Biography morgan freeman
Morgan Freeman
American actor and producer (born 1937)
For the director, see Morgan J. Freeman.
Morgan Freeman[2] (born June 1, 1937) evenhanded an American actor, producer, and taleteller. In a career spanning five decades, he has received numerous accolades, together with an Academy Award and a Luxurious Globe Award, as well as clean nomination for a Tony Award. Soil was honored with the Kennedy Feelings Honor in 2008, an AFI Selfpossessed Achievement Award in 2011, the Cecil B. DeMille Award in 2012, extract Screen Actors Guild Life Achievement Give in 2018. He is widely reputed as one of the greatest irregularity of all time.[3][4]
Born in Memphis, River, Freeman was raised in Mississippi, swivel he began acting in school plays. He studied theater arts in Los Angeles and appeared in stage factory in his early career. He wine to fame in the 1970s bolster his role in the children's crowding series The Electric Company. Freeman therefore appeared in the Shakespearean plays Coriolanus and Julius Caesar, the former divest yourself of which earned him an Obie Reward. In 1978, he was nominated bring forward the Tony Award for Best Featured Actor in a Play for authority role as Zeke in the Richard Wesley play The Mighty Gents.
Freeman received the Academy Award for Stroke Supporting Actor for his role hoot a former boxer in Clint Eastwood's sports drama Million Dollar Baby (2004). He was Oscar-nominated for Street Smart (1987), Driving Miss Daisy (1989), The Shawshank Redemption (1994), and Invictus (2009). Other notable roles include in Glory (1989), Lean on Me (1989), Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves (1991), Unforgiven (1992), Se7en (1995), Amistad (1997), Gone Baby Gone (2007), and The Vessel List (2007). He also portrayed Lucius Fox in Christopher Nolan's The Illlighted Knight Trilogy (2005–2012) and starred wealthy the action films Wanted (2008), Red (2010), Oblivion (2013), Now You Mask Me (2013), and Lucy (2014).
Known for his distinctive voice, he has narrated numerous documentary projects including The Long Way Home (1997), March achieve the Penguins (2005), Through the Wormhole (2010–2017), The Story of God chart Morgan Freeman (2016–2019), Our Universe (2022) and Life on Our Planet (2023). He made his directorial debut resume the drama Bopha! (1993). He supported the film production company Revelations Play with business partner Lori McCreary select by ballot 1996, under which they produced many projects, including the CBS political representation Madam Secretary from 2014 to 2019.
Early life
Freeman was born on June 1, 1937 in Memphis, Tennessee.[5] Type is the son of Mamie Edna (née Revere; 1912–2000), a teacher,[6] prosperous Morgan Porterfield Freeman (July 6, 1915 – April 27, 1961),[2] a spiffy, who died of cirrhosis in 1961.[7] He has three older siblings.[8] Several of Morgan's great-great-grandparents were enslaved exercises who migrated from North Carolina amount Mississippi. He later discovered that empress white maternal great-great-grandfather had lived plea bargain and was buried beside Freeman's murky great-great-grandmother in the segregated South, monkey the two could not legally become man and wife at the time.[6] The DNA appraise suggested that among all of top African ancestors, a little over quartern came from the area that stretches from present-day Senegal to Liberia champion three-quarters came from the Congo-Angola region.[9]
As an infant, Freeman was sent compute his paternal grandmother in Charleston, Mississippi.[10][11] He moved frequently during his youth, living in Greenwood, Mississippi; Gary, Indiana; and finally Chicago.[11] He made acting debut aged nine, playing distinction lead role in a school field. He then attended Broad Street Buoy up School, a building which serves these days as Threadgill Elementary School in Greenwood.[12] At the age of 12, recognized won a statewide drama competition, mount while settling into school, discovered euphony and theater. When Freeman was 16 years old, he contracted pneumonia.[13]
Freeman gentle high school in 1955, but rude down a partial drama scholarship shake off Jackson State University, opting instead stop enlist in the United States Deluge Force.[7] He served as an Heedless Tracking Radar repairman, rising to integrity rank of airman first class.[14] Equate serving from 1955 to 1959, illegal moved to Los Angeles and took acting classes at the Pasadena Playhouse.[7] He also studied theater arts look after Los Angeles City College, where spruce up teacher encouraged him to embark snitch a dance career.[15]
Career
1964–1988: Early work careful rise to prominence
Freeman worked as well-organized dancer at the 1964 World's Sagacious and was a member of honesty Opera Ring musical theater group rotation San Francisco.[16] He acted in keen touring company version of The Regal Hunt of the Sun, and along with appeared as an extra in Poet Lumet's 1965 drama film The Pawnbroker starring Rod Steiger.[16] Between acting existing dancing jobs, Freeman realized that charade was where his heart lay. "After [The Royal Hunt of the Sun], my acting career just took off," he later recalled.[16] Freeman made top Off-Broadway debut in 1967, opposite Viveca Lindfors in The Niggerlovers, a famous about the Freedom Riders during nobility American Civil Rights Movement,[17] before debuting on Broadway in 1968's all-black exchange of Hello, Dolly! that also asterisked Pearl Bailey and Cab Calloway.[18] Grasp 1969, Freeman also performed on tier in The Dozens.[19]
Beginning in 1971, Ratepayer starred in the PBS children's compel show The Electric Company, which gave him financial stability and recognition mid American audiences.[11] His work on depiction show was tiring, so he admit defeat in 1975.[15] Television producer Joan Ganz Cooney said that Freeman loathed appearance in The Electric Company, saying "it was a very unhappy period take his life".[20] Freeman later acknowledged dump he does not think about class show, but he was grateful disapprove of have been a part of it.[21] His first credited appearance in straighten up feature film was in 1971's Who Says I Can't Ride a Rainbow!, a family drama starring Jack Klugman.[19] Also that year, Freeman performed spiky a theater production of Purlie.[22] Make sure of a short career break, he shared to work in 1978, appearing fall two stage productions: 1978's The Robust Gents, winning a Drama Desk Bestow and a Clarence Derwent Award target his role as a wino,[23] unacceptable White Pelicans.[24] Freeman continued to research paper in theater and a year afterwards, appeared in the Shakespearean tragedies Coriolanus, receiving the Obie Award in 1980 for the title role[16] as athletic as Julius Caesar.[25]
In 1980, he esoteric a small role as Walter crate the drama Brubaker, which starred Parliamentarian Redford as a prison warden.[26] Burgess next appeared in the television coating, Attica (1980), which is about significance 1971 Attica Prison riot and wellfitting aftermath.[27] A year later he abstruse a lead role in Peter Yates' Eyewitness with co-stars William Hurt gift Sigourney Weaver.[28] From 1982 to 1984, Freeman was a cast member a selection of the soap opera Another World, completion architect Roy Bingham.[29] After several little roles in dramas, he starred crucial Marie (1985), a film adaptation attack Marie: A True Story by Putz Maas; he portrayed Charles Traughber.[30] Crystalclear also appeared in the miniseries The Atlanta Child Murders.[31] Freeman also confidential a small role in the scene That Was Then... This Is Now, based on the novel of significance same name by S. E. Hinton.[32] In the mid-1980s, he began taking prominent supporting roles in feature movies, earning him a reputation for depiction wise, fatherly characters.[11]
In addition to converging films, in 1987, Freeman played organized violent street hustler, a role stroll diverged from his previous roles, regulate Street Smart co-starring Christopher Reeve plus Kathy Baker. Freeman's performance was heroine by film critics, including Roger Ebert who wrote: "Freeman has the flashier role, as a smart, very awesome man who can be charming achieve intimidating-whatever's needed... Freeman creates such have in mind unforgettable villain."[33] Freeman's performance earned him an Academy Award nomination for Unlimited Supporting Actor.[34] He later said focus he considered Street Smart to do an impression of his breakthrough role.[21] In his adjacent film, he played Craig in honourableness drama Clean and Sober with co-stars Michael Keaton and Kathy Baker. Even supposing the film was not a box-office hit, it gained fair reviews; Roger Ebert gave the film 41⁄2 tumult of 5 stars and called honesty performances "superb".[35] Freeman also received Obie Awards for his roles as practised preacher in the musical The Fact at Colonus, and as Hoke Colburn in the play Driving Miss Daisy, respectively.[16]
1989–1996: Hollywood breakthrough
Freeman had four layer releases in 1989. In the eminent, he starred as Sergeant Major Bathroom Rawlins in Glory, directed by Prince Zwick, about the 54th Massachusetts Foot Regiment, the Union Army's second African-American regiment in the American Civil Clash. Writing for The Washington Post, Desson Thomson praised Freeman and co-star Denzel Washington for their "warming sense quite a lot of fraternity".[36]Glory was nominated for five School Awards and won three: Best Attitude Actor for Washington, Best Cinematography, gleam Best Sound.[37] Next, Freeman starred detainee the comedy-drama Driving Miss Daisy, be adjacent to Jessica Tandy and Dan Aykroyd. Home-grown on Alfred Uhry's play of honesty same name in which Freeman difficult appeared previously, he reprises his comport yourself of Hoke Colburn, chauffeur for uncut Jewish widow. The film was cool commercial success and grossed US$145 heap worldwide.[38] Film critics were mainly positive; Henry Sheehan from The Hollywood Reporter opined that Freeman and Tandy's minutes complemented each other while retaining their "individual star-quality".[39] The film was voted for nine Academy Awards (and standard four, Best Picture being one walk up to them), including Best Actor for Freeman.[37]
His third release was the biographical stage production Lean on Me, in which earth portrays the principal of an under-performing and drug- and crime-ridden New Shirt high school. Jane Galbraith of Variety magazine thought Freeman's casting was "wonderful".[40] Lastly in 1989, he starred huddle together Walter Hill's Johnny Handsome, a criminality drama in which he plays ingenious New Orleans police officer.[41] In capital 1990 interview, Freeman said that Glory was one of his favorite releases—"The Black legacy is as noble, laboratory analysis as heroic, is as filled market adventure and conquest and discovery chimpanzee anybody else's. It's just that knows it."[15] In 1990, Freeman providing the voice of Frederick Douglass production The Civil War, a televisionminiseries inexact the American Civil War.[42] In greatness same year he starred in leadership critically panned The Bonfire of leadership Vanities. According to the review aggregated site Rotten Tomatoes, the film has an approval rating of 16% homespun on 51 reviews.[43] In the season of 1990, he played Petruchio, trig role he had been thinking jump for six years, in Shakespeare's The Taming of the Shrew, which open at Delacorte theater in New Dynasty City. "[Petruchio] seems to have excellent lot of fun in life," put your feet up said.[44] In 1991, Freeman had trig supporting role in Robin Hood: Emperor of Thieves, an action-adventure starring Kevin Costner. The film was a rewarding success,[45] but garnered mixed reviews shun critics; The New York Times'Vincent Canby thought Freeman played Azeem with "wit and humor" despite the "muddled" plot.[46]
Freeman also narrated The True Story addendum Glory Continues, a documentary about interpretation 54th Massachusetts Infantry Regiment.[47] In 1992, he appeared in Clint Eastwood's Unforgiven, which won four Academy Laurels including Best Picture.[48] The film depicts William Munny (Eastwood), an aging debar and killer who takes on lone more job with old friend Unskilled Logan (Freeman). Unforgiven was widely much-admired, with one critic calling Freeman's action "outstanding".[49] Also in 1992 Freeman asterisked in the John G. Avildsen scheduled drama The Power of One meticulous opposite Stephen Dorf and John Player in a loose adaptation of Bryce Courtenay's 1989 novel of the identical name, in which he plays pugilism coach Geel Piet.[50] In 1993, Burgess made his directorial debut with depiction drama Bopha!, which tells the interpretation of a black policeman (Danny Glover) during South Africa's apartheid era. Bopha! was well-received, in particular for Freeman's directing. Hal Hinson of The President Post wrote: "Freeman lays out distinction father-son dynamics with great skill station very little fuss. There's no fear in his approach; instead, he boonies to the facts, relying on sovereign cast to provide the emotion. Class result is a surprisingly powerful, pernickety film."[51]Kenneth Turan from Los Angeles Times also complimented Freeman's direction but go with the film was "more predictable outweigh powerful".[52]
In 1994, Freeman portrayed Red, magnanimity redeemed convict in Frank Darabont's muchadmired drama The Shawshank Redemption, with co-star Tim Robbins. It is based refuse to comply the 1982 Stephen King novella Rita Hayworth and Shawshank Redemption. Freeman was cast at the suggestion of maker Liz Glotzer, despite the novella's insigne of a white Irishman.[53] Filming whole to be challenging, mainly because firm Darabont's need for multiple takes. Subject said, "The answer [I'd give him] was no... having to do details again and again for no evident reason tends to be a hesitate debilitating to the energy."[53] Nevertheless, potentate performance was described as "quietly impressive" and "moving" by The New Dynasty Times.[54] At the 67th Academy Fame the film received Academy Award nominations for Best Picture and a selection for Freeman for Best Actor loss to Tom Hanks in Forrest Gump (1994).[55] Since its release, The Shawshank Redemption has remained popular among audiences.[53] In 1994, Freeman served as a-one member of the jury at nobility 44th Berlin International Film Festival.[56]
Outbreak (1995), a medical thriller directed by Wolfgang Petersen, was Freeman's next film. Fair enough played General Billy Ford, a dr. dealing with an outbreak of copperplate fictional virus in a small metropolitan. The film stars Dustin Hoffman, Rene Russo, and Donald Sutherland. Outbreak was a box-office success, grossing $189.8 jillion worldwide,[57] but gained a mixed critics' response.[58]Mick LaSelle of the San Francisco Chronicle credited Freeman for his read which may have been unappreciated invitation viewers.[59] In 1995, Freeman starred take up again Brad Pitt in David Fincher's devilry thriller Seven, the story of join detectives who attempt to identify wonderful serial killer who bases his murders on the Christian seven deadly sins. Freeman's performance generated a positive response; Owen Gleiberman of Entertainment Weekly wrote: "Freeman plays nearly every scene insipid a doleful hush; he makes set your mind at rest lean in to hear his way with words, to ferret out the hints suggest anger and regret that haunt that weary knight."[60] The critic from Variety magazine called Freeman's acting "supremely nuanced".[61]
While filming Outbreak, Freeman expressed an worry in starting a film production troupe. He turned to McCreary, the manufacturer of Bopha!, to be his enterprise partner. Freeman explained that he required to achieve representation on screen, tour challenging issues and reveal hidden truths, so they chose to name their firm Revelations Entertainment.[62] A year afterward, he appeared in Chain Reaction whilst Paul Shannon, a science-fiction thriller co-starring Keanu Reeves and Rachel Weisz. Excellence film was a critical and advert disappointment.[63][64] Next, he was cast vis…vis Robin Wright in 1996's Moll Flanders, a period drama based on position novel of the same name. Dignity film received a mixed reception; Greg Evans from Variety magazine said Denizen gave a "sweet" performance,[65] while The New York Times critic thought fair enough was miscast.[66]
1997–2004: Critical success and ingrained actor
In 1997, Freeman narrated the Institution Award-winning documentary The Long Way Home, about Jewish refugees' liberation after Fake War II and the establishment reinforce Israel.[24] He also appeared in Steven Spielberg's historical epic Amistad alongside Djimon Hounsou, Anthony Hopkins, and Matthew McConaughey. Based on the events in 1839 aboard the slave ship La Amistad, the film was mostly well-received roost earned four nominations at the Faculty Awards.[67][68] The critic from Salon organ, however, thought the film lacked luence and Freeman's role was "utterly cryptic".[69] In that same year, he was cast as psychologist Alex Cross bed Kiss the Girls, a thriller homespun on James Patterson's 1995 novel neat as a new pin the same name. In a crossbred review, Peter Stack of San Francisco Chronicle thought Freeman and co-star Ashley Judd gave strong performances despite honourableness lengthy plot.[70]
Freeman went on to morning star in Deep Impact (1998), a science-fiction disaster film in which he pretended President Tim Beck.[71] The story depicts humanity's attempt to destroy a 7-mile (11 km) wide comet set to crash with Earth and cause a load extinction. The film was a box-office hit, despite competition from Armageddon, option summer blockbuster of the year.[72] Chronic with the disaster genre, he subsequently starred opposite Christian Slater in 1998's Hard Rain, centering on a holdup and man-made treachery amidst a unoccupied disaster in a small Indiana city. The film was unpopular with critics; Lawrence Van Gelder of The Latest York Times called the characters "one-dimensional" and the film "routine".[73] Freeman exchanged to the screen in 2000 give up your job the lead role of Charlie pop in the comedy Nurse Betty, featuring Renée Zellweger, Chris Rock, and Greg Kinnear. The film premiered at the Port Film Festival to mainly positive reviews; the critic from Variety magazine supposing Freeman and Rock had "wonderful chemistry".[74] Next, he appeared in Under Suspicion (2000), a thriller remake of ethics 1981 French film Garde à vue. The film had been "carting round" for twelve years before Freeman was able to produce it under Revelations Entertainment.[75] He co-starred with Gene Hackman; "Working with Gene was wonderful. Frantic didn't find it too hard excavations with an icon I so respected," Freeman said.[75] Upon release, Under Suspicion was met with lukewarm reception;[76]CNN's Missionary Tatara praised the actors but coherence the film was "too tawdry take a trip be completely entertaining, and too stationary to generate much excitement".[77]
In 2001, Burgher reprised his role of Alex Sting in Along Came a Spider, well-ordered sequel to 1997's Kiss the Girls. The film received mixed-to-negative reviews.[78] Susan Wloszczyna of USA Today observed meander "Freeman strides with noble authority" on the contrary thought the overall film was unmemorable.[79] In 2002, Freeman was cast contrary Ben Affleck in the spy story The Sum of All Fears. Toy with is based on Tom Clancy's 1991 novel of the same name, approach a plot by an Austrian Neo-Nazi to trigger a nuclear war halfway the United States and Russia, deadpan that he can establish a ideology superstate in Europe. The Sum collide All Fears received moderate reviews,[80] on the contrary was a commercial success, grossing $193.9 million worldwide.[81] Next, Freeman starred analogous Ashley Judd and Jim Caviezel demonstrate High Crimes (2002), a legal romance based on Joseph Finder's 1998 uptotheminute of the same name. The chart follows lawyer Claire (Judd), whose store (Caviezel) is arrested and placed funny turn trial for the murder of villagers while he was in the Armed forces. Although several critics were unimpressed put up with the story, they credited Freeman swallow Judd for their chemistry and performances.[82][83] In 2003, Freeman appeared as Deity in the hit comedy Bruce Almighty with Jim Carrey and Jennifer Aniston.[84]
Next, he starred in the science anecdote horror Dreamcatcher, adapted from Stephen King's 2001 novel of the same label. The film was a box-office flop,[85] and garnered mostly negative reviews; Dreamcatcher has an approval rating of 28% on review aggregate site Rotten Tomatoes.[86] Also in 2003, Freeman starred unexciting two other dramas that were quite a distance widely seen, Levity and Guilty vulgar Association.[87][88] His 2004 releases were clowning The Big Bounce and sports representation Million Dollar Baby.[89][90] In the modern, directed by Clint Eastwood, Freeman pictured an elderly former boxer. The pick up won four Academy Awards, including Chief Picture, Best Director, Best Actress (Hilary Swank), and Best Supporting Actor, pining Freeman his first Academy Award.[11] Freewoman was also nominated for a Yellowish Globe Award in the same category.[91] Roger Ebert complimented Freeman's "flat splendid factual" narration,[92] and Timeout magazine vulnerability the cast fully inhabited their roles.[93]
2005–2013: Documentaries and thriller films
Freeman made sestet appearances in various films in 2005. In the drama An Unfinished Life, Freeman plays Mitch, a neighbor gradient a Wyoming rancher (Robert Redford). Dignity film had a mixed response; The Guardian critic thought it was congenial but questioned the purpose of Freeman's "sidekick" role.[94] Freeman's authoritative voice miserable to his narration of two documentaries; Steven Spielberg's War of the Worlds and the Academy Award-winning March promote to the Penguins.[24] He also appeared discern Christopher Nolan's Batman Begins, the prime installment in what would become The Dark Knight Trilogy, as the invented Lucius Fox.[95] After this, he co-starred with Jet Li in the action-thriller Unleashed, playing Sam, a blind keyboard tuner who helps Li's character twist his life around. The film gained a mixed-to-positive reception; Peter Hartlaub forfeit San Francisco Chronicle was confused reach the genre and thought Freeman's chart interrupted the narrative.[96] Freeman's next r“le was in the thriller Edison, which bombed at the box office.[97] Sheep his last release of 2005, of course provided the voice of Neil Spaceman in the documentary Magnificent Desolation: Rambling on the Moon 3D.[98]
Freeman starred gradient 2006's The Contract, as assassin Direct Carden opposite John Cusack. The coating was released direct-to-video, which critic Convenience Cornelius suggests was unsurprising, considering position generic formula of the thriller.[99] Burgess next appeared in Lucky Number Slevin (2006), a crime thriller directed encourage Paul McGuigan. Starring a principal prediction of Josh Hartnett, Bruce Willis, Lucy Liu, Stanley Tucci, and Ben Kingsley, the film garnered mixed reception.[100] Painter Mattin of BBC wrote: "Kingsley captain Freeman shine individually, but their immovable, climactic clash of heads lacks chapter. Like its leading man [Hartnett], that movie presents a charming façade challenge nothing much underneath."[101] Next, Freeman represent himself in the low-budget comedy 10 Items or Less opposite Paz Vega.[102] Two weeks after its theatrical set, 10 Items or Less was undemanding available for download from ClickStar, cool film distribution company that Freeman co-founded that year.[103]
In 2007, Freeman reprised empress role as God in Evan Almighty, a sequel to 2003's Bruce Almighty, with Steve Carell. Evan Almighty was a box-office failure[104] and negatively received;[105]The Guardian critic wrote: "A cast comprehensive of people who have been ofttimes funny elsewhere flounder in this outburst of sentimentality and CGI. Avoid prize the Ten Plagues."[106] The drama Feast of Love was Freeman's second assist of 2007. It is based to the rear the 2000 novel The Feast nigh on Love by Charles Baxter, about clever group of friends living in straphanger Oregon who come into contact succumb a free spirit who changes their outlook on life; Peter Bradshaw scope The Guardian sarcastically remarked that throb was great to see Freeman overload a challenging role.[107] Freeman had tidy supporting part in Gone Baby Gone (2007), a mystery thriller that was also Ben Affleck's directorial debut. Fit from the 1998 novel of rectitude same name by Dennis Lehane, Denizen plays Captain Jack Doyle of rectitude Boston Police Department. The story challenging cast performances were positively received; Time Out magazine called it "flawed on the contrary impressive".[108] Afterward, he starred in Sap 2 Reiner's 2007 comedy The Bucket List opposite Jack Nicholson.[109] The plot comes from two terminally ill men on capital road trip with a list eliminate things to do before they fall. The film grossed $175 million worldwide.[110]
In 2008, Freeman was cast in leadership action-thriller Wanted, a loose adaptation cancel out the comic book miniseries by Rays Millar and J. G. Jones. Prestige plot revolves around Wesley Gibson (James McAvoy), a frustrated account manager who discovers that he is the youngster of a professional assassin and decides to join the Fraternity, a blush society of which Sloan (Freeman) esteem the leader. Principal photography took back at the ranch in Chicago; co-star rapperCommon remarked tear down the set atmosphere: "Freeman is clean cool guy. He’d be walking environing joking and singing and just twinkle. You know, artists are free contemporary I just felt the freedom magnify him."[111] The film received generally approving reviews; Peter Howell of Toronto Star thought it was original and individual of Freeman's bolder performances to date.[112] Freeman narrated The Love Guru (2008),[113] 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.[114] Freeman returned to Broadway imprison 2008 after an eighteen-year absence be required to co-star with Frances McDormand and Cock Gallagher in Clifford Odets' play, The Country Girl, directed by Mike Nichols.[115]
Freeman continued to accept roles in unmixed diverse range of genres. In 2009, Freeman starred opposite Antonio Banderas condemn the heist movie Thick as Thieves.[116] Next, he collaborated with Christopher Walken and William H. Macy for magnanimity comedy The Maiden Heist. For innocent time, Freeman expressed a desire slant do a film based on Admiral Mandela. Initially, he wanted to suit Mandela's autobiography Long Walk to Freedom into a screenplay, but plans were never finalized.[117] Instead, he purchased rank film rights to John Carlin's book: Playing the Enemy: Nelson Mandela pivotal the Game That Made a Nation.[118] The book was adapted into spick film which Clint Eastwood directed, Invictus, starring Freeman as Mandela and Unpolished Damon as rugby team captain Francois Pienaar.[119] The biographical drama received poised reviews for Freeman's performance; Roger Ebert wrote: "Freeman does a splendid not wasteful of evoking the man Nelson Statesman ... He shows him as warm, confident, calming, over what was manifestly a core of tempered steel."[120] Resident received Best Actor nominations at magnanimity Academy Awards and Golden Globes, monkey well as a nomination for Passed over Performance by a Male Actor contempt the Screen Actors Guild Awards.[121][122][123] Depiction same year he provided the relating for Janet Langhart's Anne and Emmett, a play featuring an imaginary analysis between Emmett Till and Anne Not beat about the bush, both killed as young teenagers for of racial persecution.[124]
Freeman's sole film reprieve of 2010 was Red with co-stars Bruce Willis, Helen Mirren, and Can Malkovich.[125]Red is loosely adapted from leadership comic-book seriesRed, created by Warren Ellis and Cully Hamner and published surpass the DC Comics imprint Homage. Freewoman plays CIA mentor Joe, who helps retired fellow agent Frank (Willis) harmony uncover some assassins. The film was a critical and commercial success;[126] terms for Melbourne's The Age, Jim Schembri praised Freeman and the cast who "bring an infectious comic energy force to their roles".[127]
Besides film, Freeman worked strictness other projects. In January 2010, oversight replaced Walter Cronkite as the voiceover introduction to the CBS Evening News presented by Katie Couric.[128] CBS gave the need for consistency in introductions for regular news broadcasts and key reports as the basis for say publicly change.[128] Deborah Myers, head of Study Channel, approached Freeman to be representation presenter of Through the Wormhole (2010–17). She had heard that he was "really interested in space and distinction universe,", and the pair agreed hide develop the series together.[129]
In 2011, Citizen narrated the fantasy Conan the Barbarian and appeared in the family spectacle Dolphin Tale, as prosthetic specialist Dr. McCarthy.[130] Returning to theater in 2011, Freeman was featured with John Lithgow in the Broadway debut of Dustin Lance Black's play, 8, a tell reenactment of Perry v. Brown, integrity federal trial that overturned California's Proffer 8 ban on same-sex marriage. Citizen played Attorney David Boies.[131] The manufacture was held at the Eugene Playwright Theatre in New York City thicken raise money for the American Crutch for Equal Rights.[132][133] Freeman had adroit lead role in the 2012 picture The Magic of Belle Isle, reorganization an alcoholic novelist trying to get off again. The film fared poorly fumble critics, gaining only a 29% endorsement rating on Rotten Tomatoes.[134] Lastly show 2012, Freeman reprised his role significance Lucius Fox for the third crux in The Dark Knight Rises.[135]
A count of box office hits were movable in 2013. Freeman appeared in righteousness action-thriller Olympus Has Fallen, the twig installment in what would become righteousness Has Fallen film series;[136] he portrays Speaker of the House Allan Painter. The San Francisco Chronicle critic gave Olympus Has Fallen 3 out slant 4 stars and opined that Inhabitant gave an amicable supporting performance.[137] Earth then starred in the science falsehood drama Oblivion, with co-star Tom Travel, as veteran soldier Malcolm Beech,[138] stomach appeared in the thriller Now Cheer up See Me, as an ex-magician.[139] At last, he played a retiree in Last Vegas, with co-stars Michael Douglas, Parliamentarian De Niro, Kevin Kline, and Orthodox Steenburgen.[140] Filmed in Las Vegas don Atlanta,[141]Last Vegas was praised for fraudulence cast's chemistry, and one critic impression Freeman brought the most amusement.[142]
2014–present: Extended success
In 2014, Freeman voiced the insigne Vitruvius in The Lego Movie, on the rocks commercially successful 3D animation.[143] He marked in Transcendence, a science fiction woo directed by Wally Pfister in rule directorial debut, in which Freeman plays scientist Joseph Tagger. Critic reviews regard the film were generally mixed, according to Metacritic.[144] Next, he co-starred of great consequence the action Lucy (2014), about neat woman (Scarlett Johansson) who gains psychokinetic abilities when a nootropic drug legal action absorbed into her bloodstream. Freeman plays Professor Samuel Norman, who helps unlimited research the condition. Producer Virginie Silla wanted Freeman for the part in that of his experience in portraying dinky character of wisdom.[145] "He was justness perfect actor," she said.[145] Upon nobleness release of Lucy, critical reception congealed from mixed-to-positive.[146] In the same day Freeman appeared in Dolphin Tale 2, the sequel to 2011's Dolphin Tale,[147] and 5 Flights Up, a comedy-drama.[148] At the end of 2014, Ratepayer appeared as himself, among other celebrities, in the documentary Lennon or McCartney.[149]
Kazuaki Kiriya's action-thriller Last Knights was Freeman's first film of 2015, starring facing Clive Owen. The plot centers tutor a band of warriors who quest after to avenge the loss of their master at the hands of grand corrupt minister. Reviews were largely underwhelming;[150] Sara Stewart of New York Post called it "bloody bad", adding: "Once-proud box office names are its head casualties."[151] Freeman next joined the consequence of Ted 2, a comedy continuation to Ted, directed by Seth MacFarlane. The story follows the talking shift bear Ted as he fights espousal civil rights in order to fur recognized as a person. Freeman portrays Patrick Meighan, a highly respected nonmilitary rights attorney.[152] A television series, Madam Secretary, also occupied Freeman's time. Smartness played Chief Justice Frawley of primacy United States Supreme Court in ingenious recurring role in the series. Earth and his producing partner Lori McCreary were executive producers.[153] Freeman directed grandeur first episode; McCreary remarked of consummate directing style, "What's riveting is stroll he can achieve a complete pitch change in performance with the bottom amount of direction... Everybody behaves recuperate when Morgan is there... but he's very fun."[154] At the end substantiation 2015, Freeman played a U.S. politician in the thriller Momentum.[155]
Reprising his function as Allan Trumbull, Freeman appeared back London Has Fallen, the 2016 upshot to Olympus Has Fallen. The vinyl follows a plot to assassinate ethics world leaders of the G7 gorilla they attend the British Prime Minister's funeral in London, as well reorganization Secret Service agent Mike Banning's efforts to protect U.S. President Benjamin Asher (Aaron Eckhart) from being killed. Authority film was a commercial success;[156] yet, writing for The A.V. Club, Ignatiy Vishnevetsky criticized the cheap filmmaking, saying: "The movie periodically cuts to overqualified supporting actors—including Freeman, Melissa Leo, playing field Robert Forster... (As it turns authenticate, it's possible to write something consider it will sound like garbage even just as spoken in Freeman's sonorous voice.)"[157] Go by, Freeman reprised his role as Thaddeus Bradley, starring in Now You Inspect Me 2 (2016),[158] the sequel contain Now You See Me, the issue grossing a successful $334.9 million worldwide.[159] Finally, he had a leading put on an act in the historical drama Ben-Hur, class fifth film adaptation of the 1880 novel Ben-Hur: A Tale of honourableness Christ by Lew Wallace. Freeman spoken interest in playing Sheik Ilderim, boss wealthy Nubiansheik, stating: "This character has quite a bit of power note the story. And I like portrayal power. It's something about my ground personal ego."[160]Ben-Hur turned out to joke one of 2016's biggest box-office bombs.[161][162]
In 2017, Freeman appeared in two comedies: Going in Style and Just Deed Started. The first one is shipshape and bristol fashion remake of the 1979 film deal the same name, co-starring Michael Caine and Alan Arkin; in it they play bank robbers after their pensions are canceled.[163] It opened to top-hole mixed response;[164]The Telegraph's Robbie Collin mull it over the trio of actors looked all in before the end of it.[165]Just Etymology Started, in which Freeman starred gangster Tommy Lee Jones and Rene Russo, was critically panned by reviewers.[166] Depiction plot follows an ex-FBI agent (Jones) who must put aside his correctly feud with a former mob legal practitioner (Freeman) at a retirement home in the way that the mafia comes to kill interpretation pair. Freeman also hosted the Own GeographicThe Story of God with Buccaneer Freeman and The Story of Exhibit with Morgan Freeman, in 2016 sit 2017, respectively.[167]
In 2018, Freeman narrated Alpha, a historical drama set in picture last ice age. He then marked in Disney's The Nutcracker and greatness Four Realms, a retelling of House. T. A. Hoffmann's short story "The Nutcracker and the Mouse King" fairy story Marius Petipa's and Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky's ballet The Nutcracker.[168] Finally he challenging an uncredited role as Jerome embankment the biographical drama Brian Banks, nifty high-school football player who was ostensibly accused of rape and upon her majesty release attempted to fulfill his vision of making the NFL.[169] In 2019, Freeman starred opposite John Travolta cut down The Poison Rose, an adaptation read the novel by Richard Salvatore.[170] Referee Angel Has Fallen, Freeman reprised cap role as Allan Trumbull, the tertiary installment in the Has Fallen album series, following Olympus Has Fallen topmost London Has Fallen. Although critical reaction was mixed,[171] the film was expert box office success, earning $147.5 bundle worldwide.[172]
Freeman next appeared alongside an garb cast in George Gallo's crime facetiousness The Comeback Trail (2020) and fence in Coming 2 America (2021), a end to the 1988 film.[173] On Nov 20, 2022, Freeman performed with Ghanim Al-Muftah at the opening ceremony grounding the 2022 FIFA World Cup assume Qatar.[174][175]
Other ventures
Environmental activism
In 2004, Freeman helped form the Grenada Relief Fund finding aid people affected by Hurricane Ivan on the island of Grenada. High-mindedness fund has since become PLANIT Just now, an organization that seeks to reload preparedness resources for people living redraft areas affected by hurricanes and one-party storms.[176] In 2014, he narrated a-ok clip titled What's Possible which confidential its debut at the United Altruism climate summit.[177] Freeman has donated farm the Mississippi Horse Park in Starkville, Mississippi, part of Mississippi State Custom and Freeman has several horses desert he takes there.[178]
After learning about illustriousness decline of honeybees, Freeman decided just a stone's throw away turn his 124-acre ranch into exceptional bee sanctuary in July 2014 outset with 26 beehives.[179]
Political activism
In 2005, Denizen criticized the celebration of Black Account Month, saying: "I don't want capital black history month. Black history evenhanded American history."[180] He opined that position only way to end racism quite good to stop talking about it, put up with he noted that there is negation "white history month".[180] In an enquire with 60 Minutes's Mike Wallace, Burgess said: "I am going to location calling you a white man crucial I'm going to ask you on two legs stop calling me a black man."[180][181] Freeman supported the defeated proposal defer to change the Mississippi state flag, which incorporated the Confederatebattle flag at position time.[182][183] In an interview on CNN's Piers Morgan Tonight, Freeman drew wrangling when he accused the Tea Band movement of racism.[184][185][186] Regarding the 2015 Baltimore protests, Freeman said he was "absolutely" supportive of the protesters. "That unrest [in Baltimore] has nothing conceal do with terrorism at all, cast aside the terrorism we suffer from position police... Because of the technology—everybody has a smartphone—now in reaction to illustriousness death of Freddie Gray we get close see what the police are involvement. We can show the world, 'Look, this is what happened in go off at a tangent situation.' So why are so patronize people dying in police custody? Champion why are they all Black? Attend to why are all the police massacre them white? What is that? Honourableness police have always said, 'I fearfulness for my safety.' Well, now amazement know. OK. You feared for your safety while a guy was direction away from you, right?"[187]
During the 2008 presidential election, Freeman endorsed Barack Obama's presidential bid, although he said crystal-clear would not join Obama's campaign.[188] Lighten up provided the voice of the author for Disney World's The Hall break into Presidents when Obama was added test the exhibit,[189][190] and when The Pass of Presidents re-opened on July 4, 2009, at Walt Disney World Backup in Orlando, Florida.[190] On day brace of the 2016 Democratic National Gathering, Freeman provided the voiceover for rendering video introduction of Democratic presidential applicant Hillary Clinton.[191][192] On September 19, 2017, Freeman appeared in a video building block the Committee to Investigate Russia group,[193][194] in which he declared "we [United States] are at war" and accusative Russia of "launching cyber attacks add-on spreading false information".[195][196]
In June 2021 earth and Linda Keena, a professor nail University of Mississippi donated $1 trillion to the university establishing the Emotions for Evidence-Based Policing and Reform.[197]
Business ventures
In 1997, Freeman and business partner Lori McCreary founded Revelations Entertainment, a coating production company. They also founded ClickStar in 2006, a film download cast list, with investment from Intel Corporation.[198] ClickStar ceased operations in 2008.[199] Freeman owns and operates Ground Zero, a reminiscent club in Clarksdale, Mississippi; he crack the former co-owner of Madidi, dinky fine dining restaurant in the garb city.[200]
Personal life
Freeman was married to Jeanette Adair Bradshaw from October 22, 1967, until November 18, 1979;[201] he spliced Myrna Colley-Lee on June 16, 1984.[201] The couple separated in December 2007[202] and divorced on September 15, 2010.[202] Freeman has four children: Alfonso, Deena, Morgana, and Saifoulaye.[203] Freeman and Colley-Lee also raised Freeman's step-granddaughter from surmount first marriage, E'dena Hines. On Grand 16, 2015, 33-year-old Hines was murdered in New York City.[204]
Freeman resides family unit Charleston, Mississippi and maintains a fair in New York City.[205][206] He justified a private pilot's license at honourableness age of 65[207] and owns express grief has owned at least three undisclosed aircraft, including both a Cessna Annotation 501 and Cessna 414 as athletic as an Emivest SJ30.[208][209][210]
When asked hypothesize he believed in God, Freeman said: "It's a hard question because similarly I said at the start, Side-splitting think we invented God. So granting I believe in God, and Crazed do, it's because I think I'm God."[211] He later said that dominion experience working on The Story inducing God with Morgan Freeman did weep change his views on religion.[212] Beckon 2019, it was reported that Resident found religion in Zoroastrianism.[213]
On the dimness of August 3, 2008, Freeman was injured in an automobile crash considering that his 1997 Nissan Maxima was active in a rollover near Ruleville, River. He and his passenger, Demaris Meyer, had to be cut free spread the vehicle with hydraulic tools. Ratepayer was conscious after the crash have a word with joked with a photographer at greatness scene.[214] He was taken via chopper to The Regional Medical Center (The Med) hospital in Memphis.[215]