Morgan Freeman on screen and stage

Morgan Freeman on screen and stage

At Deauville American Film Festival in September 2018

Morgan Freeman is an American actor and producer who has had a prolific career on stage and screen. He is known for his deep resonant voice and the gravitas he has lent to his roles. Since making his film debut in 1964, Freeman is known for his roles in genres ranging from dramas, historical epics, thrillers, action adventure, science fiction, and comedies. In a 2022 readers' poll by Empire, he was voted one of the 50 greatest actors of all time.

His film debut was as an uncredited character in the Sidney Lumet–directed drama The Pawnbroker in 1964. Freeman also made his stage debut in the same year by appearing in the musical Hello, Dolly! He followed this with further stage appearances in The Niggerlovers (1967), The Dozens (1969), Exhibition (1969), and the musical Purlie (1970–1971). He played various characters on the children's television series The Electric Company (1971–1977). Freeman subsequently appeared in the films Teachers in 1984, and Marie in 1985 before making his breakthrough with 1987's Street Smart. His role earned him a nomination for the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor. Two years later he appeared in war film Glory (1989), and starred as Hoke Coleburn in the comedy-drama Driving Miss Daisy (1989). Freeman won the Golden Globe Award for Best Actor – Motion Picture Musical or Comedy for his performance in the latter and also earned a nomination for the Academy Award for Best Actor.

In the 1990s, he was cast in numerous films, including the adventure film Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves (1991) opposite Kevin Costner, drama The Shawshank Redemption (1994) with Tim Robbins, psychological thriller Seven (1995), historical drama Amistad (1997), crime thriller Kiss the Girls (1997), and science fiction disaster film Deep Impact (1998). His role in The Shawshank Redemption earned him a second nomination for the Academy Award for Best Actor. In 2003, he played God in the comedy Bruce Almighty opposite Jim Carrey. The following year Freeman played Eddie "Scrap Iron" Dupris in Clint Eastwood's film Million Dollar Baby (2004), for which he won an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor.

Freeman played Lucius Fox in a trilogy of Batman films: Batman Begins (2005), The Dark Knight (2008), and The Dark Knight Rises (2012). During that time, Freeman also appeared in The Bucket List (2007) opposite Jack Nicholson, Wanted (2008) with Angelina Jolie, and Invictus (2009) with Matt Damon. In 2011, Freeman received the AFI Life Achievement Award from the American Film Institute. Two years later he starred in action thriller Olympus Has Fallen (2013), science fiction film Oblivion (2013), caper Now You See Me (2013), and comedy Last Vegas. In 2014, Freeman appeared in the science fiction films Transcendence and Lucy.

Freeman has also narrated several documentaries and television series, including Cosmic Voyage (1996), Slavery and the Making of America (2004), March of the Penguins (2005), and Breaking the Taboo (2011). He was also the host and narrator for the series Through the Wormhole from 2010 to 2017.

Acting credits

Film

At the 62nd Annual Academy Awards in March 1990

At the 2005 Cannes Film Festival

At a conference in Los Angeles, October 2006

Morgan Freeman in 2022

<table><thead><tr><th>Year</th><th>Title</th><th>Role</th><th>Notes</th><th>Ref.</th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td>1964</td><td>The Pawnbroker</td><td>Man on Street</td><td>Uncredited</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>1966</td><td>A Man Called Adam</td><td>Party guest</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>1968</td><td>Where Were You When the Lights Went Out?</td><td>Grand Central Commuter</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>1971</td><td>Who Says I Can't Ride a Rainbow!</td><td>Afro</td><td></td><td></td></tr><tr><td>1973</td><td>Blade</td><td>Chris</td><td></td><td></td></tr><tr><td>1980</td><td>Brubaker</td><td>Walter</td><td></td><td></td></tr><tr><td>1981</td><td>Eyewitness</td><td>Lieutenant Black</td><td></td><td></td></tr><tr><td>1984</td><td>Teachers</td><td>Alan Lewis</td><td></td><td></td></tr><tr><td>Harry & Son</td><td>Siemanowski</td><td></td><td></td></tr><tr><td>1985</td><td>Marie</td><td>Charles Traughber</td><td></td><td></td></tr><tr><td>That Was Then... This Is Now</td><td>Charlie</td><td></td><td></td></tr><tr><td>1987</td><td>Street Smart</td><td>Fast Black</td><td></td><td></td></tr><tr><td>1988</td><td>Clean and Sober</td><td>Craig</td><td></td><td></td></tr><tr><td>1989</td><td>Glory</td><td>John Rawlins</td><td></td><td></td></tr><tr><td>Driving Miss Daisy</td><td>Hoke Colburn</td><td></td><td></td></tr><tr><td>Lean on Me</td><td>Joe Louis Clark</td><td></td><td></td></tr><tr><td>Johnny Handsome</td><td>Lt. Drones</td><td></td><td></td></tr><tr><td>1990</td><td>The Civil War</td><td>Frederick Douglass</td><td>Voice</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>The Bonfire of the Vanities</td><td>Judge White</td><td></td><td></td></tr><tr><td>1991</td><td>Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves</td><td>Azeem Edin Bashir Al Bakir</td><td></td><td></td></tr><tr><td>1992</td><td>Unforgiven</td><td>Ned Logan</td><td></td><td></td></tr><tr><td>The Power of One</td><td>Geel Piet</td><td></td><td></td></tr><tr><td>1993</td><td>Bopha!</td><td>—N/a</td><td>Director only</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>1994</td><td>The Shawshank Redemption</td><td>Ellis Boyd "Red" Redding, Narrator</td><td></td><td></td></tr><tr><td>1995</td><td>Outbreak</td><td>General Billy Ford</td><td></td><td></td></tr><tr><td>Seven</td><td>Detective Lieutenant William Somerset</td><td></td><td></td></tr><tr><td>1996</td><td>Chain Reaction</td><td>Paul Shannon</td><td></td><td></td></tr><tr><td>Moll Flanders</td><td>Hibble</td><td></td><td></td></tr><tr><td>1997</td><td>Amistad</td><td>Theodore Joadson</td><td></td><td></td></tr><tr><td>Kiss the Girls</td><td>Alex Cross</td><td></td><td></td></tr><tr><td>1998</td><td>Deep Impact</td><td>President Beck</td><td></td><td></td></tr><tr><td>Hard Rain</td><td>Jim</td><td></td><td></td></tr><tr><td>2000</td><td>Nurse Betty</td><td>Charlie</td><td></td><td></td></tr><tr><td>Under Suspicion</td><td>Victor Benezet</td><td>Also executive producer</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>2001</td><td>Along Came a Spider</td><td>Alex Cross</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>2002</td><td>The Sum of All Fears</td><td>DCI William Cabot</td><td></td><td></td></tr><tr><td>High Crimes</td><td>Charlie Grimes</td><td></td><td></td></tr><tr><td>2003</td><td>Bruce Almighty</td><td>God</td><td></td><td></td></tr><tr><td>Dreamcatcher</td><td>Col. Abraham Curtis</td><td></td><td></td></tr><tr><td>Levity</td><td>Pastor Miles Evans</td><td>Also executive producer</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>Guilty by Association</td><td>Lt. Redding</td><td></td><td></td></tr><tr><td>2004</td><td>The Big Bounce</td><td>Walter Crewes</td><td></td><td></td></tr><tr><td>Million Dollar Baby</td><td>Eddie "Scrap Iron" Dupris</td><td></td><td></td></tr><tr><td>2005</td><td>An Unfinished Life</td><td>Mitch</td><td></td><td></td></tr><tr><td>Batman Begins</td><td>Lucius Fox</td><td></td><td></td></tr><tr><td>Unleashed</td><td>Sam</td><td></td><td></td></tr><tr><td>Edison</td><td>Ashford</td><td></td><td></td></tr><tr><td>Magnificent Desolation: Walking on the Moon 3D</td><td>Neil Armstrong</td><td>Documentary</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>2006</td><td>The Contract</td><td>Frank Carden</td><td></td><td></td></tr><tr><td>Lucky Number Slevin</td><td>The Boss</td><td></td><td></td></tr><tr><td>10 Items or Less</td><td>Himself</td><td>Also executive producer</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>2007</td><td>Evan Almighty</td><td>God</td><td></td><td></td></tr><tr><td>Feast of Love</td><td>Harry Stevenson</td><td></td><td></td></tr><tr><td>Gone Baby Gone</td><td>Jack Doyle</td><td></td><td></td></tr><tr><td>The Bucket List</td><td>Carter Chambers</td><td></td><td></td></tr><tr><td>2008</td><td>Wanted</td><td>Sloan</td><td></td><td></td></tr><tr><td>The Dark Knight</td><td>Lucius Fox</td><td></td><td></td></tr><tr><td>2009</td><td>Thick as Thieves</td><td>Keith Ripley</td><td>Also known as The Code</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>The Maiden Heist</td><td>Charles Peterson</td><td></td><td></td></tr><tr><td>Invictus</td><td>Nelson Mandela</td><td>Also executive producer</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>2010</td><td>RED</td><td>Joe Matheson</td><td></td><td></td></tr><tr><td>2011</td><td>Dolphin Tale</td><td>Dr. McCarthy</td><td></td><td></td></tr><tr><td>2012</td><td>The Magic of Belle Isle</td><td>Monte Wildhorn</td><td></td><td></td></tr><tr><td>The Dark Knight Rises</td><td>Lucius Fox</td><td></td><td></td></tr><tr><td>2013</td><td>Olympus Has Fallen</td><td>Allan Trumbull, Speaker of the House</td><td></td><td></td></tr><tr><td>Oblivion</td><td>Beech</td><td></td><td></td></tr><tr><td>Now You See Me</td><td>Thaddeus Bradley</td><td></td><td></td></tr><tr><td>Last Vegas</td><td>Archie</td><td></td><td></td></tr><tr><td>2014</td><td>The Lego Movie</td><td>Vitruvius</td><td>Voice</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>Transcendence</td><td>Joseph Tagger</td><td></td><td></td></tr><tr><td>Lucy</td><td>Professor Norman</td><td></td><td></td></tr><tr><td>Dolphin Tale 2</td><td>Dr. McCarthy</td><td></td><td></td></tr><tr><td>5 Flights Up</td><td>Alex</td><td>Also executive producer</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>Lennon or McCartney</td><td>Himself</td><td>Short documentary film; interview clip</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>2015</td><td>Last Knights</td><td>Bartok</td><td></td><td></td></tr><tr><td>Ted 2</td><td>Patrick Meighan</td><td></td><td></td></tr><tr><td>Momentum</td><td>Senator</td><td></td><td></td></tr><tr><td>2016</td><td>London Has Fallen</td><td>Vice President Allan Trumbull</td><td></td><td></td></tr><tr><td>Now You See Me 2</td><td>Thaddeus Bradley</td><td></td><td></td></tr><tr><td>Ben-Hur</td><td>Sheikh Ilderim</td><td></td><td></td></tr><tr><td>2017</td><td>Going in Style</td><td>Willie</td><td></td><td></td></tr><tr><td>Just Getting Started</td><td>Duke Diver</td><td></td><td></td></tr><tr><td>2018</td><td>The Nutcracker and the Four Realms</td><td>Drosselmeyer</td><td></td><td></td></tr><tr><td>Brian Banks</td><td>Jerome Johnson</td><td>Uncredited</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>2019</td><td>Princess of the Row</td><td>—N/a</td><td>Executive producer only</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>The Killing of Kenneth Chamberlain</td><td>—N/a</td><td>Executive producer only</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>The Poison Rose</td><td>Doc</td><td></td><td></td></tr><tr><td>Angel Has Fallen</td><td>President Allan Trumbull</td><td></td><td></td></tr><tr><td>2020</td><td>The Comeback Trail</td><td>Reggie Fontaine</td><td></td><td></td></tr><tr><td>2021</td><td>Coming 2 America</td><td>Himself</td><td></td><td></td></tr><tr><td>Vanquish</td><td>Damon</td><td></td><td></td></tr><tr><td>Hitman's Wife's Bodyguard</td><td>Michael Bryce Sr./Senior</td><td></td><td></td></tr><tr><td>2022</td><td>Paradise Highway</td><td>Gerick</td><td></td><td></td></tr><tr><td>The Minute You Wake Up Dead</td><td>Sheriff Thurmond Fowler</td><td></td><td></td></tr><tr><td>2023</td><td>The Ritual Killer</td><td>Dr. Mackles</td><td></td><td></td></tr><tr><td>A Good Person</td><td>Daniel</td><td></td><td></td></tr><tr><td>57 Seconds</td><td>Anton Burrell</td><td></td><td></td></tr><tr><td>2024</td><td>My Dead Friend Zoe</td><td>Dr. Cole</td><td></td><td></td></tr><tr><td>In Our Blood</td><td>—N/a</td><td>Executive producer only</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>Gunner</td><td>Kendrick Ryker</td><td></td><td></td></tr><tr><td>2025</td><td>Now You See Me: Now You Don't</td><td>Thaddeus Bradley</td><td></td><td></td></tr></tbody></table>

Television

<table><thead><tr><th>Year</th><th>Title</th><th>Role</th><th>Notes</th><th>Ref.</th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td>1971–1977</td><td>The Electric Company</td><td>Easy Reader / Mel Mounds / Dracula / Vincent the Vegetable Vampire / Mark</td><td>Main role</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>1978</td><td>Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry</td><td>Uncle Hammer Logan</td><td>Television film</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>1979</td><td>Hollow Image</td><td>Ralph Simmons "Sweet Talk"</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>1980</td><td>Attica</td><td>Hap Richards</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>1981</td><td>Ryan's Hope</td><td>Cicero Murphy</td><td>2 episodes</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>The Marva Collins Story</td><td>Clarence Collins</td><td>Television film</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>Death of a Prophet</td><td>Malcolm X</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>1983</td><td>Another World</td><td>Dr. Roy Bingham</td><td>5 episodes</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>1985</td><td>The Atlanta Child Murders</td><td>Ben Shelter</td><td>Miniseries</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>The Twilight Zone</td><td>Tony</td><td>Episode: "Dealer's Choice"</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>The Execution of Raymond Graham</td><td>Warden Pratt</td><td>TV Movie</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>1986</td><td>Resting Place</td><td>Luther Johnson</td><td>Television film</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>1987</td><td>Fight For Life</td><td>Dr. Sherard</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>1988</td><td>Clinton and Nadine</td><td>Dorsey Pratt</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>1990</td><td>The Earth Day Special</td><td>Walter Samson</td><td>TV special</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>2008</td><td>Smithsonian Channel's Sound Revolution</td><td>Himself (host)</td><td>TV documentary</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>Stephen Fry in America</td><td>Himself</td><td>Episode: "Mississippi"</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>2010</td><td>Saturday Night Live</td><td>Himself (cameo)</td><td>Episode: "Bryan Cranston/Kanye West"</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>2014–2019</td><td>Madam Secretary</td><td>Chief Justice Frawley</td><td>3 episodes; also executive producer</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>2016</td><td>2017 Breakthrough Prize Ceremony</td><td>Himself (host)</td><td>TV special</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>2016–2019</td><td>The Story of God with Morgan Freeman</td><td>Also executive producer</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>2017</td><td>The Story of Us with Morgan Freeman</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>2018 Breakthrough Prize Ceremony</td><td>TV special</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>2020</td><td>Scooby-Doo and Guess Who?</td><td>Himself</td><td>Episode: "The Last Inmate!"</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>2021</td><td>Solos</td><td>Stuart</td><td>1 episode</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>The Kominsky Method</td><td>Himself</td><td>2 episodes</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>2023</td><td>The Muppets Mayhem</td><td>Himself</td><td>Cameo</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>2023–present</td><td>Special Ops: Lioness</td><td>Edwin Mullins</td><td>Main role</td><td></td></tr></tbody></table>

Theater

<table><thead><tr><th>Year</th><th>Title</th><th>Role</th><th>Venue</th><th>Ref.</th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td>1967–1970</td><td>Hello, Dolly!</td><td>Rudolph</td><td>St. James Theatre</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>1967</td><td>The Niggerlovers</td><td>Creampuff</td><td>Orpheum Theatre</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>1969</td><td>The Dozens</td><td>Kgaravu</td><td>Booth Theatre</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>1969</td><td>Exhibition</td><td>David</td><td>Actors' Playhouse</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>1970–1971</td><td>Purlie</td><td>Purlie</td><td>Broadway Theatre / Winter Garden Theatre / August Wilson Theatre</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>1978</td><td>The Mighty Gents</td><td>Zeke</td><td>Ambassador Theatre</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>1978</td><td>White Pelicans</td><td>Winston</td><td>Lucille Lortel Theatre</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>1979</td><td>Coriolanus</td><td>Caius Martius / Coriolanus</td><td>Joseph Papp Public Theater/Anspacher Theater/Delacorte Theater</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>1979</td><td>Julius Caesar</td><td>Casca</td><td>Joseph Papp Public Theater/Anspacher Theater</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>1980</td><td>Mother Courage and Her Children</td><td>Chaplain</td><td>Joseph Papp Public Theater/Newman Theater</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>1983</td><td>Buck</td><td>Fred Milly</td><td>American Place Theatre</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>1984</td><td>Medea and the Doll</td><td>Dr. Winston Crews</td><td>Samuel Beckett Theatre</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>1987–1990</td><td>Driving Miss Daisy</td><td>Hoke Coleburn</td><td>John Houseman Theatre</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>1988</td><td>The Gospel at Colonus</td><td>Messenger</td><td>Lunt-Fontanne Theatre</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>1990</td><td>The Taming of the Shrew</td><td>Petruchio</td><td>Delacorte Theater</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>2008</td><td>The Country Girl</td><td>Frank Elgin</td><td>Bernard B. Jacobs Theatre</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>2011</td><td>8</td><td>David Boies</td><td>Eugene O'Neill Theatre</td><td></td></tr></tbody></table>

Narrator

Morgan Freeman on screen and stage

<table><thead><tr><th>Year</th><th>Title</th><th>Notes</th><th>Ref.</th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td>1994</td><td>Shelley Duvall's Bedtime Stories</td><td>Segment: "Amos, the Story of an Old Dog and His Couch"</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>1996</td><td>Cosmic Voyage</td><td>Documentary</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>1997</td><td>The Long Way Home</td><td>Documentary</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>2003</td><td>A Tale of Two Schools</td><td>Documentary</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>2004</td><td>The Hunting of the President</td><td>Documentary</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>2004</td><td>A Remarkable Promise</td><td>Short film</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>2004</td><td>Slavery and the Making of America</td><td>Documentary</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>2005</td><td>March of the Penguins</td><td>Documentary</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>2005</td><td>War of the Worlds</td><td>Narrative Feature</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>2008</td><td>The Love Guru</td><td>Narrative Feature</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>2008</td><td>A New Birth of Freedom</td><td>Documentary</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>2009</td><td>Prom Night in Mississippi</td><td>Documentary</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>2010–2017</td><td>Through the Wormhole</td><td>TV series (62 episodes)</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>2011</td><td>Curiosity</td><td>Episode: "Is There a Parallel Universe?"</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>2011</td><td>Born to Be Wild</td><td>Documentary</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>2011</td><td>Breaking the Taboo</td><td>Documentary</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>2011</td><td>Conan the Barbarian</td><td>Narrative Feature</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>2013</td><td>JFK: A President Betrayed</td><td>Documentary</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>2014</td><td>Island of Lemurs: Madagascar</td><td>Documentary</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>2014</td><td>The Mona Lisa Myth</td><td>Documentary</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>2016–2019</td><td>The Story of God with Morgan Freeman</td><td>TV series (15 episodes)</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>2017</td><td>The Age of Spin: Dave Chappelle Live at the Hollywood Palladium</td><td>Stand-up special</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>2017</td><td>Deep in the Heart of Texas: Dave Chappelle Live at Austin City Limits</td><td>Stand-up special</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>2018</td><td>Alpha</td><td>Narrative Feature</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>2020</td><td>Savage Mode II</td><td>Album (& album trailer)</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>2021</td><td>Great Escapes with Morgan Freeman</td><td>TV documentary</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>2022</td><td>Our Universe</td><td>Documentary</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>2023</td><td>100 Years of Warner Bros</td><td>Television documentary</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>2023</td><td>Life on Our Planet</td><td>Documentary</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>2025</td><td>The Power of Chi</td><td>Documentary</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>2026</td><td>The Dinosaurs</td><td>Documentary</td><td></td></tr></tbody></table>

Music videos

Morgan Freeman on screen and stage

<table><thead><tr><th>Year</th><th>Title</th><th>Artist</th><th>Role</th><th>Ref.</th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td>2002</td><td>"Waitin' on Joe"</td><td>Steve Azar</td><td>Narrator</td><td></td></tr></tbody></table>

Video games

Morgan Freeman on screen and stage

Year	Title	Voice role	Ref.
2005	Batman Begins	Lucius Fox
2009	Wanted: Weapons of Fate	Sloan