Freeman was born on June 1, 1937, in Memphis, Tennessee, to Mamie Edna (née Revere; 1912–2000), a teacher, and Morgan Porterfield Freeman (July 6, 1915 – April 27, 1961), a barber who passed away from cirrhosis in 1961. He grew up with three older siblings. Some of Freeman’s great-great-grandparents were formerly enslaved individuals who migrated from North Carolina to Mississippi. Freeman later discovered that his white maternal great-great-grandfather had lived with and was buried beside his black great-great-grandmother in the segregated South, as they couldn’t legally marry at the time. Genetic testing revealed that about a quarter of his African ancestors hailed from the area spanning from present-day Senegal to Liberia, while three-quarters came from the Congo-Angola region.
Freeman spent his early years with his paternal grandmother in Charleston, Mississippi, and moved frequently during his childhood, residing in Greenwood, Mississippi; Gary, Indiana; and eventually settling in Chicago, Illinois. He made his acting debut at the age of nine in a school play and attended Broad Street High School in Greenwood, Mississippi. At 12, he won a statewide drama competition, discovering his passion for music and theater while in school. However, at 16, he fell ill with pneumonia.
Although Freeman graduated from high school in 1955, he declined a partial drama scholarship from Jackson State University and instead enlisted in the United States Air Force, where he served as an Automatic Tracking Radar repairman until 1959. After his military service, he moved to Los Angeles, California, where he pursued acting classes at the Pasadena Playhouse and studied theater arts at Los Angeles City College. There, a teacher encouraged him to explore a career in dance.
Freeman ventured into various entertainment roles, including dancing at the 1964 World’s Fair and joining the Opera Ring musical theater group in San Francisco. He began his acting career with a touring company production of The Royal Hunt of the Sun and landed an extra role in Sidney Lumet’s 1965 drama film The Pawnbroker. Freeman realized his passion lay in acting and made his Off-Broadway debut in 1967 in The Niggerlovers, a play about the Freedom Riders. The following year, he appeared on Broadway in an all-black version of Hello, Dolly!
From 1971 to 1975, Freeman starred in the PBS children’s television show The Electric Company, which provided him financial stability and exposure. Despite his success, he found the experience tiring and eventually left the show. He made his feature film debut in 1971’s Who Says I Can’t Ride a Rainbow! and continued to pursue theater roles, winning awards for his performances in productions like The Mighty Gents and The Gospel at Colonus.
Freeman’s breakthrough came in 1987 when he portrayed a violent street hustler in Street Smart, earning him critical acclaim and an Academy Award nomination for Best Supporting Actor. He continued to excel in diverse roles, garnering praise for his performances in films like Clean and Sober and theater productions such as Driving Miss Daisy.
In 1989, Freeman was featured in four film releases. Firstly, he portrayed Sergeant Major John Rawlins in “Glory,” directed by Edward Zwick, a film centered around the 54th Massachusetts Infantry Regiment, the second African-American regiment in the Union Army during the Civil War. Desson Thomson, writing for The Washington Post, lauded Freeman and his co-star Denzel Washington for their camaraderie, describing it as “warming sense of fraternity.” “Glory” received five Academy Award nominations, winning three, including Best Supporting Actor for Washington, Best Cinematography, and Best Sound. Following this, Freeman appeared in the comedy-drama “Driving Miss Daisy,” co-starring Jessica Tandy and Dan Aykroyd. Adapted from Alfred Uhry’s play, Freeman reprised his role as Hoke Colburn, the chauffeur for a Jewish widow. The film achieved commercial success, grossing $145 million worldwide, with critics like Henry Sheehan from The Hollywood Reporter appreciating the performances of Freeman and Tandy. “Driving Miss Daisy” received nine Academy Award nominations, with Freeman nominated for Best Actor.
In his third release of the year, Freeman starred in the biographical drama “Lean on Me,” portraying the principal of a troubled New Jersey high school. Jane Galbraith of Variety magazine praised Freeman’s casting as “wonderful.” Lastly, in 1989, he featured in Walter Hill’s “Johnny Handsome,” a crime drama where he played a New Orleans police officer. In a 1990 interview, Freeman expressed his fondness for “Glory,” stating, “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 addition to his film roles, Freeman provided the voice of Frederick Douglass in “The Civil War,” a television miniseries about the American Civil War. He also appeared in “The Bonfire of the Vanities,” which received mixed reviews, and portrayed Petruchio in Shakespeare’s “The Taming of the Shrew.”
In 1991, Freeman had a supporting role in “Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves,” a commercially successful action-adventure film. He also narrated “The True Story of Glory Continues,” a documentary about the 54th Massachusetts Infantry Regiment. The following year, Freeman starred in Clint Eastwood’s “Unforgiven,” a western that won four Academy Awards, including Best Picture. He also appeared in “The Power of One,” directed by John G. Avildsen, and made his directorial debut with the drama “Bopha!” In 1994, Freeman portrayed Red in “The Shawshank Redemption,” receiving critical acclaim despite the film’s initial box office disappointment.
Continuing his successful career, Freeman appeared in films like “Outbreak” (1995), “Seven” (1995), and “Deep Impact” (1998). He also ventured into producing, co-founding Revelations Entertainment with Lori McCreary. Throughout the late 1990s and early 2000s, Freeman continued to take on diverse roles, showcasing his talent and versatility in both mainstream blockbusters and smaller-scale productions.
In 2005, Freeman took on roles in six different films. In the drama “An Unfinished Life,” he portrayed Mitch, a neighbor to a Wyoming rancher played by Robert Redford. While some critics found the film amiable, questions arose about the purpose of Freeman’s “sidekick” role. Additionally, Freeman’s distinctive voice led him to narrate two documentaries: Steven Spielberg’s “War of the Worlds” and the Academy Award-winning “March of the Penguins.” He also appeared in Christopher Nolan’s “Batman Begins” as Lucius Fox, marking the beginning of The Dark Knight Trilogy. Following this, Freeman starred alongside Jet Li in the action-thriller “Unleashed,” playing Sam, a blind piano tuner who aids Li’s character in transforming his life. While the film received mixed-to-positive reviews, some critics found Freeman’s character disruptive to the narrative. Freeman’s subsequent role was in the thriller “Edison,” which performed poorly at the box office. Lastly, he lent his voice to the documentary “Magnificent Desolation: Walking on the Moon 3D,” portraying Neil Armstrong.
In 2006, Freeman appeared in “The Contract” as assassin Frank Carden opposite John Cusack, though the film was released directly to video. He then starred in “Lucky Number Slevin,” a crime thriller directed by Paul McGuigan, which received mixed reviews. Freeman portrayed himself in the low-budget comedy “10 Items or Less,” which became available for download two weeks after its theatrical release through ClickStar, a film distribution company co-founded by Freeman that year.
The following year, Freeman reprised his role as God in “Evan Almighty,” a sequel to “Bruce Almighty,” but the film was both a box-office disappointment and critically panned. He also appeared in “Feast of Love,” which received mixed reviews, with critics sarcastically noting the challenge of seeing Freeman in a more demanding role. Freeman had a supporting part in “Gone Baby Gone,” Ben Affleck’s directorial debut, which was well-received. He then starred in Rob Reiner’s comedy “The Bucket List” alongside Jack Nicholson, which grossed $175 million worldwide.
In 2008, Freeman joined the cast of the action-thriller “Wanted” as Sloan, the leader of a secret society. The film received generally favorable reviews, with Freeman’s performance being praised as bold and original. He also narrated “The Love Guru” before reprising his role as Lucius Fox in “The Dark Knight,” the second installment of Christopher Nolan’s Dark Knight Trilogy. Additionally, Freeman returned to Broadway after eighteen years in Clifford Odets’ play “The Country Girl.”
Freeman continued to diversify his roles in subsequent years. In 2009, he starred opposite Antonio Banderas in the heist movie “Thick as Thieves” and collaborated with Christopher Walken and William H. Macy for the comedy “The Maiden Heist.” He also acquired the film rights to John Carlin’s book “Playing the Enemy: Nelson Mandela and the Game That Made a Nation,” which was adapted into the biographical drama “Invictus.” Freeman’s portrayal of Mandela earned him critical acclaim and several award nominations.
In 2014, Freeman voiced the character Vitruvius in “The Lego Movie” and appeared in films such as “Transcendence,” “Lucy,” “Dolphin Tale 2,” and “5 Flights Up.” He also appeared as himself in the documentary “Lennon or McCartney.”
Freeman’s projects in subsequent years included roles in films like “Last Knights,” “Ted 2,” “London Has Fallen,” “Now You See Me 2,” and “Ben-Hur.” He also starred in television series like “Madam Secretary,” where he served as an executive producer and director.
Freeman’s extensive career continued with roles in films such as “Alpha,” “The Nutcracker and the Four Realms,” and “Brian Banks” in 2018. In 2019, he starred in “The Poison Rose” alongside John Travolta, followed by “Angel Has Fallen” in 2019.
Freeman’s later projects included appearances in “The Comeback Trail” (2020) and “Coming 2 America” (2021). He also performed at the opening ceremony of the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar alongside Ghanim Al-Muftah.
Name | Morgan Freeman |
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Date of Birth | 01/06/1937 |
Current Residence | Memphis, Tennessee, U.S. |
Religion | Christian |
Nationality | American |
Height | 172 CM |
Hobbies | Acting, Dancing |
Father | Morgan Porterfield Freeman |
Mother | Mayme Edna Revere |
Spouse | Jeanette Adair Bradshaw (m. 1967; div. 1979) Myrna Colley-Lee (m. 1984; div. 2010) |
Children | 4 |
Educational Qualification | Graduate |
Debut Movies | |
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Language | Movie Name |
English | Who Says I Can't Ride a Rainbow! |
Awards List | ||||
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Year | Award | Category | Movie Name |