Morgan Freeman
Morgan Freeman (born June 1, 1937) is an American actor, director, and narrator. Noted for his distinctive deep voice, Freeman is known for his 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, 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. Freeman then appeared in the Shakespearean plays Coriolanus 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, the biographical drama Lean on Me, and comedy-drama Driving Miss Daisy (all 1989), the latter of which garnered him his first Academy Award nomination for Best Actor. In 1992, Freeman starred alongside Clint Eastwood in the western 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's 2004 sports drama Million Dollar Baby. In 2009, he received his fifth Oscar nomination for playing former South African President Nelson Mandela in Eastwood's Invictus. Freeman is also known for his performance as Lucius Fox in Christopher Nolan's The Dark Knight Trilogy (2005–2012). In addition to acting, Freeman has directed the drama Bopha! (1993). He also founded film production company Revelations Entertainment with business partner Lori McCreary. He is the recipient of the Kennedy Center Honor, the AFI Life Achievement Award, the Cecil B. DeMille Award, and the Screen Actors Guild Life Achievement Award. For his performances in theatrical productions, he has won three Obie Awards, one of the most prestigious honors for recognizing excellence in theatre.
Known For
Credits
- 2023 · A Good Person as Daniel
- 2023 · The Ritual Killer as Dr. Mackles
- 2021 · Oscar Micheaux: The Superhero of Black Filmmaking as Self
- 2021 · Hitman's Wife's Bodyguard as Senior
- 2021 · Vanquish as Damon
- 2021 · Coming 2 America as Morgan Freeman
- 2020 · The Comeback Trail as Reggie Fontaine
- 2020 · The Disney Family Singalong - Volume II as Self
- 2019 · Angel Has Fallen as Alan Trumbull
- 2019 · Brian Banks as Jerome Johnson (uncredited)
- 2019 · Scooby-Doo and Guess Who? as Morgan Freeman (voice)
- 2019 · The Poison Rose as Doc
- 2018 · The Nutcracker and the Four Realms as Drosselmeyer
- 2017 · The Words That Built America as Self - Reader: Declaration of Independence
- 2012 · Ending the Knight as Self
- 2011 · Conan the Barbarian as Narrator (voice)
- 2010 · The 16th Man as Narrator (voice)
- 2008 · A Raisin in the Sun as Narrator (voice) (uncredited)
- 2007 · All About Us as Self
- 2006 · The Electric Company's Greatest Hits & Bits as Self
- 2003 · The Ellen DeGeneres Show as Self
- 2002 · Eastwood & Co.: Making 'Unforgiven' as Self
- 2001 · Shawshank: The Redeeming Feature as Self
- 1997 · The View as Self
- 1992 · The Tonight Show with Jay Leno as
- 1988 · LIVE with Kelly and Mark as
- 1985 · The Twilight Zone as Tony (segment "Dealer's Choice")
- 1979 · Hollow Image as Sweet Talk
- 1974 · Out to Lunch as Self / Croupier
- 1973 · Blade as Chris
- 1971 · The Electric Company as Mad Scientist
- 1971 · The Electric Company as Easy Reader
- 1968 · Where Were You When the Lights Went Out? as Grand Central Commuter
- 1966 · A Man Called Adam as Party Guest (uncredited)
- 1965 · The Pawnbroker as Man on Street (Uncredited)
- 1952 · Today as Self
- Future · Hate to See You Go as Sonny Bell
- 2025 · Clint Eastwood : la légende as Self
- 2024 · From the Balkans as (narrator)
- 2024 · Odysseus Returns as Narrator
- 2022 · Power of Chi as Narrator (voice)
- 2021 · Rita Moreno: Just a Girl Who Decided to Go for It as Self
- 2020 · Meeting the Beatles in India as Narrator (voice)
- 2020 · Into Nature's Wild as Narrator (voice)
- 2018 · America's Musical Journey as Narrator (voice)
- 2017 · John G. Avildsen: King of the Underdogs as Self
- 2017 · March of the Penguins 2: The Next Step as Narrator (English voice)
- 2015 · JFK & LBJ: A Time for Greatness as Narrator (voice)
- 2008 · Where the Water Meets the Sky as
- 2006 · Boffo! Tinseltown's Bombs and Blockbusters as Self
- 2006 · The Best of The Tony Awards: The Plays as Jaques (segment "As You Like It")
- 2005 · Born to Fight as Self
- 2005 · James Lipton Takes on Three as Self
- 2005 · March of the Penguins as Narrator
- 2004 · Survivors of the Shoah: Visual History Foundation as
- 2002 · All on Accounta Pullin' a Trigger as Self
- 2002 · Partners of the Heart as Narrator (voice)
- 1997 · The Making of Se7en as Self
- 1996 · The Daily Show as Self
- 1994 · Inside the Actors Studio as Self
- 1992 · Eastwood & Co.: Making 'Unforgiven' as Self
- 1990 · The Earth Day Special as Walter Samson
- 1971 · Who Says I Can't Ride a Rainbow! as Afro
- Future · CLINT as Narrator (voice)
- 1991 · The Massachusetts 54th Colored Infantry as Narrator (voice)
- 1990 · Rabbit Ears - The Savior is Born as Narrator (voice)
- 1985 · The Gospel at Colonus as Messenger
- 1974 · Energy Crisis as Self
- 1970 · Caught in the Middle as
- Future · Great Escapes as Moderation
- 2025 · Now You See Me: Now You Don't as Thaddeus Bradley
- 2025 · Number One on the Call Sheet as Self
- 2024 · Gunner as Kendrick Ryker
- 2024 · How to Rob a Bank as Azeem (archive footage)
- 2023 · Life on Our Planet as Self - Narrator (voice)
- 2023 · 57 Seconds as Anton Burrell
- 2023 · 100 Years of Warner Bros. as Self - Narrator (voice)
- 2023 · The Muppets Mayhem as Morgan Freeman
- 2022 · Our Universe as Self - Narrator (voice)
- 2022 · The Minute You Wake Up Dead as Sheriff Thurmond Fowler
- 2022 · Sidney as Self
- 2022 · Paradise Highway as Gerick
- 2022 · Betty White: A Celebration as Self
- 2021 · Clint Eastwood: A Cinematic Legacy as Self
- 2017 · Just Getting Started as Duke
- 2017 · Going in Style as Willie Davis
- 2016 · Ben-Hur as Sheik Ilderim
- 2016 · The C Word as Narrator (voice)
- 2015 · Momentum as Senator
- 2015 · Last Knights as Bartok
- 2014 · Dolphin Tale 2 as Dr. Cameron McCarthy
- 2014 · 5 Flights Up as Alex Carver
- 2014 · Transcendence as Joseph Tagger
- 2014 · Island of Lemurs: Madagascar as Narrator (voice)
- 2013 · Eastwood Directs: The Untold Story as Self
- 2012 · The Magic of Belle Isle as Monte Wildhorn
- 2011 · Dolphin Tale as Dr. McCarthy
- 2011 · Curiosity as Self - Narrator (voice)
- 2011 · Born to Be Wild as Narrator (voice)
- 2010 · Through the Wormhole as Self - Host
- 2010 · The Eastwood Factor as Self - Narrator (voice)
- 2009 · The People Speak as Self
- 2009 · The Maiden Heist as Charles Peterson
- 2009 · Thick as Thieves as Keith Ripley
- 2007 · The Bucket List as Carter Chambers
- 2007 · Feast of Love as Harry Stevenson
- 2007 · Gone Baby Gone as Jack Doyle
- 2006 · The Contract as Frank Carden
- 2006 · Lucky Number Slevin as The Boss
- 2005 · Magnificent Desolation: Walking on the Moon as Neil Armstrong (voice)
- 2005 · Shelter from the Storm: A Concert for the Gulf Coast as Self
- 2005 · Edison as Ashford
- 2004 · The Big Bounce as Walter Crewes
- 2003 · Levity as Miles Evans
- 2002 · High Crimes as Charlie Grimes
- 2000 · Clint Eastwood: Out of the Shadows as Narrator (voice)
- 2000 · Nurse Betty as Charlie
- 2000 · Under Suspicion as Captain Victor Benezet
- 1999 · Mark Twain Prize as Self
- 1998 · Hard Rain as Jim
- 1997 · The Long Way Home as Narrator (voice)
- 1996 · Cosmic Voyage as Narrator (voice)
- 1996 · Chain Reaction as Paul Shannon
- 1996 · Moll Flanders as Hibble
- 1992 · Shelley Duvall's Bedtime Stories as Narrator (Voice)
- 1992 · The Power of One as Geel Piet
- 1990 · The Bonfire of the Vanities as Judge Leonard White
- 1989 · Driving Miss Daisy as Hoke Colburn
- 1989 · Johnny Handsome as Lt. A.Z. Drones
- 1989 · Lean On Me as Principal Joe Clark
- 1988 · Clinton and Nadine as Dorsey Pratt
- 1987 · Fight for Life as Dr. Sherard
- 1985 · Marie: A True Story as Charles Traughber
- 1985 · The Atlanta Child Murders as Ben Shelter
- 1984 · Teachers as Lewis
- 1984 · Harry & Son as Siemanowski
- 1981 · Death of a Prophet as Malcolm X
- 1980 · Brubaker as Walter
- 1978 · Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry as Uncle Hammer
- 1973 · The American Film Institute Salute to ... as Self
- 1968 · Where Were You When the Lights Went Out? as Grand Central Commuter (uncredited)
- Future · Sniff as Joe Mulwray
- 2024 · My Dead Friend Zoe as Dr. Cole
- 2022 · Clint Eastwood: The Last Legend as Self (archive footage)
- 2021 · History's Greatest Escapes with Morgan Freeman as Self - Host
- 2017 · Laddie: The Man Behind the Movies as Self
- 2016 · The Story of God with Morgan Freeman as Self - Host
- 2014 · Wish Wizard as Maxwell Omni
- 2013 · Tales from the Warner Bros. Lot as Self
- 2013 · The Editor and The Dragon: Horace Carter Fights the Klan as Narrator (voice)
- 2012 · B.B. King: The Life of Riley as Narrator (voice)
- 2012 · Betty White's 90th Birthday: A Tribute to America's Golden Girl as Self
- 2009 · Prom Night in Mississippi as Narrator (voice)
- 2006 · 10 Items or Less as 'Him'
- 2005 · An Unfinished Life as Mitch Bradley
- 2005 · Nos Bastidores de Hollywood as Self (archive footage)
- 2005 · Blues Divas as Self
- 2004 · America Beyond the Color Line as Self
- 1999 · Stephen King: Shining in the Dark as Self
- 1998 · Scandalize My Name: Stories from the Blacklist as Self
- 1996 · Blacklist: Hollywood on Trial as Edward G. Robinson
- 1996 · Inside the White House as Narrator (voice)
- 1991 · Robin Hood: The Myth, the Man, the Movie as Self
- 1990 · Night of 100 Stars III as Self
- 1988 · Clean and Sober as Craig
- 1987 · Street Smart as Leo "Fast Black" Smalls, Jr.
- 1986 · Resting Place as Luther Johnson
- 1985 · That Was Then... This Is Now as Charlie Woods
- 1981 · Eyewitness as Lieutenant Black
- 1980 · Attica as Hap Richards
- 1974 · Spidey Super Stories as Police officer
- 1974 · Spidey Super Stories as Umpire
- 1974 · Spidey Super Stories as Count Dracula
- 1974 · Spidey Super Stories as Easy Reader
- 1951 · Hallmark Hall of Fame as Clarence
- 1951 · Hallmark Hall of Fame as Luther
- Future · The Promised Land as Narrator (voice)
- 2023 · 761st Tank Battalion: The Original Black Panthers as Self
- 2023 · Lioness as Secretary of State Edwin Mullins
- 2022 · The Jennifer Hudson Show as Self
- 2021 · Solos as Narrator (voice)
- 2021 · Solos as Stuart
- 2021 · Morgan Freeman: Breaking Barriers as Self
- 2019 · Panama Canal in 3D a Land Divided a World United as Self
- 2018 · Die Clint Eastwood Story as Self
- 2017 · The Story of Us with Morgan Freeman as Self - Host
- 2016 · Now You See Me 2 as Thaddeus Bradley
- 2016 · London Has Fallen as Alan Trumbull
- 2015 · The Late Show with Stephen Colbert as Self
- 2015 · Ted 2 as Patrick Meighan
- 2014 · Madam Secretary as Chief Justice Frawley
- 2014 · Madam Secretary as Chief Justice Wilbourne (uncredited)
- 2014 · Lucy as Professor Norman
- 2014 · Late Night with Seth Meyers as Self
- 2014 · The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon as Self
- 2014 · The Lego Movie as Vitruvius (voice)
- 2014 · We the People as Narrator (voice)
- 2013 · JFK: A President Betrayed as Narrator (voice)
- 2013 · Last Vegas as Archibald 'Archie' Clayton
- 2013 · Now You See Me as Thaddeus Bradley
- 2013 · Oblivion as Beech
- 2013 · Olympus Has Fallen as Alan Trumbull
- 2012 · The Dark Knight Rises as Fox
- 2012 · Le frontiere dell'Astronomia - EP-7 Vite aliene nel cosmo as Narratore
- 2012 · Echoes 'Cross the Tracks as Self
- 2011 · Clint Eastwood's West as Self
- 2011 · Breaking the Taboo as Narrator (voice)
- 2010 · The President's Photographer: Fifty Years Inside the Oval Office as Narrator (voice)
- 2010 · RED as Joe Matheson
- 2010 · For Love of Liberty: The Story of America's Black Patriots as Self (voice)
- 2009 · Invictus as Nelson Mandela
- 2009 · 30 for 30 as
- 2009 · The Jay Leno Show as Self
- 2009 · Live from Studio Five as Self
- 2008 · The Dark Knight as Lucius Fox
- 2008 · Wanted as Sloan
- 2007 · AFI: 100 Years... 100 Movies... 10th Anniversary Edition as Self
- 2007 · Evan Almighty as God
- 2007 · The Graham Norton Show as Self
- 2006 · Greasy Rider as
- 2005 · The Reichen Show as Self - Guest
- 2005 · War of the Worlds as Narrator (voice)
- 2005 · Batman Begins as Lucius Fox
- 2005 · Slavery and the Making of America as Self - Narrator (voice)
- 2005 · Unleashed as Sam
- 2005 · The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson as Self
- 2004 · Million Dollar Baby as Eddie Scrap-Iron Dupris
- 2004 · Genius. A Night for Ray Charles as Self
- 2004 · The Hunting of the President as Narrator (voice)
- 2003 · Guilty by Association as Lt. Redding
- 2003 · Declaration of Independence as Self
- 2003 · Bruce Almighty as God
- 2003 · Dreamcatcher as Col. Abraham Curtis
- 2003 · Jimmy Kimmel Live! as Self
- 2002 · The Sum of All Fears as DCI William Cabot
- 2001 · Along Came a Spider as Alex Cross
- 1998 · Deep Impact as President Tom Beck
- 1998 · Parkinson as Self
- 1997 · Amistad as Theodore Joadson
- 1997 · Kiss the Girls as Det. Alex Cross
- 1997 · The Chris Rock Show as
- 1995 · Se7en as Somerset
- 1995 · Outbreak as General Billy Ford
- 1994 · The Shawshank Redemption as Ellis Boyd 'Red' Redding
- 1993 · Late Night with Conan O'Brien as Self - Guest
- 1992 · Unforgiven as Ned Logan
- 1992 · HBO First Look as
- 1991 · Pebble Mill as Self
- 1991 · The True Story of Glory Continues as Narrator (voice)
- 1991 · Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves as Azeem
- 1990 · The Civil War as Frederick Douglass
- 1990 · Follow the Drinking Gourd as Narrator (voice)
- 1989 · Glory as Sgt. Maj. John Rawlins
- 1988 · American Experience as Narrator (voice)
- 1986 · American Masters as Narrator (voice)
- 1981 · The Marva Collins Story as Clarence Collins
- 1978 · Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry as Uncle Hammer
- Future · The Blues Live On! The Delta Blues Museum as Narrator (voice)
- Future · The Little Bedroom as
- 1985 · The Execution of Raymond Graham as Warden Pratt
- 1984 · Goldene Kamera as Self
- 1979 · CBS News Sunday Morning as Self
- 1978 · The Kennedy Center Honors as Self
- 1975 · Saturday Night Live as Self - Cameo (uncredited)
- 1971 · The Electric Company as Count Dracula
- 1971 · Great Performances as Messenger
- 1968 · 60 Minutes as Self
- 1956 · Tony Awards as Self - Performer
- 1953 · The Oscars as Self - Presenter
- 1953 · The Oscars as Self
- 1944 · Golden Globe Awards as Self - Presenter
- 1944 · Golden Globe Awards as Self - Nominee
- 1944 · Golden Globe Awards as Self
- 1944 · Golden Globe Awards as Self - Cecil B. DeMille Award Recipient