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Morgan Freeman (born June 1, 1937) is an American actor, director, and narrator. He is known for his distinctive deep voice and various roles in a wide variety of film genres. Throughout his career spanning over five decades, he has received multiple accolades, including an
Academy Award The Academy Awards, better known as the Oscars, are awards for artistic and technical merit for the American and international film industry. The awards are regarded by many as the most prestigious, significant awards in the entertainment ind ...
, a Screen Actors Guild Award, and a Golden Globe Award. Born in Memphis, Tennessee, Freeman was raised in Mississippi where he began acting in school plays. He studied theatre arts in Los Angeles and appeared in stage productions in his early career. He rose to fame in the 1970s for his role in the children's television series ''
The Electric Company ''The Electric Company'' is an American educational children's television series produced by the Children's Television Workshop (CTW, now known as Sesame Workshop). It was co-created by Paul Dooley, Joan Ganz Cooney, and Lloyd Morrisett. The ...
.'' Freeman then appeared in the
Shakespearean William Shakespeare ( 26 April 1564 – 23 April 1616) was an English playwright, poet and actor. He is widely regarded as the greatest writer in the English language and the world's pre-eminent dramatist. He is often called England's natio ...
plays ''
Coriolanus ''Coriolanus'' ( or ) is a tragedy by William Shakespeare, believed to have been written between 1605 and 1608. The play is based on the life of the legendary Roman leader Caius Marcius Coriolanus. Shakespeare worked on it during the same ye ...
'' and '' Julius Caesar'', the former of which earned him an Obie Award. His breakout role was in '' Street Smart'' (1987), playing a hustler, which earned him an Academy Award nomination for Best Supporting Actor. He achieved further stardom in '' Glory'' (1989), the biographical drama '' Lean on Me'' (1989), and comedy-drama ''
Driving Miss Daisy '' Driving Miss Daisy'' is a 1989 American comedy-drama film directed by Bruce Beresford and written by Alfred Uhry, based on his 1987 play of the same name. The film stars Jessica Tandy, Morgan Freeman, and Dan Aykroyd. Freeman reprised his r ...
'' (1989), the latter of which garnered him his first Academy Award nomination for
Best Actor Best Actor is the name of an award which is presented by various film, television and theatre organizations, festivals, and people's awards to leading actors in a film, television series, television film or play. The term most often refers to the ...
. In 1992, Freeman starred alongside
Clint Eastwood Clinton Eastwood Jr. (born May 31, 1930) is an American actor and film director. After achieving success in the Western TV series '' Rawhide'', he rose to international fame with his role as the "Man with No Name" in Sergio Leone's "''Dolla ...
in the
western Western may refer to: Places *Western, Nebraska, a village in the US *Western, New York, a town in the US *Western Creek, Tasmania, a locality in Australia *Western Junction, Tasmania, a locality in Australia *Western world, countries that id ...
revenge film '' Unforgiven''; this would be the first of several collaborations with Eastwood. In 1994, he starred in the prison drama '' The Shawshank Redemption'' for which he received another Academy Award nomination. Freeman also starred in David Fincher's crime thriller '' Se7en'' (1995), and Steven Spielberg's historical drama '' Amistad'' (1997). Freeman won the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor for his performance in
Clint Eastwood Clinton Eastwood Jr. (born May 31, 1930) is an American actor and film director. After achieving success in the Western TV series '' Rawhide'', he rose to international fame with his role as the "Man with No Name" in Sergio Leone's "''Dolla ...
's 2004 sports drama ''
Million Dollar Baby ''Million Dollar Baby'' is a 2004 American sports drama film directed, co-produced, scored by and starring Clint Eastwood from a screenplay written by Paul Haggis, based on stories from the 2000 collection ''Rope Burns: Stories from the Corn ...
''. In 2009, he received his fifth
Oscar Oscar, OSCAR, or The Oscar may refer to: People * Oscar (given name), an Irish- and English-language name also used in other languages; the article includes the names Oskar, Oskari, Oszkár, Óscar, and other forms. * Oscar (Irish mythology), ...
nomination for playing former South African President Nelson Mandela in Eastwood's ''
Invictus "Invictus" is a short poem by the Victorian era British poet William Ernest Henley (1849–1903). It was written in 1875 and published in 1888 in his first volume of poems, ''Book of Verses'', in the section ''Life and Death (Echoes)''. Backgr ...
''. Freeman is also known for his performance as
Lucius Fox Lucius Fox is a character appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics, commonly in association with the superhero Bruce Wayne / Batman. He is Bruce Wayne's business manager at Wayne Enterprises who runs the business interests that s ...
in Christopher Nolan's ''
The Dark Knight Trilogy The fictional superhero Batman, who appears in American comic books published by DC Comics, has appeared in various films since his inception. Created by Bob Kane and Bill Finger, the character first starred in two serial films in the 1940s: ...
'' (2005–2012). In addition to acting, Freeman has directed the drama '' Bopha!'' (1993)''.'' He also founded film production company
Revelations Entertainment Revelations Entertainment is an independent movie production company founded by actor Morgan Freeman and business partner Lori McCreary in 1996. Its mission statement, to "reveal truth," drives to company produce thought-provoking entertainment w ...
with business partner Lori McCreary. He is the recipient of the Kennedy Center Honor, the
AFI Life Achievement Award The AFI Life Achievement Award was established by the board of directors of the American Film Institute on February 26, 1973, to honor a single individual for his or her lifetime contribution to enriching American culture through motion picture ...
, the
Cecil B. DeMille Award The Cecil B. DeMille Award is an honorary Golden Globe Award bestowed by the Hollywood Foreign Press Association (HFPA) for "outstanding contributions to the world of entertainment". The HFPA board of directors selects the honorees from a variety ...
, and the
Screen Actors Guild Life Achievement Award The Screen Actors Guild Life Achievement Award is presented by the Screen Actors Guild's National Honors and Tributes Committee for "outstanding achievement in fostering the finest ideals of the acting profession." It predates the 1st Screen Actor ...
. For his performances in theatrical productions, he has won three Obie Awards, one of the most prestigious honors for recognizing excellence in theatre.


Early life

Morgan Freeman was born on June 1, 1937, in Memphis, Tennessee. He is the son of Mamie Edna (née Revere; 1912–2000), a teacher, and Morgan Porterfield Freeman (July 6, 1915 – April 27, 1961), a barber, who died of
cirrhosis Cirrhosis, also known as liver cirrhosis or hepatic cirrhosis, and end-stage liver disease, is the impaired liver function caused by the formation of scar tissue known as fibrosis due to damage caused by liver disease. Damage causes tissue repai ...
in 1961. He has three older siblings. According to
DNA analysis Genetic testing, also known as DNA testing, is used to identify changes in DNA sequence or chromosome structure. Genetic testing can also include measuring the results of genetic changes, such as RNA analysis as an output of gene expression, or ...
, some of his ancestors were from the Songhai and
Tuareg The Tuareg people (; also spelled Twareg or Touareg; endonym: ''Imuhaɣ/Imušaɣ/Imašeɣăn/Imajeɣăn'') are a large Berber ethnic group that principally inhabit the Sahara in a vast area stretching from far southwestern Libya to southern Al ...
people of Niger. Some of Freeman's great-great-grandparents were slaves who migrated from North Carolina to Mississippi. Freeman later discovered that his Caucasian maternal great-great-grandfather had lived with, and was buried beside Freeman's African-American great-great-grandmother in the segregated South, as the two could not legally marry at the time. The DNA test suggested that among all of his African ancestors, a little over one-quarter came from the area that stretches from present-day Senegal to Liberia and three-quarters came from the Congo-
Angola , national_anthem = " Angola Avante"() , image_map = , map_caption = , capital = Luanda , religion = , religion_year = 2020 , religion_ref = , coordina ...
region. As an infant, Freeman was sent to his paternal grandmother in Charleston, Mississippi. He moved frequently during his childhood, living in Greenwood, Mississippi; Gary, Indiana; and finally Chicago, Illinois. When Freeman was 16 years old, he contracted pneumonia. He made his acting debut at age nine, playing the lead role in a school play. He then attended
Broad Street High School Broad Street High School was a public high school in Shelby, Mississippi. It is a part of the North Bolivar Consolidated School District (formerly the North Bolivar School District). The school served the towns of Shelby, Duncan, and Alligator. ...
, a building which serves today as Threadgill Elementary School, in Greenwood, Mississippi. At age 12, he won a statewide drama competition, and while settling into school, discovered music and theatre. Freeman graduated high school in 1955, but turned down a partial drama scholarship from Jackson State University, opting instead to enlist in the United States Air Force. He served as an Automatic Tracking Radar repairman, rising to the rank of airman first class. After serving from 1955 to 1959, he moved to Los Angeles, California, and took acting classes at the Pasadena Playhouse. He also studied theatre arts at
Los Angeles City College Los Angeles City College (LACC) is a public community college in East Hollywood, Los Angeles, California. A part of the Los Angeles Community College District, it is located on Vermont Avenue south of Santa Monica Boulevard on the former campu ...
, where a teacher encouraged him to embark on a dance career.


Career


1964–1988: Early work and rise to prominence

Freeman worked as a dancer at the
1964 World's Fair The 1964–1965 New York World's Fair was a world's fair that held over 140 pavilions and 110 restaurants, representing 80 nations (hosted by 37), 24 US states, and over 45 corporations with the goal and the final result of building exhibits or ...
and was a member of the Opera Ring musical theatre group in San Francisco. He acted in a touring company version of ''
The Royal Hunt of the Sun ''The Royal Hunt of the Sun'' is a 1964 play by Peter Shaffer that dramatizes the relation of two worlds entering in a conflict by portraying two characters: Atahuallpa Inca and Francisco Pizarro. Performance history Premiere ''The Royal Hun ...
'', and also appeared as an extra in Sidney Lumet's 1965 drama film '' The Pawnbroker'' starring
Rod Steiger Rodney Stephen Steiger (; April 14, 1925July 9, 2002, aged 77) was an American actor, noted for his portrayal of offbeat, often volatile and crazed characters. Cited as "one of Hollywood's most charismatic and dynamic stars," he is closely assoc ...
. Between acting and dancing jobs, Freeman realized that acting was where his heart lay. "After 'The Royal Hunt of the Sun'' my acting career just took off," he later recalled. Freeman made his Off-Broadway debut in 1967, opposite Viveca Lindfors in ''The Nigger Lovers'', a show about the
Freedom Riders Freedom Riders were civil rights activists who rode interstate buses into the segregated Southern United States in 1961 and subsequent years to challenge the non-enforcement of the United States Supreme Court decisions '' Morgan v. Virginia ...
during the
American Civil Rights Movement The civil rights movement was a nonviolent social and political movement and campaign from 1954 to 1968 in the United States to abolish legalized institutional racial segregation, discrimination, and disenfranchisement throughout the United ...
, before debuting on
Broadway Broadway may refer to: Theatre * Broadway Theatre (disambiguation) * Broadway theatre, theatrical productions in professional theatres near Broadway, Manhattan, New York City, U.S. ** Broadway (Manhattan), the street **Broadway Theatre (53rd Stree ...
in 1968's all-black version of '' Hello, Dolly!'' that also starred
Pearl Bailey Pearl Mae Bailey (March 29, 1918 – August 17, 1990) was an American actress, singer and author. After appearing in vaudeville, she made her Broadway debut in '' St. Louis Woman'' in 1946. She received a Special Tony Award for the title role i ...
and
Cab Calloway Cabell Calloway III (December 25, 1907 – November 18, 1994) was an American singer, songwriter, bandleader, conductor and dancer. He was associated with the Cotton Club in Harlem, where he was a regular performer and became a popular vocalist ...
. In 1969, Freeman also performed on stage in ''The Dozens''. Beginning in 1971, Freeman starred in the
PBS The Public Broadcasting Service (PBS) is an American public broadcaster and non-commercial, free-to-air television network based in Arlington, Virginia. PBS is a publicly funded nonprofit organization and the most prominent provider of educati ...
children's television show ''
The Electric Company ''The Electric Company'' is an American educational children's television series produced by the Children's Television Workshop (CTW, now known as Sesame Workshop). It was co-created by Paul Dooley, Joan Ganz Cooney, and Lloyd Morrisett. The ...
'', which gave him financial stability and recognition among American audiences. His work on the show was tiring, so he quit in 1975. Television producer
Joan Ganz Cooney Joan Ganz Cooney (born Joan Ganz; November 30, 1929) is an American television writer and producer. She is one of the founders of Sesame Workshop (formerly ''Children's Television Workshop'' or CTW), the organization famous for the creation of ...
said that Freeman loathed appearing in ''The Electric Company'', saying "it was a very unhappy period in his life". Freeman later acknowledged that he does not think about the show, but he was grateful to have been a part of it. His first credited appearance in a feature film show in 1971's ''
Who Says I Can't Ride a Rainbow! ''Who Says I Can't Ride a Rainbow!'' is a 1971 American family drama film directed by Edward Andrew Mann and starring Jack Klugman. It also features Morgan Freeman in his first credited film appearance. It is based on the true story of Barney Mo ...
'', a family drama starring
Jack Klugman Jack Klugman (April 27, 1922 – December 24, 2012) was an American actor of stage, film, and television. He began his career in 1950 and started television and film work with roles in ''12 Angry Men'' (1957) and ''Cry Terror!'' (1958). Du ...
. Also that year, Freeman performed in a theatre production of ''
Purlie ''Purlie'' is a musical with a book by Ossie Davis, Philip Rose, and Peter Udell, lyrics by Udell and music by Gary Geld. It is based on Davis's 1961 play ''Purlie Victorious'', which was later made into the 1963 film '' Gone Are the Days!'' an ...
.'' After a short career break, he returned to work in 1978, appearing in two stage productions: 1978's ''The Mighty Gents'', winning a
Drama Desk Award The Drama Desk Award is an annual prize recognizing excellence in New York theatre. First bestowed in 1955 as the Vernon Rice Award, the prize initially honored Off-Broadway productions, as well as Off-off-Broadway, and those in the vicinity. Fol ...
and a
Clarence Derwent Award The Clarence Derwent Awards are theatre awards given annually by the Actors' Equity Association on Broadway in the United States and by Equity, the performers' union, in the West End in the United Kingdom. Clarence Derwent (23 March 1884 – 6 Au ...
for his role as a wino, and ''White Pelicans.'' Freeman continued to work in theatre, and a year later, appeared in the
Shakespearean William Shakespeare ( 26 April 1564 – 23 April 1616) was an English playwright, poet and actor. He is widely regarded as the greatest writer in the English language and the world's pre-eminent dramatist. He is often called England's natio ...
tragedies ''
Coriolanus ''Coriolanus'' ( or ) is a tragedy by William Shakespeare, believed to have been written between 1605 and 1608. The play is based on the life of the legendary Roman leader Caius Marcius Coriolanus. Shakespeare worked on it during the same ye ...
'', receiving the Obie Award in 1980 for the title role, and '' Julius Caesar''. In 1980, he had a small role as Walter in the drama ''
Brubaker ''Brubaker'' is a 1980 American prison drama film directed by Stuart Rosenberg. It stars Robert Redford as a newly arrived prison warden, Henry Brubaker, who attempts to clean up a corrupt and violent penal system. The screenplay by W. D. Richte ...
'', which starred Robert Redford as a prison warden. Freeman next appeared in the television film, ''
Attica Attica ( el, Αττική, Ancient Greek ''Attikḗ'' or , or ), or the Attic Peninsula, is a historical region that encompasses the city of Athens, the capital of Greece and its countryside. It is a peninsula projecting into the Aegean Se ...
'' (1980), which is about the 1971 Attica Prison riot and its aftermath. A year later, he starred in
Peter Yates Peter James Yates (24 July 1929 – 9 January 2011) was an English film director and producer. Biography Early life Yates was born in Aldershot, Hampshire. The son of an army officer, he attended Charterhouse School as a boy, graduated from ...
' '' Eyewitness'' with co-stars
William Hurt William McChord Hurt (March 20, 1950 – March 13, 2022) was an American actor. Known for his performances on stage and screen, he received various awards including an Academy Award, BAFTA Award and Cannes Film Festival Award for Best Actor. H ...
and Sigourney Weaver. From 1982 to 1984, Freeman was a cast member of the soap opera '' Another World'', playing architect Roy Bingham. After several small roles in dramas, he starred in ''
Marie Marie may refer to: People Name * Marie (given name) * Marie (Japanese given name) * Marie (murder victim), girl who was killed in Florida after being pushed in front of a moving vehicle in 1973 * Marie (died 1759), an enslaved Cree person in ...
'' (1985), a film adaptation of ''Marie: A True Story'' by
Peter Maas Peter may refer to: People * List of people named Peter, a list of people and fictional characters with the given name * Peter (given name) ** Saint Peter (died 60s), apostle of Jesus, leader of the early Christian Church * Peter (surname), a s ...
, in which he portrayed Charles Traughber, and also appeared in the miniseries '' The Atlanta Child Murders''. Freeman also had a small role in the drama '' That Was Then... This Is Now'', based on the novel of the same name by
S. E. Hinton Susan Eloise Hinton (born July 22, 1948) is an American writer best known for her young-adult novels (YA) set in Oklahoma, especially '' The Outsiders'' (1967), which she wrote during high school. Hinton is credited with introducing the YA gen ...
. In the mid-1980s, he began accepting prominent supporting roles in feature films, earning him a reputation for depicting wise, fatherly characters. In addition to television films, in 1987, Freeman played a violent street hustler, a role that diverged from his previous roles, in '' Street Smart'' co-starring
Christopher Reeve Christopher D'Olier Reeve (September 25, 1952 – October 10, 2004) was an American actor, best known for playing the title character in the film ''Superman (1978 film), Superman'' (1978) and three sequels. Born in New York City and raised in P ...
and
Kathy Baker } Katherine Whitton Baker (born June 8, 1950) is an American actress. Baker began her career in theater and made her screen debut in the 1983 drama film '' The Right Stuff''. She received the National Society of Film Critics Award for Best Suppo ...
. Freeman's performance was praised by film critics, including
Roger Ebert Roger Joseph Ebert (; June 18, 1942 – April 4, 2013) was an American film critic, film historian, journalist, screenwriter, and author. He was a film critic for the ''Chicago Sun-Times'' from 1967 until his death in 2013. In 1975, Ebert beca ...
who wrote: "Freeman has the flashier role, as a smart, very tough man who can be charming or intimidating - whatever's needed...Freeman creates such an unforgettable villain." Freeman's performance earned him an Academy Award nomination for Best Supporting Actor. Freeman later said he considered ''Street Smart'' to be his
breakthrough role A breakthrough role, also known as a breakout role, is a term in the film industry to describe the performance of an actor or actress which contributed significantly to the development of their career and beginning of critical recognition. The si ...
. In his next film, he played Craig in the drama ''
Clean and Sober ''Clean and Sober'' is a 1988 American drama film directed by Glenn Gordon Caron and starring Michael Keaton as a real estate agent struggling with a substance abuse problem. This film served as Keaton's first dramatic departure from comedies. The ...
'' with co-stars
Michael Keaton Michael John Douglas (born September 5, 1951), known professionally as Michael Keaton, is an American actor. He is known for his various comedic and dramatic film roles, including Jack Butler in '' Mr. Mom'' (1983), Betelgeuse in ''Beetlejuice'' ...
and Kathy Baker. Although the film was not a box-office hit, it gained fair reviews; Roger Ebert gave the film 4 out of 5 stars and called the performances "superb". Freeman also received Obie Awards for his roles as a preacher in the musical ''
The Gospel at Colonus ''The Gospel at Colonus'' is an African-American musical version of Sophocles's tragedy, ''Oedipus at Colonus. '' The show was created in 1983 by the experimental-theatre director Lee Breuer, one of the founders of the seminal American avant-garde ...
'', and as Hoke Colburn in the play ''
Driving Miss Daisy '' Driving Miss Daisy'' is a 1989 American comedy-drama film directed by Bruce Beresford and written by Alfred Uhry, based on his 1987 play of the same name. The film stars Jessica Tandy, Morgan Freeman, and Dan Aykroyd. Freeman reprised his r ...
'', respectively.


1989–1996: Hollywood breakthrough

Freeman had four film releases in 1989. In the first, he starred as Sergeant Major John Rawlins in '' Glory'', directed by
Edward Zwick Edward M. Zwick (born October 8, 1952) is an American filmmaker and producer of film and television. He has worked primarily in the comedy drama and epic historical film genres, including '' About Last Night, Glory, Legends of the Fall,'' and ...
, about the
54th Massachusetts Infantry Regiment The 54th Massachusetts Infantry Regiment was an infantry regiment that saw extensive service in the Union Army during the American Civil War. The unit was the second African-American regiment, following the 1st Kansas Colored Volunteer Infantry ...
, the Union Army's second
African-American African Americans (also referred to as Black Americans and Afro-Americans) are an ethnic group consisting of Americans with partial or total ancestry from sub-Saharan Africa. The term "African American" generally denotes descendants of ensla ...
regiment in the American Civil War. Writing for '' The Washington Post'',
Desson Thomson Desson Patrick Thomson is a former speechwriter for the Obama administration and former film critic for ''The Washington Post''. He was known as Desson Howe until 2003 when he changed his name after reuniting with his birth father. Biography ...
praised Freeman and co-star Denzel Washington for their "warming sense of fraternity". ''Glory'' was nominated for five Academy Awards and won three: Best Supporting Actor for Washington, Best Cinematography, and Best Sound. Next, Freeman starred in the comedy-drama ''
Driving Miss Daisy '' Driving Miss Daisy'' is a 1989 American comedy-drama film directed by Bruce Beresford and written by Alfred Uhry, based on his 1987 play of the same name. The film stars Jessica Tandy, Morgan Freeman, and Dan Aykroyd. Freeman reprised his r ...
'', alongside
Jessica Tandy Jessie Alice Tandy (7 June 1909 – 11 September 1994) was a British-American actress. Tandy appeared in over 100 stage productions and had more than 60 roles in film and TV, receiving an Academy Award, four Tony Awards, a BAFTA, a Golden Globe ...
and Dan Aykroyd. Based on
Alfred Uhry Alfred Fox Uhry (born December 3, 1936) is an American playwright and screenwriter. He has received an Academy Award, two Tony Awards and the 1988 Pulitzer Prize for dramatic writing for ''Driving Miss Daisy''. He is a member of the Fellowship of ...
's play of the same name, in which Freeman had appeared previously, he reprises his role of Hoke Colburn, chauffeur for a Jewish widow. The film was a commercial success and grossed US$145 million worldwide. Film critics were mainly positive; Henry Sheehan from '' The Hollywood Reporter'' opined that Freeman and Tandy's performances complemented each other while retaining their "individual star-quality". The film was nominated for nine Academy Awards, including
Best Actor Best Actor is the name of an award which is presented by various film, television and theatre organizations, festivals, and people's awards to leading actors in a film, television series, television film or play. The term most often refers to the ...
for Freeman. His third release was the biographical drama '' Lean on Me'', in which he portrays the principal of an under-performing and drug- and crime-ridden New Jersey high school. Jane Galbraith of '' Variety'' magazine thought Freeman's casting was "wonderful". Lastly in 1989, he starred in
Walter Hill Walter may refer to: People * Walter (name), both a surname and a given name * Little Walter, American blues harmonica player Marion Walter Jacobs (1930–1968) * Gunther (wrestler), Austrian professional wrestler and trainer Walter Hahn (born 19 ...
's ''
Johnny Handsome ''Johnny Handsome'' is a 1989 American neo-noir crime thriller film directed by Walter Hill and starring Mickey Rourke, Ellen Barkin, Forest Whitaker and Morgan Freeman. The film was written by Ken Friedman, and adapted from the novel ''The Th ...
'', a crime drama in which he plays a New Orleans police officer. In a 1990 interview, Freeman said that ''Glory'' was one of his favorite releases—"The Black legacy is as noble, is as heroic, is as filled with adventure and conquest and discovery as anybody else's. It's just that nobody knows it." In 1990, Freeman provided the voice of Frederick Douglass in '' The Civil War'', a television
miniseries A miniseries or mini-series is a television series that tells a story in a predetermined, limited number of episodes. " Limited series" is another more recent US term which is sometimes used interchangeably. , the popularity of miniseries forma ...
about the American Civil War. That year, he also starred in the critically panned ''
The Bonfire of the Vanities ''The Bonfire of the Vanities'' is a 1987 novel by Tom Wolfe. The story is a drama about ambition, racism, social class, politics, and greed in 1980s New York City, and centers on three main characters: WASP bond trader Sherman McCoy, Jewish as ...
.'' According to the
review aggregate A review aggregator is a system that collects reviews of products and services (such as films, books, video games, software, hardware, and cars). This system stores the reviews and uses them for purposes such as supporting a website where users ...
site Rotten Tomatoes, the film has an approval rating of 16% based on 51 reviews. In the summer of 1990, he played Petruchio, a role he had been thinking about for six years, in Shakespeare's '' The Taming of the Shrew'', which opened at
Delacorte theatre The Delacorte Theater is a 1,800-seat open-air theater in Central Park, in the New York City borough of Manhattan. It is home to the Public Theater's free Shakespeare in the Park productions. Over five million people have attended more than ...
in New York City. " etruchioseems to have a lot of fun in life," he said. In 1991, Freeman had a supporting role in '' Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves'', an action-adventure starring
Kevin Costner Kevin Michael Costner (born January 18, 1955) is an American actor, producer, film director and musician. He has received various accolades, including two Academy Awards, two Golden Globe Awards, a Primetime Emmy Award, and two Screen Actors G ...
. The film was a commercial success, but garnered mixed reviews from critics; '' The New York Times''
Vincent Canby Vincent Canby (July 27, 1924 – October 15, 2000) was an American film and theatre critic who served as the chief film critic for ''The New York Times'' from 1969 until the early 1990s, then its chief theatre critic from 1994 until his death in ...
thought Freeman played Azeem with "wit and humor" despite the "muddled" plot. Freeman also narrated ''The True Story of Glory Continues'', a documentary about the 54th Massachusetts Infantry Regiment. In 1992, he appeared in
Clint Eastwood Clinton Eastwood Jr. (born May 31, 1930) is an American actor and film director. After achieving success in the Western TV series '' Rawhide'', he rose to international fame with his role as the "Man with No Name" in Sergio Leone's "''Dolla ...
's western '' Unforgiven'', which won four Academy Awards including
Best Picture This is a list of categories of awards commonly awarded through organizations that bestow film awards, including those presented by various film, festivals, and people's awards. Best Actor/Best Actress *See Best Actor#Film awards, Best Actress# ...
. The film depicts William Munny (Eastwood), an aging outlaw and killer who takes on one more job with old friend Ned Logan (Freeman). ''Unforgiven'' was widely acclaimed, with one critic calling Freeman's performance "outstanding". '' The Power of One'' was Freeman's second film in 1992, a loose adaptation of
Bryce Courtenay Arthur Bryce Courtenay, (14 August 1933 – 22 November 2012) was a South African-Australian advertising director and novelist. He is one of Australia's best-selling authors, notable for his book '' The Power of One''. Background and early ye ...
's 1989 novel of the same name, in which he plays boxing coach Geel Piet. In 1993, Freeman made his
directorial debut This is a list of film directorial debuts in chronological order. The films and dates referred to are a director's first commercial cinematic release. Many film makers have directed works which were not commercially released, for example early work ...
with the drama '' Bopha!'', which tells the story of a black policeman ( Danny Glover) during South Africa's
apartheid Apartheid (, especially South African English: , ; , "aparthood") was a system of institutionalised racial segregation that existed in South Africa and South West Africa (now Namibia) from 1948 to the early 1990s. Apartheid wa ...
era. ''Bopha!'' was well-received, in particular for Freeman's directing. Hal Hinson of '' The Washington Post'' wrote: "Freeman lays out the father-son dynamics with great skill and very little fuss. There's no hysteria in his approach; instead, he sticks to the facts, relying on his cast to provide the emotion. The result is a surprisingly powerful, insightful film." Kenneth Turan from '' Los Angeles Times'' also complimented Freeman's direction but thought the film was "more predictable than powerful". In 1994, Freeman portrayed Red, the redeemed convict in Frank Darabont's acclaimed drama '' The Shawshank Redemption'', with co-star Tim Robbins. It is based on the 1982 Stephen King novella ''
Rita Hayworth and Shawshank Redemption ''Rita Hayworth and Shawshank Redemption'' is a novella by Stephen King from his 1982 collection ''Different Seasons'', subtitled ''Hope Springs Eternal''. The novella has also been published as a standalone short book. The story is entirely told ...
''. Freeman was cast at the suggestion of producer Liz Glotzer, despite the novella's character of a white Irishman. Filming proved to be challenging, mainly because of Darabont's need for multiple takes. Freeman said: "The answer
'd give him A contraction is a shortened version of the spoken and written forms of a word, syllable, or word group, created by omission of internal letters and sounds. In linguistic analysis, contractions should not be confused with crasis, abbreviations ...
was no ... having to do something again and again for no discernible reason tends to be a bit debilitating to the energy." Nevertheless, Freeman's performance was described as "quietly impressive" and "moving" by ''The New York Times''. At the
67th Academy Awards The 67th Academy Awards ceremony, organized by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS) took place on March 27, 1995, at the Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles beginning at 6:00 p.m. PST / 9:00 p.m. EST. During the cer ...
, he received a nomination for Best Actor. Since its release, ''The Shawshank Redemption'' has remained popular among audiences. In 1994, Freeman also served as a member of the jury at the
44th Berlin International Film Festival The 44th annual Berlin International Film Festival was held from 10 to 21 February 1994. The Golden Bear was awarded to British-Irish film '' In the Name of the Father'' directed by Jim Sheridan. The retrospective dedicated to Austrian director, ...
. ''
Outbreak In epidemiology, an outbreak is a sudden increase in occurrences of a disease when cases are in excess of normal expectancy for the location or season. It may affect a small and localized group or impact upon thousands of people across an entire ...
'' (1995), a
medical Medicine is the science and practice of caring for a patient, managing the diagnosis, prognosis, prevention, treatment, palliation of their injury or disease, and promoting their health. Medicine encompasses a variety of health care practic ...
thriller directed by Wolfgang Petersen, was Freeman's next film. He played General Billy Ford, a doctor dealing with an outbreak of a fictional virus in a small town. The film also stars
Dustin Hoffman Dustin Lee Hoffman (born August 8, 1937) is an American actor and filmmaker. As one of the key actors in the formation of New Hollywood The New Hollywood, also known as American New Wave or Hollywood Renaissance, was a movement in American ...
, Rene Russo, and Donald Sutherland. ''Outbreak'' was a box-office success, grossing $189.8 million worldwide, but gained a mixed critics' response. Mick LaSelle of the '' San Francisco Chronicle'' credited Freeman for his performance which may have been unappreciated by viewers. In 1995, Freeman also starred with
Brad Pitt William Bradley Pitt (born December 18, 1963) is an American actor and film producer. He is the recipient of various accolades, including two Academy Awards, a British Academy Film Award, two Golden Globe Awards, and a Primetime Emmy Award. ...
in David Fincher's crime thriller '' Seven'', the story of two detectives who attempt to identify a serial killer who bases his murders on the Christian
seven deadly sins The seven deadly sins, also known as the capital vices or cardinal sins, is a grouping and classification of vices within Christian teachings. Although they are not directly mentioned in the Bible, there are parallels with the seven things ...
. Freeman's performance generated a positive response; Owen Gleiberman of '' Entertainment Weekly'' wrote: "Freeman plays nearly every scene in a doleful hush; he makes you lean in to hear his words, to ferret out the hints of anger and regret that haunt this weary knight." The critic from ''Variety'' magazine called Freeman's acting "supremely nuanced". A year later, Freeman appeared in ''
Chain Reaction A chain reaction is a sequence of reactions where a reactive product or by-product causes additional reactions to take place. In a chain reaction, positive feedback leads to a self-amplifying chain of events. Chain reactions are one way that sys ...
'' as Paul Shannon, a science-fiction thriller co-starring
Keanu Reeves Keanu Charles Reeves ( ; born September 2, 1964) is a Canadian actor. Born in Beirut and raised in Toronto, Reeves began acting in theatre productions and in television films before making his feature film debut in '' Youngblood'' (1986). ...
and Rachel Weisz. The film was a critical and commercial disappointment. Next, he was cast opposite Robin Wright in 1996's '' Moll Flanders'', a period drama based on the novel of the same name. The film received a mixed reception; Greg Evans from ''Variety'' magazine said Freeman gave a "sweet" performance, while ''The New York Times'' critic thought he was miscast.


1997–2004: Critical success and established actor

While filming ''Outbreak'', Freeman expressed an interest in starting a film production company. He turned to Lori McCreary, producer of ''Bopha!'', to be his business partner. Freeman explained to her that he wanted to achieve representation on screen, explore challenging issues and reveal hidden truths, so they chose to name their firm
Revelations Entertainment Revelations Entertainment is an independent movie production company founded by actor Morgan Freeman and business partner Lori McCreary in 1996. Its mission statement, to "reveal truth," drives to company produce thought-provoking entertainment w ...
. In 1997, Freeman narrated the Academy Award-winning documentary '' The Long Way Home'', about Jewish refugees' liberation after World War II and the establishment of Israel. He also appeared in Steven Spielberg's historical epic '' Amistad'' alongside
Djimon Hounsou Djimon Gaston Hounsou (; ; born April 24, 1964) is a Beninese-American actor and model. He began his career appearing in music videos. He made his film debut in '' Without You I'm Nothing'' (1990) and earned widespread recognition for his role as ...
,
Anthony Hopkins Sir Philip Anthony Hopkins (born 31 December 1937) is a Welsh actor, director, and producer. One of Britain's most recognisable and prolific actors, he is known for his performances on the screen and stage. Hopkins has received many accolad ...
, and Matthew McConaughey. Based on the events in 1839 aboard the slave ship ''
La Amistad ''La Amistad'' (; Spanish for ''Friendship'') was a 19th-century two- masted schooner, owned by a Spaniard colonizing Cuba. It became renowned in July 1839 for a slave revolt by Mende captives, who had been captured and sold to European slave ...
'', the film was mostly well-received and earned four nominations at the Academy Awards. The critic from '' Salon'' magazine, however, thought the film lacked inspiration and Freeman's role was "utterly cryptic". In that same year, he was cast as psychologist Alex Cross in '' Kiss the Girls'', a thriller based on
James Patterson James Brendan Patterson (born March 22, 1947) is an American author. Among his works are the ''Alex Cross'', '' Michael Bennett'', '' Women's Murder Club'', '' Maximum Ride'', '' Daniel X'', '' NYPD Red'', '' Witch & Wizard'', and ''Private'' s ...
's 1995 novel of the same name. In a mixed review, Peter Stack of ''San Francisco Chronicle'' thought Freeman and co-star
Ashley Judd Ashley Judd (born Ashley Tyler Ciminella; April 19, 1968) is an American actress. She grew up in a family of performing artists: she is the daughter of the late country music singer Naomi Judd and the half-sister of country music singer Wynonna ...
gave strong performances despite the lengthy plot. Freeman went on to star in '' Deep Impact'' (1998), a science-fiction disaster film in which he played President Tim Beck. The story depicts humanity's attempt to destroy a 7-mile (11 km) wide
comet A comet is an icy, small Solar System body that, when passing close to the Sun, warms and begins to release gases, a process that is called outgassing. This produces a visible atmosphere or coma, and sometimes also a tail. These phenomena are ...
set to collide with Earth and cause a mass extinction. The film was a box-office hit, despite competition from ''
Armageddon According to the Book of Revelation in the New Testament of the Christian Bible, Armageddon (, from grc, Ἁρμαγεδών ''Harmagedōn'', Late Latin: , from Hebrew: ''Har Məgīddō'') is the prophesied location of a gathering of armie ...
'', another summer blockbuster of the year. Continuing with the disaster genre, he then starred opposite
Christian Slater Christian Michael Leonard Slater (born August 18, 1969) is an American actor and producer. He made his film debut with a leading role in '' The Legend of Billie Jean'' (1985) and gained wider recognition for his breakthrough role as Jason "J.D." ...
in 1998's '' Hard Rain'', centering on a heist and man-made treachery amidst a natural disaster in a small Indiana town. The film was unpopular with critics;
Lawrence Van Gelder Lawrence Ralph Van Gelder (February 17, 1933 – March 11, 2016) was an American journalist and instructor in journalism who worked at several different New York City-based newspapers in his long career. Until 2010, he was senior editor of the Ar ...
of ''The New York Times'' called the characters "one-dimensional" and the film "routine". Freeman returned to the screen in 2000 with the lead role of Charlie in the comedy '' Nurse Betty'', featuring Renée Zellweger,
Chris Rock Christopher Julius Rock (born February 7, 1965) is an American stand-up comedian, actor, and filmmaker. Known for his work in comic film, television and stage, he has received multiple accolades, including three Grammy Awards for best comedy ...
, and
Greg Kinnear Gregory Buck Kinnear (born June 17, 1963) is an American actor. He was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor for his role in ''As Good as It Gets'' (1997). Kinnear has appeared in many popular films, including '' Sabrina'' (19 ...
. The film premiered at the
Cannes Film Festival The Cannes Festival (; french: link=no, Festival de Cannes), until 2003 called the International Film Festival (') and known in English as the Cannes Film Festival, is an annual film festival held in Cannes, France, which previews new films ...
to mainly positive reviews; the critic from ''Variety'' magazine thought Freeman and Rock had "wonderful chemistry". Next, he appeared in '' Under Suspicion'' (2000), a thriller remake of the 1981 French film ''
Garde à vue ''Garde à Vue'' (also known as ''The Inquisitor'') is a 1981 French psychological crime drama directed by Claude Miller and starring Romy Schneider, Michel Serrault, Lino Ventura and Guy Marchand. It is based on the 1979 British novel ''Brainw ...
''. The film had been "carting round" for twelve years before Freeman was able to produce it under Revelations Entertainment. He co-starred with Gene Hackman; "Working with Gene was wonderful. I didn't find it too hard working with an icon I so respected," Freeman said. Upon release, ''Under Suspicion'' was met with lukewarm reception;
CNN CNN (Cable News Network) is a multinational cable news channel headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia, U.S. Founded in 1980 by American media proprietor Ted Turner and Reese Schonfeld as a 24-hour cable news channel, and presently owned by t ...
's Paul Tatara praised the actors but thought the film was "too tawdry to be completely entertaining, and too static to generate much excitement". In 2001, Freeman reprised his role of Alex Cross in '' Along Came a Spider'', a sequel to 1997's ''Kiss the Girls''. The film received mixed-to-negative reviews. Susan Wloszczyna of '' USA Today'' observed that "Freeman strides with noble authority" but thought the overall film was unmemorable. In 2002, Freeman was cast opposite
Ben Affleck Benjamin Géza Affleck (born August 15, 1972) is an American actor and filmmaker. His accolades include two Academy Awards, three Golden Globe Awards and a Volpi Cup. Affleck began his career as a child when he starred in the PBS education ...
in the spy thriller '' The Sum of All Fears''. It is based on
Tom Clancy Thomas Leo Clancy Jr. (April 12, 1947 – October 1, 2013) was an American novelist. He is best known for his technically detailed espionage and military-science storylines set during and after the Cold War. Seventeen of his novels have b ...
's 1991 novel of the same name, about a plot by an Austrian Neo-Nazi to trigger a
nuclear war Nuclear warfare, also known as atomic warfare, is a theoretical military conflict or prepared political strategy that deploys nuclear weaponry. Nuclear weapons are weapons of mass destruction; in contrast to conventional warfare, nuclear ...
between the United States and Russia, so that he can establish a fascist superstate in Europe. ''The Sum of All Fears'' received moderate reviews, but was a commercial success, grossing $193.9 million worldwide. Next, Freeman starred alongside Ashley Judd and
Jim Caviezel James Patrick Caviezel Jr. (; born September 26, 1968) is an American film and television actor who played Jesus Christ in '' The Passion of the Christ'' (2004) and starred as John Reese on the CBS series '' Person of Interest'' (2011–2016). ...
in '' High Crimes'' (2002), a legal thriller based on
Joseph Finder Joseph Finder (born October 6, 1958) is an American thriller (genre), thriller writer. His books include ''Paranoia (novel), Paranoia'', ''Company Man (Finder novel), Company Man'', ''The Fixer (Finder novel), The Fixer'', ''Killer Instinct (nove ...
's 1998 novel of the same name. The story follows lawyer Claire (Judd), whose husband (Caviezel) is arrested and placed on trial for the murder of villagers while he was in the Marines. Although several critics were unimpressed with the story, they credited Freeman and Judd for their chemistry and performances. In 2003, Freeman appeared as God in the hit comedy ''
Bruce Almighty ''Bruce Almighty'' is a 2003 American fantasy comedy film directed by Tom Shadyac and written by Steve Koren, Mark O'Keefe and Steve Oedekerk. The film stars Jim Carrey as Bruce Nolan, a down-on-his-luck television reporter who complains to God ...
'' with
Jim Carrey James Eugene Carrey (; born January 17, 1962) is a Canadian-American actor, comedian and artist. Known for his energetic slapstick performances, Carrey first gained recognition in 1990, after landing a role in the American sketch comedy te ...
and
Jennifer Aniston Jennifer Joanna Aniston (born February 11, 1969) is an American actress and film producer. She is the recipient of various accolades, including a Primetime Emmy Award, a Golden Globe Award and two Screen Actors Guild Awards. Since her career ...
. Next, he starred in the science fiction horror ''
Dreamcatcher In some Native American and First Nations cultures, a dreamcatcher ( oj, asabikeshiinh, the inanimate form of the word for 'spider') is a handmade willow hoop, on which is woven a net or web. It may also be decorated with sacred items such ...
'', adapted from Stephen King's 2001 novel of the same name. The film was a box-office flop, and garnered mostly negative reviews; ''Dreamcatcher'' has an approval rating of 28% on review aggregate site Rotten Tomatoes. Also in 2003, Freeman starred in two other dramas that were not widely seen, '' Levity'' and '' Guilty by Association.'' His 2004 releases were comedy '' The Big Bounce'' and sports drama ''
Million Dollar Baby ''Million Dollar Baby'' is a 2004 American sports drama film directed, co-produced, scored by and starring Clint Eastwood from a screenplay written by Paul Haggis, based on stories from the 2000 collection ''Rope Burns: Stories from the Corn ...
''. In the latter, directed by Clint Eastwood, Freeman portrayed an elderly former boxer. The film won four Academy Awards, including Best Picture,
Best Director Best Director is the name of an award which is presented by various film, television and theatre organizations, festivals, and people's awards. It may refer to: Film awards * AACTA Award for Best Direction * Academy Award for Best Director * BAF ...
,
Best Actress Best Actress is the name of an award which is presented by various film, television and theatre organisations, festivals, and people's awards to leading actresses in a film, television series, television film or play. The first Best Actress award ...
( Hilary Swank), and Best Supporting Actor, earning Freeman his first Academy Award. Freeman was also nominated for a Golden Globe Award in the same category. Roger Ebert complimented Freeman's "flat and factual" narration, and ''
Timeout Time-out, Time Out, or timeout may refer to: Time * Time-out (sport), in various sports, a break in play, called by a team * Television timeout, a break in sporting action so that a commercial break may be taken * Timeout (computing), an enginee ...
'' magazine thought the cast fully inhabited their roles.


2005–2013: Documentaries and thriller films

2005 was a busy year for Freeman, making six appearances in various features. In the drama ''
An Unfinished Life ''An Unfinished Life'' is a 2005 American drama film directed by Lasse Hallström, and based on the Mark Spragg novel of the same name. The film stars Robert Redford, Jennifer Lopez, and Morgan Freeman. It is the story of a gruff Wyoming rancher ...
'', Freeman plays Mitch, a neighbor of a Wyoming rancher (Robert Redford). The film had a mixed response; '' The Guardian'' critic thought it was amiable but questioned the purpose of Freeman's "sidekick" role. Freeman's authoritative voice led to his narration of two documentaries; Steven Spielberg's '' War of the Worlds'' and the Academy Award-winning ''
March of the Penguins ''March of the Penguins'' ( French ''La Marche de l'empereur'' ; ) is a 2005 French feature-length nature documentary directed and co-written by Luc Jacquet, and co-produced by Bonne Pioche and the National Geographic Society. The documentary de ...
''. He also appeared in Christopher Nolan's ''
Batman Begins ''Batman Begins'' is a 2005 superhero film directed by Christopher Nolan and written by Nolan and David S. Goyer. The film is based on the DC Comics character Batman, it stars Christian Bale as Bruce Wayne / Batman, with Michael Caine, Lia ...
'', the first installment in what would become ''
The Dark Knight Trilogy The fictional superhero Batman, who appears in American comic books published by DC Comics, has appeared in various films since his inception. Created by Bob Kane and Bill Finger, the character first starred in two serial films in the 1940s: ...
'', as the fictional
Lucius Fox Lucius Fox is a character appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics, commonly in association with the superhero Bruce Wayne / Batman. He is Bruce Wayne's business manager at Wayne Enterprises who runs the business interests that s ...
. After this, he co-starred with
Jet Li Li Lianjie (courtesy name Yangzhong; born 26 April 1963), better known by his stage name Jet Li, is a Chinese film actor, film producer, martial artist, and retired Wushu champion. He is a naturalized Singaporean citizen. After three years ...
in the action-thriller '' Unleashed'', playing Sam, a blind piano tuner who helps Li's character turn his life around. The film gained a mixed-to-positive reception; Peter Hartlaub of ''San Francisco Chronicle'' was confused with the genre and thought Freeman's character interrupted the narrative. Freeman's next role was in the thriller '' Edison'', which bombed at the box office. In his last release of 2005, he provided the voice of Neil Armstrong in the documentary '' Magnificent Desolation: Walking on the Moon 3D.'' Freeman starred in 2006's '' The Contract'', as assassin Frank Carden opposite John Cusack. The film was released direct-to-video, which critic John Cornelius suggests was unsurprising, considering the generic formula of the thriller. Freeman next appeared in '' Lucky Number Slevin'' (2006), a crime thriller directed by Paul McGuigan. Starring a principle cast of Josh Hartnett,
Bruce Willis Walter Bruce Willis (born March 19, 1955) is a retired American actor. He achieved fame with a leading role on the comedy-drama series '' Moonlighting'' (1985–1989) and appeared in over a hundred films, gaining recognition as an action hero ...
, Lucy Liu, Stanley Tucci, and
Ben Kingsley Sir Ben Kingsley (born Krishna Pandit Bhanji; 31 December 1943) is an English actor. He has received various accolades throughout his career spanning five decades, including an Academy Award, a British Academy Film Award, a Grammy Award, and tw ...
, the film garnered mixed reception. David Mattin of
BBC #REDIRECT BBC Here i going to introduce about the best teacher of my life b BALAJI sir. He is the precious gift that I got befor 2yrs . How has helped and thought all the concept and made my success in the 10th board exam. ...
wrote: "Kingsley and Freeman shine individually, but their inevitable, climactic clash of heads lacks force. Like its leading man artnett this movie presents a charming façade with nothing much underneath." Next, Freeman portrayed himself in the low-budget comedy '' 10 Items or Less'' opposite
Paz Vega María de la Paz Campos Trigos (born 2 January 1976), known professionally as Paz Vega (), is a Spanish actress. She became popular for her performance in comedy television series '' 7 vidas''. Her film credits include ''Sex and Lucia'' (2001) ...
''.'' Two weeks after its theatrical release, ''10 Items or Less'' was made available for download from
ClickStar ClickStar was a broadband movie distribution company founded by actor Morgan Freeman and film producer Lori McCreary of Revelations Entertainment. ClickStar launched on December 15, 2006 under the leadership of interim CEO James J. Ackerman and C ...
, a film distribution company that Freeman co-founded that year. In 2007, Freeman reprised his role as God in '' Evan Almighty'', a sequel to 2003's ''Bruce Almighty'', with
Steve Carell Steven John Carell (; born August 16, 1962) is an American actor and comedian. He played Michael Scott in ''The Office'' (2005–2011; 2013), NBC’s adaptation of the British series created by Ricky Gervais and Stephen Merchant, where Car ...
. ''Evan Almighty'' was a box-office failure and negatively received; ''The Guardian'' critic wrote: "A cast full of people who have been frequently funny elsewhere flounder in this deluge of sentimentality and CGI. Avoid like the
Ten Plagues The Plagues of Egypt, in the account of the book of Exodus, are ten disasters inflicted on Biblical Egypt by the God of Israel in order to convince the Pharaoh to emancipate the enslaved Israelites, each of them confronting Pharaoh and one of h ...
." The drama ''
Feast of Love ''Feast of Love'' is a 2007 American drama film directed by Robert Benton, and starring an ensemble cast that includes Morgan Freeman, Greg Kinnear, Radha Mitchell, Billy Burke, Selma Blair, Alexa Davalos, Toby Hemingway, and Jane Alexander. T ...
'' was Freeman's second release of 2007. It is based on the 2000 novel ''The Feast of Love'' by Charles Baxter, about a group of friends living in suburban Oregon who come into contact with a free spirit who changes their outlook on life;
Peter Bradshaw Peter Bradshaw (born 19 June 1962) is a British writer and film critic. He has been chief film critic at ''The Guardian'' since 1999, and is a contributing editor at ''Esquire''. Early life and education Bradshaw was educated at Haberdashers ...
of ''The Guardian'' sarcastically remarked that it was great to see Freeman in a challenging role. Freeman had a supporting part in '' Gone Baby Gone'' (2007), a mystery thriller that was also Ben Affleck's directorial debut. Adapted from the 1998 novel of the same name by Dennis Lehane, Freeman plays Captain Jack Doyle of the
Boston Police Department The Boston Police Department (BPD), dating back to 1854, holds the primary responsibility for law enforcement and investigation within the city of Boston, Massachusetts. It is the oldest municipal police department in the United States. The ...
. The story and cast performances were positively received; ''Time Out'' magazine called it "flawed but impressive". Afterward, he starred in
Rob Reiner Robert Norman Reiner (born March 6, 1947) is an American actor and filmmaker. As an actor, Reiner first came to national prominence with the role of Michael "Meathead" Stivic on the CBS sitcom ''All in the Family'' (1971–1979), a performa ...
's 2007 comedy ''
The Bucket List ''The Bucket List'' is a 2007 American buddy adventure comedy-drama film directed and produced by Rob Reiner, written by Justin Zackham, and starring Jack Nicholson and Morgan Freeman. The main plot follows two terminally ill men on their road ...
'' opposite
Jack Nicholson John Joseph Nicholson (born April 22, 1937) is an American retired actor and filmmaker. He is widely regarded as one of the greatest actors of all time. In many of his films, he played rebels against the social structure. He received numerous ...
. The plot follows two
terminally ill Terminal illness or end-stage disease is a disease that cannot be cured or adequately treated and is expected to result in the death of the patient. This term is more commonly used for progressive diseases such as cancer, dementia or advanced h ...
men on a road trip with a list of things to do before they die. The film grossed a respectable $175 million worldwide. In 2008, Freeman was cast in the action-thriller ''
Wanted Wanted may refer to: Law enforcement * Fugitive, a person wanted by the authorities * Wanted poster, a poster put up to inform the public of one or more criminals whom authorities wish to apprehend Film * ''Wanted!'', a 1937 British comedy film ...
'', a loose adaptation of the comic book miniseries by
Mark Millar Mark Millar (; born 24 December 1969) is a Scottish comic book writer and television producer who first came to prominence with a run on the superhero series '' The Authority'', published by DC Comics' Wildstorm imprint. Millar has written e ...
and
J. G. Jones Jeffrey Glen Jones is an American comics artist who is known for his work on titles such as '' Wanted'' and ''Final Crisis''. Early life Jones hails from Walker, Louisiana and attended Louisiana State University and the University at Albany, S ...
. The plot revolves around Wesley Gibson (
James McAvoy James McAvoy (; born 21 April 1979) is a Scottish actor. He made his acting debut as a teen in '' The Near Room'' (1995) and appeared mostly on television until 2003, when his feature film career began. His notable television work includes ...
), a frustrated account manager who discovers that he is the son of a professional
assassin Assassination is the murder of a prominent or important person, such as a head of state, head of government, politician, world leader, member of a royal family or CEO. The murder of a celebrity, activist, or artist, though they may not have a ...
and decides to join the Fraternity, a secret society of which Sloan (Freeman) is the leader. Principal photography took place in Chicago; co-star rapper Common remarked on the set atmosphere: "Freeman is a cool guy. He’d be walking around joking and singing and just dancing. You know, artists are free and I just felt the freedom in him." The film received generally favorable reviews; Peter Howell of '' Toronto Star'' thought it was original and one of Freeman's bolder performances to date. Freeman narrated ''
The Love Guru ''The Love Guru'' is a 2008 American romantic comedy film directed by Marco Schnabel in his directorial debut, written and produced by Mike Myers, and starring Myers, Jessica Alba, Justin Timberlake, Romany Malco, Meagan Good, Verne Troyer, Jo ...
'' (2008), before appearing in '' The Dark Knight'' (2008), the second installment of Christopher Nolan's ''Dark Knight Trilogy'', in which he reprised his role as Lucius Fox. Freeman returned to Broadway in 2008 after an eighteen-year absence to co-star with
Frances McDormand Frances Louise McDormand (born Cynthia Ann Smith; June 23, 1957) is an American actress and producer. Throughout her career spanning over four decades, McDormand has received numerous accolades, including four Academy Awards, two Primetime Em ...
and
Peter Gallagher Peter Killian Gallagher (born August 19, 1955) is an American actor. Since 1980, he has played roles in numerous Hollywood films. He is best known for starring as Sandy Cohen in the television drama series ''The O.C.'' from 2003 to 2007, recur ...
in
Clifford Odets Clifford Odets (July 18, 1906 – August 14, 1963) was an American playwright, screenwriter, and actor. In the mid-1930s, he was widely seen as the potential successor to Nobel Prize-winning playwright Eugene O'Neill, as O'Neill began to withdra ...
' play, '' The Country Girl'', directed by Mike Nichols. Freeman continued to accept roles in a diverse range of genres. In 2009, Freeman starred opposite
Antonio Banderas José Antonio Domínguez Bandera (born 10 August 1960), known professionally as Antonio Banderas, is a Spanish actor and singer. Known for his work in films of several genres, he has received various accolades, including a Cannes Film Festival ...
in the heist movie '' Thick as Thieves''. Next, he collaborated with
Christopher Walken Christopher Walken (born Ronald Walken; March 31, 1943) is an American actor. Prolific in film, television and on stage, Walken is the recipient of numerous accolades including an Academy Award, a BAFTA Award, and a Screen Actors Guild Award ...
and
William H. Macy William Hall Macy Jr. (born March 13, 1950) is an American actor. His film career has been built on appearances in small, independent films, though he has also appeared in mainstream films. Some of his best known starring roles include those i ...
for the comedy ''
The Maiden Heist ''The Maiden Heist'' is a 2009 American crime comedy film directed by Peter Hewitt and starring Morgan Freeman, Christopher Walken, William H. Macy and Marcia Gay Harden. The film was released as ''The Heist'' in the United Kingdom. Plot Roge ...
''. For some time, Freeman expressed a desire to do a film based on Nelson Mandela. Initially, he wanted to adapt Mandela's autobiography ''
Long Walk to Freedom ''Long Walk to Freedom'' is an autobiography credited to South African President Nelson Mandela. It was ghostwritten by Richard Stengel and first published in 1994 by Little Brown & Co. The book profiles his early life, coming of age, educatio ...
'' into a screenplay, but plans were never finalized. Instead, he purchased the film rights to John Carlin's book: ''Playing the Enemy: Nelson Mandela and the Game That Made a Nation''. The book was adapted into a film which Clint Eastwood directed, ''
Invictus "Invictus" is a short poem by the Victorian era British poet William Ernest Henley (1849–1903). It was written in 1875 and published in 1888 in his first volume of poems, ''Book of Verses'', in the section ''Life and Death (Echoes)''. Backgr ...
'', starring Freeman as Mandela and
Matt Damon Matthew Paige Damon (; born October 8, 1970) is an American actor, film producer, and screenwriter. Ranked among ''Forbes'' most bankable stars, the films in which he has appeared have collectively earned over $3.88 billion at the North Americ ...
as rugby team captain
Francois Pienaar Jacobus Francois Pienaar (born 2 January 1967) is a retired South African rugby union player. He played flanker for South Africa (the Springboks) from 1993 until 1996, winning 29 international caps, all of them as captain. He is best known for ...
. The biographical drama received positive reviews for Freeman's performance; Roger Ebert wrote: "Freeman does a splendid job of evoking the man Nelson Mandela ... He shows him as genial, confident, calming, over what was clearly a core of tempered steel." Freeman received Best Actor nominations at the Academy Awards and Golden Globes, as well as a nomination for Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor at the Screen Actors Guild Awards. The same year he provided the narration for
Janet Langhart Janet Leola Langhart Cohen (née Floyd; born December 22, 1941) is an American television journalist and anchor, and author. Beginning her career as a model, she started in television reporting the weather. She serves as president and CEO of Lan ...
's '' Anne and Emmett'', a play featuring an imaginary conversation between
Emmett Till Emmett Louis Till (July 25, 1941August 28, 1955) was a 14-year-old African Americans, African American boy who was abducted, tortured, and Lynching in the United States, lynched in Mississippi in 1955, after being accused of offending a whi ...
and
Anne Frank Annelies Marie "Anne" Frank (, ; 12 June 1929 – )Research by The Anne Frank House in 2015 revealed that Frank may have died in February 1945 rather than in March, as Dutch authorities had long assumed"New research sheds new light on Anne Fra ...
, both killed as young teenagers because of racial persecution. Freeman's sole film release of 2010 was ''
Red Red is the color at the long wavelength end of the visible spectrum of light, next to orange and opposite violet. It has a dominant wavelength of approximately 625–740 nanometres. It is a primary color in the RGB color model and a secondary ...
'' with co-stars
Bruce Willis Walter Bruce Willis (born March 19, 1955) is a retired American actor. He achieved fame with a leading role on the comedy-drama series '' Moonlighting'' (1985–1989) and appeared in over a hundred films, gaining recognition as an action hero ...
,
Helen Mirren Dame Helen Mirren (born Helen Lydia Mironoff; born 26 July 1945) is an English actor. The recipient of numerous accolades, she is the only performer to have achieved the Triple Crown of Acting in both the United States and the United Kingdom. ...
, and
John Malkovich John Malkovich (born December 9, 1953) is an American actor. He is the recipient of several accolades, including a Primetime Emmy Award, in addition to nominations for two Academy Awards, a British Academy Film Award, two Screen Actors Guild Aw ...
. ''Red'' is loosely adapted from the comic-book series
Red Red is the color at the long wavelength end of the visible spectrum of light, next to orange and opposite violet. It has a dominant wavelength of approximately 625–740 nanometres. It is a primary color in the RGB color model and a secondary ...
, created by
Warren Ellis Warren Girard Ellis (born 16 February 1968) is a British comic book writer, novelist, and screenwriter. He is best known as the co-creator of several original comics series, including ''Transmetropolitan'' (1997–2002), ''Global Frequency'' ( ...
and
Cully Hamner Cully Hamner (born 1969) is an American comic book artist, known for his work on such books as '' Green Lantern: Mosaic'', ''Blue Beetle'', '' Black Lightning: Year One'', and ''Detective Comics''. He is also the co-creator and illustrator of the ...
and published by the DC Comics imprint
Homage Homage (Old English) or Hommage (French) may refer to: History *Homage (feudal) /ˈhɒmɪdʒ/, the medieval oath of allegiance *Commendation ceremony, medieval homage ceremony Arts *Homage (arts) /oʊˈmɑʒ/, an allusion or imitation by one arti ...
. Freeman plays CIA
mentor Mentorship is the influence, guidance, or direction given by a mentor. A mentor is someone who teaches or gives help and advice to a less experienced and often younger person. In an organizational setting, a mentor influences the personal and p ...
Joe, who helps retired fellow agent Frank (Willis) to uncover some assassins. The film was a critical and commercial success; writing for Melbourne's '' The Age'', Jim Schembri praised Freeman and the cast who "bring an infectious comic energy to their roles". Besides film, Freeman worked on other projects. In January 2010, Freeman replaced Walter Cronkite as the voiceover introduction to the ''
CBS Evening News The ''CBS Evening News'' is the flagship evening television news program of CBS News, the news division of the CBS television network in the United States. The ''CBS Evening News'' is a daily evening broadcast featuring news reports, feature s ...
'' presented by Katie Couric. CBS stated the need for consistency in introductions for regular news broadcasts and special reports as the basis for the change. Deborah Myers, head of Science Channel, approached Freeman to be the presenter of '' Through the Wormhole'' (2010–17)''.'' She had heard that he was "really interested in space and the universe," and the pair agreed to develop the series together. In 2011, Freeman narrated the fantasy ''
Conan the Barbarian Conan the Barbarian (also known as Conan the Cimmerian) is a fictional sword and sorcery hero who originated in pulp magazines and has since been adapted to books, comics, films (including '' Conan the Barbarian'' and ''Conan the Destroyer''), ...
'' and appeared in the family drama ''
Dolphin Tale ''Dolphin Tale'' is a 2011 American 3D family drama film directed by Charles Martin Smith, from a screenplay by Karen Janszen and Noam Dromi and a book of the same name. It stars Harry Connick Jr., Ashley Judd, Nathan Gamble, Kris Kristofferson, ...
'', as prosthetic specialist Dr. McCarthy. Returning to theatre in 2011, Freeman was featured with
John Lithgow John Arthur Lithgow ( ; born , 1945) is an American actor. Lithgow studied at Harvard University and the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art before becoming known for his work on the stage and screen. He has been the recipient of numerous ...
in the Broadway debut of
Dustin Lance Black Dustin Lance Black (born June 10, 1974) is an American screenwriter, director, producer, and LGBT rights activist. He is known for writing the film ''Milk'', for which he won the Academy Award for Best Original Screenplay in 2009. He has also sub ...
's play, '' 8'', a staged reenactment of ''
Perry v. Brown ''Hollingsworth v. Perry'' was a series of United States federal court cases that re-legalized same-sex marriage in the state of California. The case began in 2009 in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California, which found th ...
'', the federal trial that overturned California's
Proposition 8 Proposition 8, known informally as Prop 8, was a California ballot proposition and a constitutional amendment, state constitutional amendment intended to ban same-sex marriage; it passed in the California state elections, November 2008, Novem ...
ban on same-sex marriage. Freeman played Attorney David Boies. The production was held at the
Eugene O'Neill Theatre The Eugene O'Neill Theatre, previously the Forrest Theatre and the Coronet Theatre, is a Broadway theater at 230 West 49th Street in the Theater District of Midtown Manhattan in New York City. The theater was designed by Herbert J. Krapp and ...
in New York City to raise money for the
American Foundation for Equal Rights The American Foundation for Equal Rights (AFER) was a nonprofit organization active in the United States from 2009 through 2015. The organization was established to support the plaintiffs in ''Hollingsworth v. Perry'' (formerly ''Perry v. Brown'' ...
. Freeman had a lead role in the 2012 drama ''
The Magic of Belle Isle ''The Magic of Belle Isle'' (released in the United Kingdom as ''Once More'') is a 2012 comedy-drama film directed by Rob Reiner and written by Guy Thomas. The film stars Morgan Freeman, Virginia Madsen, Emma Fuhrmann, Madeline Carroll, Kenan Th ...
'', as an alcoholic novelist trying to write again. The film fared poorly with critics, gaining only a 29% approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes. Lastly in 2012, Freeman reprised his role as Lucius Fox for the third time in '' The Dark Knight Rises.'' A number of box office hits were released in 2013. Freeman appeared in the action-thriller ''
Olympus Has Fallen ''Olympus Has Fallen'' is a 2013 American action thriller film directed and co-produced by Antoine Fuqua from a screenplay written by Creighton Rothenberger and Katrin Benedikt, and is the first installment in the ''Has Fallen'' film series. Th ...
'', the first installment in what would become the ''Has Fallen'' film series; he portrays
Speaker of the House The speaker of a deliberative assembly, especially a legislative body, is its presiding officer, or the chair. The title was first used in 1377 in England. Usage The title was first recorded in 1377 to describe the role of Thomas de Hunger ...
Allan Trumbull. The ''San Francisco Chronicle'' critic gave ''Olympus Has Fallen'' 3 out of 4 stars and opined that Freeman gave an amicable supporting performance. He then starred in the science fiction drama '' Oblivion'', with co-star Tom Cruise, as veteran soldier Malcolm Beech, and appeared in the thriller '' Now You See Me'', as an ex-magician. Lastly, he played a retiree in ''
Last Vegas ''Last Vegas'' is a 2013 American comedy film directed by Jon Turteltaub, written by Dan Fogelman and starring Michael Douglas, Robert De Niro, Morgan Freeman, Kevin Kline and Mary Steenburgen. Three retirees travel to Las Vegas to have a bachel ...
'', with co-stars
Michael Douglas Michael Kirk Douglas (born September 25, 1944) is an American actor and film producer. He has received numerous accolades, including two Academy Awards, five Golden Globe Awards, a Primetime Emmy Award, the Cecil B. DeMille Award, and the AF ...
, Robert De Niro,
Kevin Kline Kevin Delaney Kline (born October 24, 1947) is an American actor. He is the recipient of an Academy Award and three Tony Awards. In addition, he has received nominations for two British Academy Film Awards, two Primetime Emmy Awards, and five ...
, and Mary Steenburgen. Filmed in Las Vegas and Atlanta, ''Last Vegas'' was praised for its cast's chemistry, and one critic thought Freeman brought the most amusement.


2014–present: Continued success

In 2014, Freeman voiced the character Vitruvius in ''
The Lego Movie ''The Lego Movie'' is a 2014 Computer animation, computer-animated Adventure film, adventure comedy film written and directed by Phil Lord and Christopher Miller from a story by Lord, Miller, and Dan and Kevin Hageman. Based on the Lego line o ...
'', a commercially successful 3D animation. He starred in ''
Transcendence Transcendence, transcendent, or transcendental may refer to: Mathematics * Transcendental number, a number that is not the root of any polynomial with rational coefficients * Algebraic element or transcendental element, an element of a field exten ...
'', a science fiction thriller directed by
Wally Pfister Walter C. Pfister (born July 8, 1961) is an American director and former cinematographer, who is best known for his work with filmmaker Christopher Nolan. Some of his collaborations with Nolan include '' Memento'' (2000), '' The Dark Knight Tri ...
in his directorial debut, in which Freeman plays scientist Joseph Tagger. Critic reviews of the film were generally mixed, according to Metacritic. Next, he co-starred in the action ''Lucy'' (2014), about a woman ( Scarlett Johansson) who gains
psychokinetic Psychokinesis (from grc, ψυχή, , soul and grc, κίνησις, , movement, label=ㅤ), or telekinesis (from grc, τηλε, , far off and grc, κίνησις, , movement, label=ㅤ), is a hypothetical psychic ability allowing a person ...
abilities when a
nootropic Nootropics ( , or ) (colloquial: smart drugs and cognitive enhancers, similar to adaptogens) are a wide range of natural or synthetic supplements or drugs and other substances that are claimed to improve cognitive function or to promote rel ...
drug is absorbed into her bloodstream. Freeman plays Professor Samuel Norman, who helps her research the condition. Producer Virginie Silla wanted Freeman for the part because of his experience in portraying a character of wisdom.Lucy Production Notes
(PDF). '' Universal Pictures''. Retrieved July 27, 2020.
"He was the perfect actor," she said. Upon the release of ''Lucy'', critical reception ranged from mixed-to-positive. Also that year, Freeman appeared in the sequel to 2011's ''Dolphin Tale'', ''
Dolphin Tale 2 ''Dolphin Tale 2'' is a 2014 American family film written and directed by Charles Martin Smith as the sequel to his 2011 film ''Dolphin Tale'' which in-turn was based on the true story about a rescued bottlenose dolphin named Winter who made her f ...
'', and ''
5 Flights Up ''5 Flights Up'' (released in the United Kingdom as ''Ruth & Alex'') is a 2014 American comedy-drama film directed by Richard Loncraine, written by Charlie Peters, and starring Morgan Freeman and Diane Keaton. The film is based on the novel ''He ...
'', a comedy-drama. At the end of 2014, Freeman appeared as himself, among other celebrities, in the documentary '' Lennon or McCartney.''
Kazuaki Kiriya , born April 20, 1968, is a Japanese photographer and director of films and music videos. His birth name is . He is represented by Paradigm Agency. Early life and career In 1983, in his second year of junior high school, he moved to the United ...
's action-thriller ''
Last Knights ''Last Knights'' is a 2015 action drama film directed by Kazuaki Kiriya and written by Michael Konyves and Dove Sussman, based loosely on (and Westernizing, for the most part) the Japanese legend of the forty-seven rōnin. The film, a joint pro ...
'' was Freeman's first film of 2015, starring opposite
Clive Owen Clive Owen (born 3 October 1964) is an English actor. He first gained recognition in the United Kingdom for playing the lead role in the ITV series ''Chancer'' from 1990 to 1991. He received critical acclaim for his work in the film '' Close ...
. The plot centers on a band of warriors who seek to avenge the loss of their master at the hands of a corrupt minister. Reviews were largely underwhelming; Sara Stewart of '' New York Post'' called it "bloody bad," adding: "Once-proud box office names are its first casualties." Freeman next joined the cast of '' Ted 2'', a comedy sequel to '' Ted'', directed by
Seth MacFarlane Seth Woodbury MacFarlane (; born October 26, 1973) is an American actor, animator, filmmaker, comedian, and singer. He is the creator and star of the television series ''Family Guy'' (since 1999) and '' The Orville'' (since 2017), and co-creato ...
. The story follows the talking teddy bear Ted as he fights for civil rights in order to be recognized as a person. Freeman portrays Patrick Meighan, a highly respected civil rights attorney. A television series also occupied Freeman's time. He played Chief Justice Frawley of the United States Supreme Court in a recurring role in '' Madam Secretary.'' He and his producing partner Lori McCreary served as executive producers. Freeman directed the first episode; of his directing style, McCreary remarked: "What's riveting is that he can achieve a complete tonal change in performance with the least amount of direction ... Everybody behaves better when Morgan is there ... but he's very fun." At the end of 2015, Freeman played a U.S senator in the thriller '' Momentum''. Reprising his role as Allan Trumbull, Freeman appeared in ''
London Has Fallen ''London Has Fallen'' is a 2016 American action thriller film directed by Babak Najafi and written by Creighton Rothenberger, Katrin Benedikt, Chad St. John and Christian Gudegast. It is the second installment in the ''Has Fallen'' film series, ...
'', the 2016 sequel to ''Olympus Has Fallen''. The film follows a plot to assassinate the world leaders of the G7 as they attend the
British Prime Minister The prime minister of the United Kingdom is the head of government of the United Kingdom. The prime minister advises the sovereign on the exercise of much of the royal prerogative, chairs the Cabinet and selects its ministers. As modern p ...
's funeral in London, as well as
Secret Service A secret service is a government agency, intelligence agency, or the activities of a government agency, concerned with the gathering of intelligence data. The tasks and powers of a secret service can vary greatly from one country to another. Fo ...
agent Mike Banning's efforts to protect U.S President Benjamin Asher (
Aaron Eckhart Aaron Edward Eckhart (born March 12, 1968) is an American actor. Born in Cupertino, California, Eckhart moved to the United Kingdom at an early age. He began his acting career by performing in school plays, before moving to Australia for his hi ...
) from being killed. The film was a commercial success, however, writing for '' A.V. Club'', Ignatiy Vishnevetsky criticized the cheap filmmaking, saying, "The movie periodically cuts to overqualified supporting actors—including Freeman,
Melissa Leo Melissa Chessington Leo (born September 14, 1960) is an American actress. She is the recipient of several accolades, including an Academy Award, a Primetime Emmy Award, a Golden Globe Award, a Screen Actors Guild Award and two Critics' Choice Aw ...
, and Robert Forster ... (it’s possible to write something that will sound like garbage even when spoken in Freeman’s sonorous voice.)" Next, Freeman reprised his role as Thaddeus Bradley, starring in '' Now You See Me 2'' (2016), the sequel to ''Now You See Me'', the sequel grossing a successful $334.9 million worldwide. Finally, he had a leading role in the historical drama '' Ben-Hur'', the fifth
film adaptation A film adaptation is the transfer of a work or story, in whole or in part, to a feature film. Although often considered a type of derivative work, film adaptation has been conceptualized recently by academic scholars such as Robert Stam as a dia ...
of the 1880 novel '' Ben-Hur: A Tale of the Christ'' by
Lew Wallace Lewis Wallace (April 10, 1827February 15, 1905) was an American lawyer, Union general in the American Civil War, governor of the New Mexico Territory, politician, diplomat, and author from Indiana. Among his novels and biographies, Wallace is b ...
. Freeman expressed interest in playing
Sheik Ilderim ''Ben-Hur: A Tale of the Christ'' is a novel by Lew Wallace, published by Harper and Brothers on November 12, 1880, and considered "the most influential Christian book of the nineteenth century". It became a best-selling American novel, surpassin ...
, a wealthy
Nubian Nubian may refer to: *Something of, from, or related to Nubia, a region along the Nile river in Southern Egypt and northern Sudan. *Nubian people *Nubian languages *Anglo-Nubian goat, a breed of goat * Nubian ibex * , several ships of the Britis ...
sheik, stating: "This character has quite a bit of power in the story. And I like playing power. It's something about my own personal ego." ''Ben-Hur'' turned out to be one of 2016's biggest box-office bombs. In 2017, Freeman appeared in two comedies: ''
Going in Style ''Going in Style'' is a 1979 American heist comedy film written and directed by Martin Brest and starring George Burns, Art Carney, Lee Strasberg (in his final film role) and Charles Hallahan. It was Brest's first commercial feature film. Plot ...
'' and ''
Just Getting Started ''Just Getting Started'' is the seventh studio album by the Canadian rock band Loverboy, released in 2007. It was their first album of original material since 1997, and their first album to feature bassist Ken Sinnaeve. For fans who purchased ...
.'' The first of these is a remake of the 1979 film of the same name, co-starring Michael Caine and
Alan Arkin Alan Wolf Arkin (born March 26, 1934) is an American actor, director and screenwriter known for his performances on stage and screen. Throughout his career spanning over six decades, he has received various accolades, including an Academy Award ...
, in which they play bank robbers after their pensions are canceled. It opened to a mixed response; ''The Telegraph''s
Robbie Collin Robbie Collin is a British film critic. Collin studied aesthetics and the philosophy of film at the University of St Andrews, Scotland. He edited the university's student newspaper, '' The Saint''. Collin has been the chief film critic at ''The D ...
thought the trio of actors looked tired before the end of it. ''Just Getting Started'', in which Freeman starred with Tommy Lee Jones and Rene Russo, was critically panned by reviewers. The plot follows an ex-FBI agent (Jones) who must put aside his personal feud with a former mob lawyer (Freeman) at a retirement home when the mafia comes to kill the pair. Freeman hosted the National Geographic ''
The Story of God with Morgan Freeman ''The Story of God with Morgan Freeman'' is an American television documentary series that premiered on the National Geographic Channel on April 3, 2016. The series features actor Morgan Freeman who explores various cultures and religions, and th ...
'' and ''
The Story of Us with Morgan Freeman ''The Story of Us with Morgan Freeman'' is a documentary series televised on the National Geographic Channel in 2017. It is hosted and narrated by actor Morgan Freeman. Produced by Revelations Entertainment, the series examines some of the fundame ...
'', in 2016 and 2017, respectively. In 2018, Freeman narrated ''
Alpha Alpha (uppercase , lowercase ; grc, ἄλφα, ''álpha'', or ell, άλφα, álfa) is the first letter of the Greek alphabet. In the system of Greek numerals, it has a value of one. Alpha is derived from the Phoenician letter aleph , whic ...
'', a historical drama set in the last ice age. He then starred in Disney's ''
The Nutcracker and the Four Realms ''The Nutcracker and the Four Realms'' is a 2018 American fantasy adventure film directed by Lasse Hallström and Joe Johnston based on a screenplay by Ashleigh Powell. It is a retelling of E. T. A. Hoffmann's 1816 short story "The Nutcracker and ...
'', a retelling of
E. T. A. Hoffmann Ernst Theodor Amadeus Hoffmann (born Ernst Theodor Wilhelm Hoffmann; 24 January 1776 – 25 June 1822) was a German Romantic author of fantasy and Gothic horror, a jurist, composer, music critic and artist. Penrith Goff, "E.T.A. Hoffmann" in ...
's short story "
The Nutcracker and the Mouse King "The Nutcracker and the Mouse King" (german: Nussknacker und Mausekönig) is a story written in 1816 by Prussian author E. T. A. Hoffmann, in which young Marie Stahlbaum's favorite Christmas toy, the Nutcracker, comes alive and, after defeating ...
" and Marius Petipa's and
Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky , group=n ( ; 7 May 1840 – 6 November 1893) was a Russian composer of the Romantic period. He was the first Russian composer whose music would make a lasting impression internationally. He wrote some of the most popu ...
's ballet '' The Nutcracker''. Finally, he had an uncredited role as Jerome in the biographical drama '' Brian Banks'', a high-school football player who was falsely accused of rape and upon his release attempted to fulfill his dream of making the NFL. In 2019, Freeman starred opposite
John Travolta John Joseph Travolta (born February 18, 1954) is an American actor. He came to public attention during the 1970s, appearing on the television sitcom ''Welcome Back, Kotter'' (1975–1979) and starring in the box office successes '' Carrie'' (1 ...
in ''
The Poison Rose ''The Poison Rose'' (released internationally as ''Eye for an Eye'') is a 2019 American thriller film starring John Travolta and Morgan Freeman. The film was directed by George Gallo and Francesco Cinquemani. It was written by Richard Salvator ...
'', an adaptation of the novel by Richard Salvatore. In ''
Angel Has Fallen ''Angel Has Fallen'' is a 2019 American action thriller film directed by Ric Roman Waugh. It is the third installment in the ''Has Fallen'' film series, following '' Olympus Has Fallen'' (2013) and '' London Has Fallen'' (2016). The film stars ...
'', Freeman reprised his role as Allan Trumbull, the third installment in the ''Has Fallen'' film series, following ''Olympus Has Fallen'' and ''London Has Fallen''. Although critical reception was mixed, the film was a box office success, earning $147.5 million worldwide. Freeman next appeared alongside an ensemble cast in
George Gallo George Gallo Jr. (born January 1, 1956) is an American screenwriter, film director, producer, painter and musician. He is known for writing ''Midnight Run'' and '' 29th Street'', and is an accomplished painter in the style of the Pennsylvania ...
's crime comedy '' The Comeback Trail'' (2020) and in ''
Coming 2 America ''Coming 2 America'' is a 2021 American romantic comedy film that serves as a sequel to the 1988 film '' Coming to America'' starring Eddie Murphy and directed by Craig Brewer, from a screenplay by Kenya Barris, Barry W. Blaustein, and Davi ...
'' (2021), a sequel to the 1988 film. On 20 November 2022, Freeman performed with Ghanim Al-Muftah at the
opening ceremony An opening ceremony, grand opening, or ribbon-cutting ceremony marks the official opening of a newly-constructed location or the start of an event.
of the
2022 FIFA World Cup The 2022 FIFA World Cup is an international football tournament contested by the men's national teams of FIFA's member associations. The 22nd FIFA World Cup is taking place in Qatar from 20 November to 18 December 2022; it is the first Wor ...
in Qatar.


Other ventures


Environmental activism

In 2004, Freeman helped form the Grenada Relief Fund to aid people affected by Hurricane Ivan on the island of
Grenada Grenada ( ; Grenadian Creole French: ) is an island country in the West Indies in the Caribbean Sea at the southern end of the Grenadines island chain. Grenada consists of the island of Grenada itself, two smaller islands, Carriacou and ...
. The fund has since become PLANIT NOW, an organization that seeks to provide preparedness resources for people living in areas affected by hurricanes and severe storms. In 2014, he narrated a clip titled ''What's Possible'', which debuted at the United Nations climate summit. Freeman has donated to the Mississippi Horse Park in
Starkville, Mississippi Starkville is a city in, and the county seat of, Oktibbeha County, Mississippi, United States. Mississippi State University is a land-grant institution and is located partially in Starkville but primarily in an adjacent unincorporated area des ...
, part of Mississippi State University and Freeman has several horses that he takes there. After learning about the decline of honeybees, Freeman decided to turn his 124-acre ranch into a bee sanctuary in July 2014, starting with 26 beehives.


Political activism

In 2005, Freeman criticized the celebration of
Black History Month Black History Month is an annual observance originating in the United States, where it is also known as African-American History Month. It has received official recognition from governments in the United States and Canada, and more recently ...
, saying: "I don't want a black history month. Black history is American history." He opined that the only way to end racism is to stop talking about it, and he noted that there is no "white history month". In an interview with ''
60 Minutes ''60 Minutes'' is an American television news magazine broadcast on the CBS television network. Debuting in 1968, the program was created by Don Hewitt and Bill Leonard, who chose to set it apart from other news programs by using a unique sty ...
''s
Mike Wallace Myron Leon Wallace (May 9, 1918 – April 7, 2012) was an American journalist, game show host, actor, and media personality. He interviewed a wide range of prominent newsmakers during his seven-decade career. He was one of the original correspo ...
, Freeman said: "I am going to stop calling you a white man and I'm going to ask you to stop calling me a black man." Freeman supported the defeated proposal to change the Mississippi state flag, which incorporated the Confederate battle flag at the time. In an interview on CNN's ''
Piers Morgan Tonight ''Piers Morgan Live'' (formerly known as ''Piers Morgan Tonight'') was an American television talk show that was hosted by Piers Morgan and broadcast on CNN. The show premiered on January 17, 2011, and filled in the former ''Larry King Live'' ti ...
'', Freeman drew controversy when he accused the Tea Party movement of racism. Regarding the
2015 Baltimore protests On April 12, 2015, Baltimore Police Department officers arrested Freddie Gray, a 25-year-old African American resident of Baltimore, Maryland. Gray's neck and spine were injured while he was in a police vehicle and he went into a coma. On Apr ...
, Freeman said he was "absolutely" supportive of the protesters. "That unrest n Baltimorehas nothing to do with terrorism at all, except the terrorism we suffer from the police. ... Because of the technology—everybody has a smartphone—now in reaction to the
death of Freddie Gray On April 12, 2015, Freddie Carlos Gray Jr., a 25-year-old African American, was arrested by the Baltimore Police Department over his legal possession of a knife. While being transported in a police van, Gray sustained injuries and was taken to ...
we can see what the police are doing. We can show the world, 'Look, this is what happened in that situation.' So why are so many people dying in police custody? And why are they all Black? And why are all the police killing them white? What is that? The police have always said, 'I feared for my safety.' Well, now we know. OK. You feared for your safety while a guy was running away from you, right?" During the 2008 presidential election, Freeman endorsed
Barack Obama Barack Hussein Obama II ( ; born August 4, 1961) is an American politician who served as the 44th president of the United States from 2009 to 2017. A member of the Democratic Party, Obama was the first African-American president of the U ...
's presidential bid, although he said he would not join Obama's campaign. He provided the voice of the narrator for
Disney World The Walt Disney World Resort, also called Walt Disney World or Disney World, is an entertainment resort complex in Bay Lake and Lake Buena Vista, Florida, United States, near the cities of Orlando and Kissimmee. Opened on October 1, 1971, t ...
's
The Hall of Presidents The Hall of Presidents is an attraction located in Liberty Square at the Magic Kingdom at Walt Disney World. The attraction is a multi-media presentation featuring Audio-Animatronic figures of all 45 individuals who have served as President ...
when Obama was added to the exhibit, and when The Hall of Presidents re-opened on July 4, 2009, at Walt Disney World Resort in Orlando, Florida. On day four of the
2016 Democratic National Convention The 2016 Democratic National Convention was a presidential nominating convention, held at the Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, from July 25 to 28, 2016. The convention gathered delegates of the Democratic Party, the majo ...
, Freeman provided the voiceover for the video introduction of Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton. On September 19, 2017, Freeman appeared in a video by the Committee to Investigate Russia group, in which he declared "we
nited States The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 states, a federal district, five major unincorporated territorie ...
are at war" and accusing Russia of "launching cyber attacks and spreading false information". In June 2021, he donated $1 million along with University of Mississippi Professor Linda Keena to the university in order to establish the Center for Evidence-Based Policing and Reform.


Business ventures

In 1997, Freeman and business partner Lori McCreary founded
Revelations Entertainment Revelations Entertainment is an independent movie production company founded by actor Morgan Freeman and business partner Lori McCreary in 1996. Its mission statement, to "reveal truth," drives to company produce thought-provoking entertainment w ...
, a film production company. They also founded
ClickStar ClickStar was a broadband movie distribution company founded by actor Morgan Freeman and film producer Lori McCreary of Revelations Entertainment. ClickStar launched on December 15, 2006 under the leadership of interim CEO James J. Ackerman and C ...
in 2006, a film download company, with investment from Intel Corporation. ClickStar ceased operations in 2008. Freeman owns and operates
Ground Zero In relation to nuclear explosions and other large bombs, ground zero (also called surface zero) is the point on the Earth's surface closest to a detonation. In the case of an explosion above the ground, ''ground zero'' is the point on the ground ...
, a blues club in
Clarksdale, Mississippi Clarksdale is a city in and the county seat of Coahoma County, Mississippi, United States. It is located along the Sunflower River. Clarksdale is named after John Clark, a settler who founded the city in the mid-19th century when he establishe ...
, and is the former co-owner of Madidi, a fine dining restaurant in the same city.


Personal life

Freeman was married to Jeanette Adair Bradshaw from October 22, 1967, until November 18, 1979, and subsequently married Myrna Colley-Lee on June 16, 1984. The couple separated in December 2007 and divorced on September 15, 2010. Freeman has four children: Alfonso, Deena, Morgana, and Saifoulaye. Freeman and Colley-Lee also raised Freeman's step-granddaughter from his first marriage, E'dena Hines. On August 16, 2015, 33-year-old Hines was murdered in New York City. Freeman resides in Charleston, Mississippi, and maintains a home in New York City. He earned a private pilot's license at age 65 and owns or has owned at least three private aircraft, including both a
Cessna Citation 501 The Cessna 500 Citation I is a small business jet produced by Cessna, the basis of the Citation family. The Fanjet 500 prototype was announced in October 1968, first flew on September 15, 1969, and was certified as the 500 Citation on September ...
and
Cessna 414 The Cessna 414 is an American light, pressurized, twin-engine transport aircraft built by Cessna. It first flew in 1968 and an improved variant was introduced from 1978 as the 414A Chancellor. Design and development The pressurized 414 was dev ...
, and an
Emivest SJ30 The SyberJet SJ30 is a light business jet built by American company SyberJet Aircraft. In October 1986, Ed Swearingen announced the new design, a 6 to 8 person aircraft powered by two Williams FJ44 turbofans. Initially backed by Gulfstream Ae ...
. When asked if he believed in God, Freeman said: "It's a hard question because as I said at the start, I think we invented
God In monotheistic thought, God is usually viewed as the supreme being, creator, and principal object of faith. Swinburne, R.G. "God" in Honderich, Ted. (ed)''The Oxford Companion to Philosophy'', Oxford University Press, 1995. God is typically ...
. So if I believe in God, and I do, it's because I think I'm God." Freeman later said that his experience working on ''The Story of God with Morgan Freeman'' did not change his views on religion. He is a practicing Zoroastrian. On the evening of August 3, 2008, Freeman was injured in an automobile crash when his 1997
Nissan Maxima The Nissan Maxima is a full-size car manufactured and marketed by Nissan and offered as Nissan's flagship sedan primarily in North America, the Middle East, and China — and currently in its eighth generation. Having debuted for model year 1 ...
was involved in a
rollover Rollover or roll over may refer to: Arts and entertainment * ''Rollover'' (film), a 1981 American political thriller *''Roll Over'', a 1992 album by Hound Dog * "Roll Over", a 2006 song by Zico Chain * "Roll Over", a 1989 song by Steven Wayne ...
near
Ruleville, Mississippi Ruleville is a city in Sunflower County, Mississippi, United States, in the Mississippi Delta region. The population was 3,007 at the 2010 census. It is the second-largest community in the rural county.Moye, J. Todd. '' Let the People Decide: B ...
. He and his passenger, Demaris Meyer, had to be cut free from the vehicle with
hydraulic tools Hydraulics (from Greek: Υδραυλική) is a technology and applied science using engineering, chemistry, and other sciences involving the mechanical properties and use of liquids. At a very basic level, hydraulics is the liquid counter ...
. Freeman was conscious after the crash and joked with a photographer at the scene. He was taken via helicopter to The Regional Medical Center (The Med) hospital in Memphis. His left shoulder, arm, and elbow had been broken in the accident, and he received surgery on August 5. Doctors operated on him for four hours to repair nerve damage in his shoulder and arm. His publicist announced he was expected to make a full recovery. Although alcohol was not considered a factor in the crash, Meyer sued Freeman for negligence, claiming that he had been consuming alcohol, but the suit was eventually settled for an undisclosed amount. Since the incident, Freeman suffers from fibromyalgia. In December 2010, Freeman joined President Bill Clinton, President of the United States Soccer Federation
Sunil Gulati Sunil Gulati ( ; born July 30, 1959) is an American sports administrator who presided over the United States Soccer Federation (USSF) from 2006 to 2018. On April 19, 2013, he was elected to a four-year term on the FIFA Council. In March 2014, he ...
, and soccer player Landon Donovan in Zurich for a presentation to bid for the U.S hosting rights for the
2022 FIFA World Cup The 2022 FIFA World Cup is an international football tournament contested by the men's national teams of FIFA's member associations. The 22nd FIFA World Cup is taking place in Qatar from 20 November to 18 December 2022; it is the first Wor ...
.


Allegations of sexual harassment

On May 24, 2018, CNN published an investigation in which eight women accused Freeman of being "overly flirtatious" by "making inappropriate comments" while on the set of films or at his production company. In response, Freeman issued a statement: "Anyone who knows me or has worked with me knows I am not someone who would intentionally offend or knowingly make anyone feel uneasy. I apologize to anyone who felt uncomfortable or disrespected—that was never my intent." The spokesperson for Lori McCreary, Freeman's business partner, did not respond to CNN's request for comment. Several journalists spoke out in response to the story, including Tyra Martin who stated, "I’m not, never was victim CNN totally misrepresented the video and took my remarks out of context.” Freeman's lawyer demanded that CNN retract the story. The
Screen Actors Guild The Screen Actors Guild (SAG) was an American labor union which represented over 100,000 film and television principal and background performers worldwide. On March 30, 2012, the union leadership announced that the SAG membership voted to mer ...
(SAG) did not take any action against Freeman. On December 8, 2020, ''
La Opinión ''La Opinión'' is a Spanish-language daily newspaper and website based in Los Angeles, California. It is the largest Spanish-language newspaper in the United States and the second-most read newspaper in Los Angeles (after ''The Los Angeles Time ...
'' reported on a Spanish-language blog post from 2018 that alleged that CNN fabricated their report on Freeman.


Artistry and legacy

Freeman's deep voice is considered to be distinctive, iconic, and recognizable, which frequently makes him a preferable choice for narration in films and documentaries. The journalist Radhika Sanghani writes that his "deeply reassuring voice, with its mellifluous tones and authoritative presence, is why an entire generation still hear his trademark tones when they think of the almighty". Freeman said that his voice developed in this way while taking speech classes in college; he found that most people speak in a voice either too fast or too high and he developed a commanding voice by speaking in a lower octave and enunciating each word. According to author
Miriam DeCosta-Willis Miriam DeCosta-Willis (November 1, 1934 – January 7, 2021) was an American educator, writer, and civil rights activist. The first African-American faculty member at Memphis State University, having previously been denied admission to the schoo ...
, Freeman is an intuitive actor. He likes to select his roles carefully, and study the character to ensure he portrays them with depth, sensitivity, and substance. Commenting on Freeman's persona,
Beverly Todd Beverly Todd (born July 11, 1946) is an American actress, producer and writer. She is known for her roles in films '' Brother John'' (1971), '' Moving'' (1988), '' Lean on Me'' (1989) and '' The Bucket List'' (2007). On television, Todd appeare ...
, who co-starred with him in ''Lean on Me'' (1989) and ''The Bucket List'' (2007), said: "The world knows he is such a consummate actor. He's a very sharing actor and such a nice guy. He's not the kind of actor who demands that he has all of the scenes and all the dialogues and all the emphasis is on him". Freeman has said he is interested in playing character roles, and values the importance of listening carefully while filming scenes: "The big danger in acting is to wait for your line. That's what I never do. I always listen, no matter how many times we do it." On October 28, 2006, Freeman was honored at the first Mississippi's Best Awards in Jackson, Mississippi with the Lifetime Achievement Award for his work in film and theatre. He received an honorary Doctor of Arts and Letters degree from
Delta State University Delta State University (DSU) is a public university in Cleveland, Mississippi, a city in the Mississippi Delta. History The school was established in 1924 by the State of Mississippi, using the facilities of the former Bolivar County Agricult ...
during the school's commencement exercises on May 13, 2006. In 2013,
Boston University Boston University (BU) is a Private university, private research university in Boston, Massachusetts. The university is nonsectarian, but has a historical affiliation with the United Methodist Church. It was founded in 1839 by Methodists with ...
presented him with an honorary Doctor of Humane Letters degree. On November 12, 2014, he was bestowed the honor of
Freedom of the City The Freedom of the City (or Borough in some parts of the UK) is an honour bestowed by a municipality upon a valued member of the community, or upon a visiting celebrity or dignitary. Arising from the medieval practice of granting respected ...
by the City of London. In 2008, Freeman was chosen as a Kennedy Center Honoree at the
John F. Kennedy Center The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts (formally known as the John F. Kennedy Memorial Center for the Performing Arts, and commonly referred to as the Kennedy Center) is the United States National Cultural Center, located on the Potom ...
in Washington D.C. In 2011, he received the
AFI Life Achievement Award The AFI Life Achievement Award was established by the board of directors of the American Film Institute on February 26, 1973, to honor a single individual for his or her lifetime contribution to enriching American culture through motion picture ...
in recognition of his contribution to the film industry. Those who honored Freeman included Sidney Poitier,
Samuel L. Jackson Samuel Leroy Jackson (born December 21, 1948) is an American actor and producer. One of the most widely recognized actors of his generation, the films in which he has appeared have collectively grossed over $27 billion worldwide, making him ...
,
Forest Whitaker Forest Steven Whitaker (born July 15, 1961) is an American actor. He is the recipient of various accolades, including an Academy Award, a Golden Globe Award, a British Academy Film Award, and two Screen Actors Guild Awards. After making his f ...
, Rita Moreno,
Helen Mirren Dame Helen Mirren (born Helen Lydia Mironoff; born 26 July 1945) is an English actor. The recipient of numerous accolades, she is the only performer to have achieved the Triple Crown of Acting in both the United States and the United Kingdom. ...
,
Clint Eastwood Clinton Eastwood Jr. (born May 31, 1930) is an American actor and film director. After achieving success in the Western TV series '' Rawhide'', he rose to international fame with his role as the "Man with No Name" in Sergio Leone's "''Dolla ...
,
Cuba Gooding Jr. Cuba Mark Gooding Jr. (born January 2, 1968) is an American actor. He is the recipient of an Academy Award, a Screen Actors Guild Award, and an Emmy nomination. After his breakthrough role as Tre Styles in ''Boyz n the Hood'' (1991), he appeared ...
, and Matthew Broderick. In 2012, he was awarded the
Golden Globe Cecil B. DeMille Award The Cecil B. DeMille Award is an honorary Golden Globe Award bestowed by the Hollywood Foreign Press Association (HFPA) for "outstanding contributions to the world of entertainment". The HFPA board of directors selects the honorees from a variety ...
, which recognizes lifetime achievement in the film industry. In August 2017, he was named the 54th recipient of the
Screen Actors Guild Life Achievement Award The Screen Actors Guild Life Achievement Award is presented by the Screen Actors Guild's National Honors and Tributes Committee for "outstanding achievement in fostering the finest ideals of the acting profession." It predates the 1st Screen Actor ...
for career achievement and humanitarian accomplishment. His co-star Rita Moreno from ''The Electric Company'' presented him the award in the following January.


Filmography and theatre credits

Select filmography: Prolific in film since 1964, Freeman's most acclaimed and highest-grossing films, according to the online portal
Box Office Mojo Box Office Mojo is an American website that tracks box-office revenue in a systematic, algorithmic way. The site was founded in 1998 by Brandon Gray, and was bought in 2008 by IMDb, which itself is owned by Amazon. History Brandon Gray beg ...
and the review aggregate site Rotten Tomatoes, include: Select theatre roles:


Awards and nominations

Freeman has been recognized by the
Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS, often pronounced ; also known as simply the Academy or the Motion Picture Academy) is a professional honorary organization with the stated goal of advancing the arts and sciences of motio ...
for the following performances: *
60th Academy Awards The 60th Academy Awards ceremony, presented by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS), took place on April 11, 1988, at the Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles beginning at 6:00 p.m. PDT. During the ceremony, AMPAS presented ...
: Best Supporting Actor, nomination, for ''Street Smart'' (1987) *
62nd Academy Awards The 62nd Academy Awards ceremony, presented by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS), honored the best films of 1989 and took place on March 26, 1990, at the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion in Los Angeles beginning at 6:00 p. ...
: Best Actor, nomination, for ''Driving Miss Daisy'' (1989) *
67th Academy Awards The 67th Academy Awards ceremony, organized by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS) took place on March 27, 1995, at the Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles beginning at 6:00 p.m. PST / 9:00 p.m. EST. During the cer ...
: Best Actor, nomination, for ''The Shawshank Redemption'' (1994) *
77th Academy Awards The 77th Academy Awards ceremony, presented by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS), took place on February 27, 2005, at the Kodak Theatre in Hollywood, Los Angeles beginning at 5:30 p.m. PST / 8:30 p.m. EST. During ...
: Best Supporting Actor, win, for ''Million Dollar Baby'' (2004) *
82nd Academy Awards The 82nd Academy Awards ceremony, presented by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS), honored the best films of 2009 and took place on March 7, 2010, at the Kodak Theatre in Hollywood, Los Angeles beginning at 5:30 p.m. ...
: Best Actor, nomination, for ''Invictus'' (2009) Freeman has been nominated for five Golden Globe Awards, winning one for
Best Actor Best Actor is the name of an award which is presented by various film, television and theatre organizations, festivals, and people's awards to leading actors in a film, television series, television film or play. The term most often refers to the ...
in ''Driving Miss Daisy'' (1989). He has also been nominated for three Screen Actors Guild Awards, winning one for Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Supporting Role in ''Million Dollar Baby'' (2004)''.'' He earned an Obie Award for each theatre role in ''Coriolanus'' (1979)'',
Mother Courage and Her Children ''Mother Courage and Her Children'' (german: Mutter Courage und ihre Kinder, links=no) is a play written in 1939 by the German dramatist and poet Bertolt Brecht (1898–1956), with significant contributions from Margarete Steffin. Four theatrical ...
'' (1980), and ''Driving Miss Daisy'' (1987–90).


See also

*
African Americans in Mississippi African Americans in Mississippi or Black Mississippians are residents of the state of Mississippi who are of African American ancestry. As of the 2019 U.S. Census estimates, African Americans were 37.8% of the state's population which is the ...


References


External links

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Morgan Freeman
at Hollywood Walk of Fame * * * * * * * {{DEFAULTSORT:Freeman, Morgan 1937 births Living people 20th-century American male actors 21st-century American male actors AFI Life Achievement Award recipients African-American film directors African-American film producers African-American male actors African-American television producers American beekeepers American film producers American humanitarians American male film actors American male Shakespearean actors American male stage actors American male television actors American male voice actors American people of Nigerien descent American people of Songhai descent American people of Tuareg descent American philanthropists American sketch comedians Aviators from Tennessee Best Musical or Comedy Actor Golden Globe (film) winners Best Supporting Actor Academy Award winners Cecil B. DeMille Award Golden Globe winners Film directors from Indiana Film directors from Mississippi Film directors from Tennessee Film producers from Indiana Film producers from Mississippi Film producers from Tennessee Independent Spirit Award for Best Supporting Male winners Kennedy Center honorees Male actors from Chicago Male actors from Indiana Male actors from Memphis, Tennessee Male actors from Mississippi Male actors from Tennessee Military personnel from Tennessee Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Supporting Role Screen Actors Guild Award winners People from Charleston, Mississippi People from Clarksdale, Mississippi People from Gary, Indiana People from Greenwood, Mississippi People with fibromyalgia Television producers from Illinois Television producers from Indiana Television producers from Tennessee United States Air Force airmen