Michael Constantine Stathis (May 21, 1985 – November 2023), known by his screen name Buddy Duress, was an American actor best known for his roles in the Safdie brothers films Heaven Knows What (2014) and Good Time (2017).
[3] Following his parents' divorce, he was raised in New Jersey by his father, but suffered physical abuse and eventually went to live with his mother and brother in Queens when he was a teenager.
[2] Stathis had a history of legal troubles, having been locked up in New York City's Rikers Island at least 10 times over the course of his life, with charges including heroin possession and identity theft.
[4] In 2013, he was supposed to leave Rikers for an in-patient program for individuals with drug addiction issues, but instead fled and spent almost a year homeless, on the run from the authorities.
[5] It was during this time that he made the acquaintance of Arielle Holmes, the star of Heaven Knows What, who recommended him to Josh Safdie for a role in the film.