2021|website=Spicyonion.com|language=en|archive-date=November 27, 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241127010442/https://spicyonion.com/person/arlene-duncan-movies-list/|url-status=usurped}}</ref> |- |2014 |data-sort-value="Fighting Man, A" | ''[[A Fighting Man]]'' |Mary<ref>{{Cite web|last=Sumi|first=Glenn|date=April 24, 2014|title=A Fighting Man|url=https://nowtoronto.com/a-fighting-man|access-date=February 19, 2021|website=NOW Magazine|archive-date=December 1, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201201120407/https://nowtoronto.com/a-fighting-man|url-status=dead}}</ref> |- |2017 |[[Flint (film)|''Flint'']] |Claire McClinton<ref>{{Citation|title=Flint (2017)|url=https://letterboxd.com/film/flint/|language=en|access-date=February 19, 2021|archive-date=October 12, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221012132623/https://letterboxd.com/film/flint/|url-status=live}}</ref> |- |2019 |''[[Easy Land]]'' |Mrs. Fraser |- |2019 |data-sort-value="Dog's Journey, A" | [[A Dog's Journey (film)|''A Dog's Journey'']] |Hilda<ref>{{Citation|title=A Dog's Journey (2019)|url=https://letterboxd.com/film/a-dogs-journey/|language=en|access-date=February 19, 2021}}</ref> |}
=== Television === {| class="wikitable sortable" !Year !Series !Role !class="unsortable" | Notes |- |1997–2004 |[[Franklin (TV series)|''Franklin'']] |Officer Rabbit<ref name=":1" /> | |- |2005–2008 |''[[Degrassi: The Next Generation]]'' |Mrs. Van Zandt<ref name=":2" /><ref name=":5">{{Cite web|last=Staff|date=February 23, 2017|title=Arlene Duncan - Biography|url=https://www.northernstars.ca/arlene-duncan-biography/|access-date=February 19, 2021|website=Northernstars.ca|language=en-CA|archive-date=February 5, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210205162410/https://www.northernstars.ca/arlene-duncan-biography/|url-status=live}}</ref> |4 Episodes |- |2007–2012 |''[[Little Mosque on the Prairie]]'' |Fatima Dinssa<ref name=":0" /> |91 Episodes |- |2013 |''[[Covert Affairs]]'' |Patricia<ref name=":8">{{Cite web|title=Arlene Duncan {{!}} TVSA|url=https://www.tvsa.co.za/actors/viewactor.aspx?actorid=14554|access-date=February 19, 2021|website=www.tvsa.co.za|archive-date=January 18, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210118232921/https://www.tvsa.co.za/actors/viewactor.aspx?actorid=14554|url-status=live}}</ref> | |- |2013–2017 |''[[But I'm Chris Jericho!]]'' |Ms. Lawrence<ref name=":2" /> |12 Episodes |- |2014–2017 |[[Teenagers (web series)|''Teenagers'']] |Sandra |7 Episodes |- |2015 |[[Suits (American TV series)|''Suits'']] |Emma Powell |2 Episodes |- |2018 |data-sort-value="Rick Mercer Report, The" | ''[[The Rick Mercer Report]]'' |Announcer<ref name=":2" /> | |- |2019–2020 |[[Diggstown (TV series)|''Diggstown'']] |Velma Diggs<ref>{{Cite web|last=Karimjee|first=Abbas|date=April 16, 2019|title=Interview With Arlene Duncan From CBC's Diggstown and Little Mosque on the Prairie-Exclusive In Depth|url=https://abbaskarimjee.wordpress.com/tag/acting/|access-date=February 19, 2021|website=Abbas Karimjee's Weblog|language=English|archive-date=May 14, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200514072423/https://abbaskarimjee.wordpress.com/tag/acting/|url-status=live}}</ref> |6 Episodes |- |2024 |[[The Spiderwick Chronicles (TV series)|''The Spiderwick Chronicles'']] |Melvina |1 Episode |}
=== Theatre === {| class="wikitable sortable" !Year(s) !Production !Role !class="unsortable" | Notes |- |1987 |''[[Sophisticated Ladies]]'' |N/A<ref>{{Cite news|last=Rochon|first=Lisa|date=June 15, 1987|title=Ladies fitting tribute for the Duke|work=[[The Globe and Mail]]}}</ref> | |- |1997 |''[[Ain't Misbehavin' (musical)|Ain't Misbehavin']]'' |N/A |Played the role introduced by [[Armelia McQueen]]<ref>{{Cite news|date=March 15, 1997|title=Arlene Duncan: 'a little more sexual'|work=[[The Hamilton Spectator]]}}</ref> |- |1999 |data-sort-value="Nutmeg Princess, The" | ''The Nutmeg Princess'' |Nutmeg Princess<ref>{{Cite news|last=Wagner|first=Vit|date=March 13, 1999|title=Music saves Princess|work=[[The Toronto Star]]}}</ref> |Based on the book of [https://www.annickpress.com/Books/T/The-Nutmeg-Princess same name] |- |2011–2012 |''[[Caroline, or Change]]'' |Caroline<ref name=":3" /> |Won [[Dora Mavor Moore Award]] for Performance |- |2014 |''Recurring John'' |The Park Dweller<ref name=":6" /> | |- |2014 |data-sort-value="Mother Club, The" | ''The Mother Club'' |Marge<ref>{{Cite news|last=Barnard|first=Elissa|date=March 5, 2014|title=Playwright pushes boundaries; Peters tackles difficult subject of rape in black community in The Mother Club|work=[[The Chronicle Herald]]}}</ref> | |- |2014 |''[[Once on This Island]]'' |Mama Euralie<ref>{{Cite web|last=Sumi|first=Glenn|date=January 30, 2014|title=Once On This Island|url=https://nowtoronto.com/once-on-this-island|access-date=February 19, 2021|website=NOW Magazine}}{{Dead link|date=June 2025 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref> | |- |2024 |''[[Mistletoe Murders]]'' |Vera Van Dorne | |}
==References== {{Reflist}}
==External links== *{{IMDb name|0241903}}
{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Duncan, Arlene}} [[Category:20th-century Canadian actresses]] [[Category:20th-century Black Canadian women singers]] [[Category:20th-century Canadian women singers]] [[Category:21st-century Canadian actresses]] [[Category:21st-century Black Canadian women singers]] [[Category:21st-century Canadian women singers]] [[Category:Black Canadian actresses]] [[Category:Black Nova Scotians]] [[Category:Canadian film actresses]] [[Category:Canadian musical theatre actresses]] [[Category:Canadian people of African-American descent]] [[Category:Canadian stage actresses]] [[Category:Canadian television actresses]] [[Category:Canadian voice actresses]] [[Category:Dora Mavor Moore Award winners]] [[Category:Living people]] [[Category:Actresses from Oakville, Ontario]] [[Category:Year of birth missing (living people)]]