Award-winning actor Morgan Freeman is one of Hollywood’s finest icons, and in this article, we will be discussing his career, age, net worth, family, and achievements.
Freeman is arguably one of the unique American actors of this generation. Whenever we hear his voice narrating a documentary, it’s easy to identify that is the iconic Morgan Freeman speaking.
American actor Morgan Freeman is one of the greatest black actors of all time. Freeman has been featured in several films and has narrated many documentaries.
Throughout his career, Freeman has won prestigious awards on the biggest stage in television history. The actor appeared at the 95th Academy Awards at Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles, California.
Morgan Freeman has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. How did it all start for the octogenarian? When did Freeman have his breakthrough in Hollywood?
Stay with us to find out more about Freeman’s career, net worth, family, and personal life.
Morgan Freeman Biography
Hollywood actor Morgan Freeman was born to Morgan Porterfield Freeman and Mamie Ednaon on June 1, 1937.
His father was a barber and not much is known about Freeman’s mother, only that she was born in 1912 and died in the year 2000. Freeman’s father died of cirrhosis back in 1961, according to reports.
Morgan Freeman is of African and American descent. A DNA analysis traces Freeman’s ancestry to the Songhai and Tuareg people of Niger.
According to reports, Freeman’s great-great grandparents were African slaves. Freeman’s maternal great-great-grandfather was Caucasian.
Tracing his ancestry, the DNA test predicted that one-quarter of Freeman’s African ancestors came from the areas which span from present-day Senegal to Liberia, while three-quarters were from the Congo-Angola area.
As a child, Freeman’s parents sent him to live with his paternal grandmother. Freeman lived in different cities during his childhood. He lived in Charleston, Mississippi with his paternal grandmother.
He also lived in Greenwood, Mississippi, Chicago, Illinois, and Gary, Indiana.
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Education
Freeman was a student at Broad Street High School in Greenwood, Mississippi.
At age 9, Freeman began acting at school. He played a lead role in a school play, marking his first acting performance.
A young Morgan Freeman at age 12 won a drama completion in Greenwood, Mississippi. This was the beginning for Freeman as he will later discover music and theatre.
In 1955 at age 18, Morgan Freeman graduated from high school. An opportunity came for the then 18 years old Freeman, but he turned it down. The actor was offered a drama scholarship by Jackson State University, but he had other plans.
Freeman chose to enlist in the United States Air Force rather than accept the scholarship. A young patriot eager to serve his country, Freeman got the position of an Automatic Tracking Radar repairman.
His patriotism earned him the rank of airman first class in the U.S. Air Force. Freeman was in the United States Air Force for four years before he relocated to Los Angeles, California.
While in Los Angeles, Freeman took acting classes at the Pasadena Playhouse. Freeman also enrolled at Los Angeles City College, where he studied theatre arts.
Morgan Freeman Career
Currently, Morgan Freeman has a net worth estimated at over $200 million all thanks to his acting career.
While Freeman was studying at Los Angeles City College, a teacher there advised him to consider a career in dancing. Freeman took that advice seriously and became a member of the Opera Ring musical theatre group.
Freeman was one of the dancers at the 1964 World’s Fair. His dancing group, Opera Ring musical theatre were based in San Francisco, California at that time.
Freeman was caught between choosing acting or dancing. After making an appearance as an extra in the 1965 drama film The Pawnbroker, Freeman was convinced he would become an actor.
In the late 1980s, Freeman starred in several Hollywood films. The actor played Sergeant Major John Rawlins in Edward Zwick’s 1989 film Glory.
Freeman and fellow American actor Denzel Washington received accolades for their performance in the film.
The 1989 film Glory was nominated for 5 Academy Award at the 62nd edition of the ceremony. It won Best Supporting Actor, Best Cinematography, and Best Sound.
In the same year, Freeman starred in Driving Miss Daisy with actress Jessica Tandy.
Morgan Freeman played “God” in the 2003 film Bruce Almighty and in the 2007 Evan Almighty. He portrayed Lucius Fox in the 2005 DC film Batman Begins. Freeman reprised his role as Lucius Fox in the 2008 film Dark Knight.
For his performance in the 2009 biographical sports film Invictus, Freeman was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Actor. He was also nominated for a Golden Globe Award alongside Matt Damon.
Morgan Freeman’s Net Worth
Freeman’s career spans over five decades and during this period, the actor has won prestigious awards. Throughout his career, Freeman has starred in several blockbuster movies.
When you have someone who has been in the industry for over five decades, you will expect their net worth to be in the hundreds of million.
So, what is the net worth of Morgan Freeman?
Currently, Morgan Freeman has a net worth valued at $250 million. Freeman earns a lot of money as an actor. And let’s not forget he is also a director and narrator.
Freeman is also the executive producer in some of the films that he has starred in. He is the executive producer in films such as Under Suspicion, Along Came a Spider, Levity, and Invictus.
Growing up, Morgan Freeman was a young man with talents. Remember he started his career as a dancer before discovering he is destined for acting.
Freeman made a wise decision and today, he is one of the most recognized Hollywood icons. We can all agree that Morgan Freeman has made quite a fortune through his acting career.
Freeman also earns thousands of dollars as a narrator in films and documentaries.
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Morgan Freeman Wife
At age 30, Morgan Freeman got married to Jeanette Adair Bradshaw. The couple tied the knot on October 22, 1967, and their marriage lasted twelve years and a month.
Freeman and Jeanette Adair Bradshaw divorced in 1979.
On June 16, 1989, Freeman married Myma Colley-Lee. Freeman and Myma Colley-Lee were married for over two decades before they separated in 2007. Myma Colley-Lee and Freeman finally divorced in 2010 and since then the actor has not remarried.
According to reports, Myma Colley-Lee received over $100 million as a divorce settlement.
Morgan Freeman is a father to four children. His children’s names are Alfonso, Morgana, Deena, and Saifoulaye.
Morgan Freeman’s Personal Life
Freeman was born in Memphis, Tennessee, but currently lives in Charleston, Mississippi. He spent most of his childhood in Charleston and Greenwood. Perhaps Freeman chose to live in Charleston, Mississippi to recall his childhood experience staying with his paternal grandmother.
Freeman also owns a home in New York. Remember he was in the U.S. Air Force before he began his acting career. At age 65, Freeman earned a private pilot license.
It’s believed that the actor has at some point owned three private aircraft.
Freeman has a different opinion when it comes to religion.
Once he was asked if he believed in God. Freeman replied, “It’s a difficult question because as I said at the start, I think we invented God. So, if I (Morgan Freeman) believe in God, and I do, it’s because I think I’m God.
A response coming from an actor who played “God” in different Hollywood films. The American actor later revealed that his personal experience working on the documentary series, The Story of God with Morgan Freeman did not change how he sees religion.
Morgan Freeman’s Top Hit Movies
Freeman has starred in some of the best Hollywood movies, winning prestigious awards for his performance. Here are some of the top movies that Freeman has starred in.
- Glory- 1989
- Lean on Me- 1989
- Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves_ 1991
- Unforgiven- 1992
- The Shawshank Redemption- 1994
- Outbreak- 1995
- Bruce Almighty- 2003
- Million Dollar Baby- 2004
- Batman Begins- 2005
- Unleashed- 2005
- Evans Almighty- 2007
- The Dark Knight- 2008
- Invictus- 2009
- RED- 2010
- The Dark Knight Rises- 2012
- Olympus Has Fallen- 2013
- Now You See Me- 2013
- Last Vegas- 2013
- Transcendence-2014
- Lucy- 2014
- Ben-Hur- 2016
- Angeles Has Fallen- 2019
- Hitman’s Wife Bodyguard- 2021
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Awards
Throughout his acting career, Morgan Freeman has been nominated for various awards and has won many.
Freeman was nominated for the category of Best Supporting Actor for his performance in the 2004 film Million Dollar Baby. Morgan Freeman won the Academy Award at the 77th edition of the ceremony at age 67.
Before winning the Academy Award, Freeman was nominated three times, twice for Best Actor and once for Best Supporting Actor. The actor was also nominated for an Academy Award for Best Actor for his performance in Clint Eastwood’s biographical sports film Invictus.
Freeman has been nominated for the Golden Globe Award and won it twice. He won his first Golden Globe Award for his performance in Driving Missy Daisy.
The actor has also been nominated for the Primetime Emmy Award three times.
Hollywood Walk of Fame
On March 18, 2003, Morgan Freeman was inducted into the Hollywood Walk of Fame at the age of 66. The actor attended the ceremony where he was honoured with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in Hollywood, California.
Social Media
Freeman is on Instagram and currently has over 3.5 million followers. The actor is also active on Facebook with 32 million followers on his verified page.
Frequently Asked Question
Below are frequently asked questions regarding the career, age, net worth, and personal life of Morgan Freeman.
What is the net worth of Morgan Freeman?
Currently, Morgan Freeman has a net worth valued at $250 million. Freeman earns a lot of money as an actor. And let’s not forget he is also a director and narrator.
What is the age of Morgan Freeman?
Hollywood actor Morgan Freeman was born to Morgan Porterfield Freeman and Mamie Ednaon on June 1, 1937. Currently, Freeman is 86 years old. He will celebrate his next birthday on June 1, 2024.
How tall is Morgan Freeman?
Freeman stands at 6 feet 2 inches, which is equivalent to 188 cm. Morgan Freeman is tall considering men in that age range tend to be 5 feet on average.
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Who is Morgan Freeman’s wife?
At age 30, Morgan Freeman got married to Jeanette Adair Bradshaw. The couple tied the knot on October 22, 1967, and their marriage lasted twelve years and a month.
Freeman and Jeanette Adair Bradshaw divorced in 1979.
On June 16, 1989, Freeman married Myma Colley-Lee. Freeman and Myma Colley-Lee were married for over two decades before they separated in 2007. Myma Colley-Lee and Freeman finally divorced in 2010 and since then the actor has not remarried.
Who are Morgan Freeman’s children?
Morgan Freeman is a father to four children. His children’s names are Alfonso, Morgana, Deena, and Saifoulaye.
Conclusion
Freeman’s career spans over five decades. At the age of 86, Morgan Freeman is still making an appearance on the biggest stage in TV history. With a net worth estimated at $250 million, Freeman is one of the richest actors in Hollywood.
