The Untold Truth Of Morgan Freeman - Looper

Warner Bros. In 2009, Morgan Freeman starred in "Invictus" as Nelson Mandela, the anti-apartheid revolutionary who was released from prison ... × CookieshelpusdeliverourServices.ByusingourServices,youagreetoouruseofcookies. LearnMore. TheUntoldTruthOfMorganFreeman JonKopaloff/GettyImages By MichileenMartin AND BrianBoone/Updated:Aug.26,20228:40amEDT Fewactorsexudethegravitas,theemotionaldepth,andthegrandfatherlycharismaofMorganFreeman.Itcertainlydidn'thappenovernight,buttheacclaimedactorhasmorethanearnedhisreputationasoneofthemostrespectedandbelovedtalentsinfilmandtelevision.  Inspiteofhisfame,there'sstillalotyoumaynotknowabouttheactor.Freeman'sactingcareerspansoverhalfacentury,butittookdecadesofworkintheentertainmentindustryforhimtogainanymeasureofnotoriety.Yearsbeforethathappened,hewasafixtureonchildren'stelevision.Andoncehedidwinadegreeoffameonthebigscreen,henearlygaveahardpasstosomeoftheroleshe'smostrememberedfor.  Whetheryouknowhimbestastheeloquentconvictandnarratorof"TheShawshankRedemption,"thewearydetectiveof"Se7en,"oranyofhisothermemorableroles,we'rewillingtobetyouhaveafewthingstolearnaboutoneofHollywood'smosttreasuredtalents.KeepreadingfortheuntoldtruthofMorganFreeman. MorganFreemandelayedhisactingcareertojointheAirForce KathyHutchins/Shutterstock AfterahandfuloftinyrolesinfilmsandTVshowsintheearly'70sandastinton"TheElectricCompany,"MorganFreemandidn'treallybreakoutasanactoruntilthelate1980s,withacoupleofOscar-nominatedperformancesin"StreetSmart"and"DrivingMissDaisy."Freemanwaswellintohisfiftiesbythetimeheachievedhouseholdnamestatus,butthatdoesn'tmeanhedidn'thavealifelongloveofacting. RaisedbyhisgrandparentsinMississippi,Freemanlandedrolesinmanyschoolplaysandevenwonastatewideactingcompetitionattheageof14.Hepursuedtheaterwithsuchskillandintensitythatbythetimehewasreadytograduatehighschool,helandedadramascholarshiptoJacksonStateUniversity.Astoundingly,Freemanpassedonthequickentrytothenextlevelofacting. Ironically,Freeman'sloveformoviesalmostsenthimonanentirelydifferentcareerpath.AccordingtoMilitary.com,Freeman'senthusiasmforcinematicdepictionsofmid-airmilitarycombatinspiredhimtoenlistintheU.S.AirForce in1955.Afterfouryears,helefttheserviceuponrealizinglifeasafighterpilotwasn'tgoingtobeascoolandexcitingasHollywoodhadledhimtoexpect. Inthe'70s,MorganFreemanhelpedkeepthepoweron PBS Itmaybetoughtoimagine,butthesameguywhopartneredupwithClintEastwoodtoassassinatetwocowboysin"Unforgiven"wasserenadingchildrenwithsongsacoupleofdecadesearliertohelpteachthemlessonsaboutreadingandnutrition.Between1971and1977,Freemanappeareddailyon"TheElectricCompany."Theshowwassomethingofacompanionprogramto"SesameStreet,"anditwasmeantforchildrentoooldforthemorewell-knownprogram.OfthecharactersFreemanplayed,themostwell-rememberedisEasyReader,ahipsterwhowouldgetintenselyexcitedattheprospectofreadinganything,fromastorefrontsigntotheingredientsonasodabottle.HealsoplayedMelMoundstheDJandVincenttheVegetableVampire.  SpeakingtoRichEisenin2017,Freemansaidhewasinitially"terrified"togetinvolvedwith"TheElectricCompany" becauseheworriedthatgettingtooheavilyidentifiedwithchildren'stelevisionwouldexcludeotheropportunities.FreemantoldEisen,"Ifthatshowhadkeptgoing,I might stillbethere." Thankfully,Freemanhadnothingtoworryabout.Apparently,hewasn'tbeingquiteasidentifiedwithdaytimetelevisionashethought.In2018on"JimmyKimmelLive!," FreemanrelatedastoryaboutgoingtoanautographsigningatashoppingmallinPhiladelphiaduringhis"ElectricCompany"days.Afteratleastanhourandahalfofsigningautographsandgetting"writer'scramp,"theeventended,andFreemantoldKimmel"allthoselittlebitsofpaperthat[he]wassigning"hadbeenleftonthefloor. Hewasa'latebloomer' CannonGroup IfyouaskpeoplethemovietheymostassociateMorganFreemanwith,you'relikelytohearabout"Se7en,""DrivingMissDaisy,"or"TheShawshankRedemption,"butironically,thepartFreemanregularlycallshisbreakthroughroleisperhapstheonehe'sleastrememberedfor,atleastoutsidecritics'circles.Ittookover20years,buttheactorfinallyearnedfameandhisfirstOscarnominationforbestsupportingactorwith1987'scrimedrama"StreetSmart." In"StreetSmart," Freemanplaysthepimp FastBlackwho'slockedinabattleofwitswithJonathanFisher(ChristopherReeve),amagazinereporterwho'sbeenwritingfictionalstoriesaboutprostitutionandsellingthemoffastherealthingtosavehisflaggingcareer.Atthetimeofthefilm'srelease, TheNewYorker'sPaulineKaelwasaheadofthecurve,startingherreviewof"StreetSmart" withthequestion,"IsMorganFreemanAmerica'sgreatestlivingactor?" WhileittookFreemanuntiltheageof50to"makeit,"hedoesn'tseemtofeelatallbitteraboutthejourney,pointingoutina2011interview,"Itdidn'thavetohappenatall."Whiledoingpressfor"DolphinTale2," Freemancalledhisrolein "StreetSmart" hisfavoriteofallhisparts."[FastBlack]wasaboutasfarawayfrommeasIcanget,intermsofacting,"Freemansaid."ItwasmorealientowhoIreallyam."  MorganFreemanisalsoadirector ParamountPictures Ina1996talkwith Interviewmagazine,MorganFreemansaiditwasinparthisworkon1992's"Unforgiven" — duringwhich,Freemansays,he'dlearnedhis"bestlessonindirectingfromClintEastwood" —thatdrovehimtomakehisdirectorialdebutwiththecriticallyhailed"Bopha!"thefollowingyear.  SetinSouthAfricaduringthetimeofapartheid,"Bopha!" starsDannyGloverasMicah,atoughbutfairpolicemanwho'shopinghisson,Zweli(MaynardEziashi),willfollowinhisfootsteps.WhileMicahbelieveshisplaceonthepoliceforceistothebenefitofblackSouthAfricans,asthefilmprogresses,heseesthewayhiswhitecolleagueswork,andhebeginstoquestionhisbeliefs.ThingscometoaheadafterhissonmakescontactwiththeactivistPuleRamba(MalickBowens)who'sarrestedforspeakingoutinpublicagainstapartheid.RogerEbertgavethefilmathumbsup,hailingGlover'sperformanceas"theportraitofaproudmanwhodiscovershispridewasentrustedtothewrongthings." Whilecriticsliked"Bopha!," theboxofficewaslessimpressed,whichmayhavesomethingtodowithwhyFreeman'sonlydirectingworksincehasbeenafewepisodesofthepoliticaldrama"MadamSecretary."ItcouldalsobebecauseFreeman'sexperienceon"Bopha!" wasmarredbyinterferingstudioexecutives.Freemantold Interviewthattheonlythingaboutdirecting"Bopha!" thatwasn'trewardingwas dealingwithstudioexecutives"makingdecisionsthousandsofmilesaway." Anunforgettablevoice ColumbiaPictures OneofthemosticonicaspectsofMorganFreeman'scareerhaslesstodowithanythingyou'veseenhiminandmoretodowithwhatyou've heard himin.AsGrahamNortonputitwhenFreemanappearedonhistalkshow,itwasFreeman'smemorablenarrationof1994's"TheShawshankRedemption"thatmadehim"Mr.Narration."    After"TheShawshankRedemption,"Freeman'svoicewasinhighdemand,and2005provedaparticularlybusyyearforFreemaninthesoundbooth.ThatyearhenarratedthePBSdocu-series"SlaveryandtheMakingofAmerica," thedocumentaryfilm"MarchofthePenguins,"and StevenSpielberg's"WaroftheWorlds." Hewentontonarratefilmslike2011's"ConantheBarbarian" and2018's"Alpha."HisvoicehasbeenusedontheWazenavigationapp,anditreplacedWalterCronkite'svoiceintheintroductionfor"CBSEveningNews" in2010. WhenJimmyKimmelaskedFreemanaboutthesecrettohisvoicein2016,theactorsaidhedidn'thaveanykindofspecialtechnique,simplycitinghisvoiceanddictionlessonsincollege.Buthewasalittlebitmoreopensixyearsearlierwhiledoingpressfor"DolphinTale." Freemansaidthatifyouwantyourvoicetosoundmoreimpressive,you'vegotto"yawnalot."Pressedabitfurther,Freemanexplained,"Itrelaxesyourvocalchords,andoncethey'rerelaxed,thetonedrops.Theloweryourvoiceis,thebetteryousound." MorganFreemanmadealongjourneytoplayMandela WarnerBros. In2009,MorganFreemanstarredin"Invictus" asNelsonMandela,theanti-apartheidrevolutionarywhowasreleasedfromprisonafternearlythreedecadesin1990andbecamethepresidentofSouthAfricafouryearslater."Invictus" wasacriticalsuccess,andFreemanearnedanOscarnominationforbestactor,whileco-starMattDamonwasnominatedforbestsupportingactor. Making"Invictus" wasajourneyFreemanstartedalmost15yearsearlier.Duringapressconferenceforhis1995autobiography"LongWalktoFreedom,"NelsonMandelasaidMorganFreemanwashischoiceforleadactorforanypotentialadaptations. In2009,Freemantold TheGrio thatwasthemomenthe"warmlyaccepted"thathewouldeventuallyplayMandela.FreemanmetwithMandelanotlongafterandaskedtohaveaccesstotheSouthAfricanpresidentinordertogivetherole "asauthenticaportrayalaspossible,"andMandelaagreed. Butgettingascriptwasn'teasy.FreemansaidheandhisproductionpartnerLoriMcCrearytriedtoadapt"LongWalktoFreedom,"butthat"itwasimpossibletopresentthecompletestoryintothetimeframeofafeaturefilm."ThebreakthroughcamewithJohnCarlin's2006bookproposalforwhatwouldbecome"PlayingtheEnemy:NelsonMandelaandtheGamethatMadeaNation."ThestoryabouttheSouthAfricanrugbyteamtheSpringboksatthe1995RugbyWorldCupwas,inFreeman'swords,"the filmtogivetheworldinsightintowhoMandelaisandhowheoperates." Hehassomeguestswhocouldsting JamesPatterson/GettyImages In2014,MorganFreemantookonanew,unexpectedvocation.On"TheTonightShowStarringJimmyFallon,"theactorconfirmedthattwoweeksprevious —havingjusthadinsectsdeliveredfromArkadelphia,Arkansas —he'dofficiallybecomeabeekeeper.HeshockedFallonwhenhetoldthehosthedidn'tneedtowearanykindofprotectivegearwhilehandlingthebees.FallonjokedwithFreemanthiswasa"rookiemistake,"buttheactorassuredthehostthathesimplyneededto"resonate"andthatthepeoplewhodoweartheprotectiveoutfitsdoit"becausetheycan'tresonate."  ForFreeman,beekeepingismorethanahobby.Theactorisinpartrespondingtothealarmingdisappearanceofbeesaroundtheglobe."There'saconcertedefforttobringbeesbackontotheplanet,"Freemanhassaid."Wedonotrealizethattheyarethefoundation,Ithink,ofthegrowthoftheplanet,thevegetation."We'renotsurewhatitisFreemanisresonatingnordoweknowifhe'sremainedsting-free,butasof2019,he'sgonebigwiththebees.Thatyearheconvertedhisentire124-acreMississippiranchintoabeesanctuary.   MorganFreemanisveryinterestedinbigquestions UniversalPictures Twicenow —firstinthe2003comedy"BruceAlmighty" andthenthe2007sequel"EvanAlmighty" —MorganFreemanhasliterallyplayedGod.So,itshouldn'tbetoomuchofasurprisethatinhislateryears,FreemanhasbecomeveryinterestedinsomeofthebiggerquestionsaboutwhatthelateauthorDouglasAdamswouldcalllife,theuniverse,andeverything. Hisfascinationwiththosequestionshasledhimtosomeinterestingwork.Questionsaboutwhatandwhomightbefoundbeyondoursolarsystemhelpedleadhimtothesciencedocu-series"ThroughtheWormhole."In2012,hetold TheWrap thatalotofthosequestionscamefromaveryparticularkindofliterature."Iusedtoreadalotofsciencefiction,"Freemansaid,"particularlythatofIsaacAsimovandRobertA.Heinleinandsomeotherveryinterestingpeople,andtheycameupwiththoughtsaboutwhat'spossibleonEarth."Amongotherthings,"ThroughtheWormhole" asksinterestingandsometimeshorrifyingquestionslikewhetherornotthereareracessuperiortoourownintheuniverseand,ifso,whetherornottheymightseeusasfood.  Later,Freemanhosted NationalGeographic's"TheStoryofGodwithMorganFreeman,"exploringthefaithsandbeliefsofdifferentcultures.WhilethatexperienceexposedFreemantonewideasaboutGod,histhoughtsonthesubjectdidn'tchange.Speakingwith TheWrap,FreemanexpressedhisbeliefthatGodisahumaninvention.   HealmostsaidnotoShawshank ColumbiaPictures In1994,MorganFreemanstarredin"TheShawshankRedemption" asRed,thebestfriendofthewronglyimprisonedAndyDufresne(TimRobbins)andoneofShawshankPenitentiary'smostwell-knownsmugglers.Inspiteofthefilmbombingcommercially,it'sgoneontobecomearegularfeatureonanylistofthemostinspirationalfilms ormoviesthat'llmakeyoucry. Amazingly,Freemanalmostturnedtheroledown. Thefilmisbasedon"RitaHayworthandtheShawshankRedemption"fromStephenKing's1982collection"DifferentSeasons."In2014,Freemantold Yahoo!Entertainment thathewassentthebookafterbeingofferedtherole."AndIreadthefirstpage,andRedwasthisIrishman,"Freemanexplained."SoIclosedthebook.Ineverreadanotherline.Iwaslike,'Ican'tplayanIrishman!'" Thankfully,Freemanultimatelydidn'tletthatstophim,andwegottoseehiminoneofhisbestroles.Abitofawinkwasputinthescriptacknowledgingtheethnicitychange.WhenDufresneasksFreeman'scharacterwhyeveryonecallshimRed,heanswers,"Maybeit'sbecauseI'mIrish." Yearsafter"TheShawshankRedemption,"oneofFreeman'sbiggestproblemswiththemovieisthetitle.On"LateNightwithSethMeyers," Freemansaidhecampaignedtousethenovella'sfulltitle,arguing"RitaHayworth"wouldsellmoreticketsthan"Shawshank."On"TheGrahamNortonShow," Freemansaiditwasdifficultforwordofmouthtohelpthemovieatthetimeofitsrelease,becausenoonecouldrememberthetitle. MorganFreemanandClintEastwoodarekindredcreativespirits WarnerBros. MorganFreemanandClintEastwoodfamouslystarredasaginggunslingersgoingononelastjobinthepracticallyflawlessfilm "Unforgiven."Eastwooddirectedthis1992Western,andeversince,thepair haveexpressednothingbutconfidenceandkinshiptowardoneanother.In2004,FreemanstarredinanotherEastwood-directedfeature —theheart-breakingsportsdrama"MillionDollarBaby" —andgothisfirstOscarwinforhisefforts.AndwhenitcametimeforFreemantorealizehisgoalofplayingNelsonMandelainamoviewith2009's"Invictus,"hischoicefordirectorwasclear.HetoldThe SeattleTimes that whenproducerLoriMcClearyaskedhimwhatdirectorhewanted,Freemananswered,"Icanonlythinkoftwo.ClintEastwood,andthenthere'sClintEastwood,"addingthat,"He'sthebestdirectorIknow." FreemanpraisedEastwood'sdirectingstyleinanumberofinterviews,usuallypointingtohishands-offstyleindealingwithactors.Hetold TheSeattleTimes"[Eastwood] canstandbackandletthemdotheirthing,thentakeallthecredit."Askedwhetherornothewasstillinterestedinacting,Eastwoodsaidhewascontenttostaybehindthecamera.ItgaveFreemanyetanotheropportunitytolayonthepraise."I'mperfectlywillingandhappytohavehimdirectfromhereout,"Freemansaid,adding,"Ithinkhe'shellbentonbecominganother[Akira]Kurosawa,ifheisn'talready.Ithinkhealreadyis." MorganFreemanseverelyinjuredhishand MikeCoppola/GettyImages AccordingtoanAccessHollywoodreport(viaNBCWashington),MorganFreemanandfriendDemarisMeyerweredrivingtotheactor'shomeinCharleston,Mississippi,whentheygotintoafrighteninganddestructivecaraccidentin2008.Thevehicleflipped,andFreemanwashospitalized,requiringsurgerytotreatshoulderdamage,abrokenelbow,andabrokenarm.Freemanquicklyrecoveredbutcontinuedtosufferchronicnervedamageinhisarm."Thehandisstillparalyzed,"hesaidinearly2009. "Ithasn'tgottenbetter.Ican'tmoveit,"FreemantoldPeoplein2010. TheDailyMailreportedthatoverthenextnear-decade,Freemanenduredfibromyalgia-relatedpain,andwasfrequentlyspottedinpublicwearingasingleglove—acompressiongarmentthataidsincirculationandpainmanagementandpreventsswelling—onhisparalyzedhand.Toaccountfortheincreasedpainandlossofregularuseofthehand,Freeman,accordingtoMetro,haslearnedtoridehorseback,flyaplane,andgolfone-handed. MorganFreemanwasaccusedofharassmentandwentafterCNN AmySussman/GettyImages Duringthe"MeToo"movementthatrockedHollywoodin2017and2018,inwhichinappropriateandcriminalbehaviorsofpowerfulmenwererootedoutandmadepublic,twowomenaccusedMorganFreemanofunprofessionalbehaviorofaphysicalnature.AccordingtoCNN,aproductionassistantwhoworkedonFreeman'smovie"GoinginStyle"in2015allegedthattheactortouchedandrubbedherandcommentedonherbodyandattirealmostdaily,andrepeatedlytriedtoliftherskirt.Thelatterbehaviorreportedlystoppedonlywhenco-starAlanArkintoldFreemantoquitit.CNNalsoreportedthatamemberoftheproductionstaffofthe2012film"NowYouSeeMe"allegedsexualharassmentofherselfandafemaleassistant. Freemanapologized,accordingtoVariety,to"anyonewhofeltuncomfortableordisrespected."However,since theCNNreporterwhobrokethestoryhadexperiencedanuncomfortablemomentwithFreemanherselfbeforeherinvestigation, accordingtoABC7NewYork,Freemanrespondedtotheallegationswitha10-pageletterissuedbyhislawyerdemandingaretractionandapologyfromCNN,callingthenewsoutlet'sreportinga"productofmaliciousintent,falsehoods,slight-of-hand[sic],anabsenceofeditorialcontrol,andjournalisticmalpractice."AyearandahalfafterFreemanfeudedwithCNN,thecablenetworkhiredhimtonarrateavideoforparentcompanyWarnerMedia'sinvestorpresentation,amovethatoneCNNstaffercalled"disgusting." MorganFreemandoesn'twanttoplayGodallthetime UniversalPictures Knownforhisdistinctive,soothing,authoritativevoice,MorganFreemanhaslandedalotofvoiceoverandnarrationwork.Servingasthedefacto,all-knowing,metaphoricalvoiceofGodin"TheShawshankRedemption"and"MarchofthePenguins"ledtoFreemanplayingthepersonificationoftheChristianideaofGodintheblockbustercomedies"BruceAlmighty"and"EvanAlmighty."OnefilminwhichFreemandidn'tplayGodwasSethRogenandEvanGoldberg'sstar-studdedapocalypticcomedy"ThisistheEnd."RogenandGoldbergwroteapartjustforFreeman,butheturneditdown."WewantedhimtoplayGod,"RogentoldYahoo!Entertainment."ApparentlyhetakeshischaracterasGodveryseriously." The2000historicalgolfdrama"TheLegendofBaggerVance"isanotherbigmoviethatwasdesignedtoincludeFreemanatonepoint. Initially,directorRobertRedfordplannedtostarinthefilmhimself,alongsideFreeman.Thenhechangedhismindanddecidedtocastyoungeractors(MattDamonandWillSmith)instead,accordingtoEW. Recommended