WEBVTT 00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:02.480 Welcome to the Deep Dive. Today we are taking 00:00:02.480 --> 00:00:05.500 a deep breath and sinking into the monumental 00:00:05.500 --> 00:00:08.820 six -decade spanning career of Morgan Freeman. 00:00:09.179 --> 00:00:11.359 If you've ever watched a nature documentary, 00:00:11.699 --> 00:00:14.359 listened to a presidential introduction, or simply 00:00:14.359 --> 00:00:17.679 pondered the meaning of existence, chances are 00:00:17.679 --> 00:00:21.320 that deep, rich, authoritative, baritone voice 00:00:21.320 --> 00:00:24.160 you hear belongs to him. That voice is literally 00:00:24.160 --> 00:00:26.640 cinematic history now. I mean, it's the voice 00:00:26.640 --> 00:00:29.660 that critics call the universal shorthand for 00:00:29.660 --> 00:00:32.640 wisdom, for consequence and well, often for God 00:00:32.640 --> 00:00:35.119 himself, given his multiple portrayals. Exactly. 00:00:35.119 --> 00:00:37.039 And we're talking about a man who was recently 00:00:37.039 --> 00:00:39.479 voted one of the 50 greatest actors of all time 00:00:39.479 --> 00:00:42.859 in a 2022 Empire poll. He's just he's achieved 00:00:42.859 --> 00:00:45.079 a level of cultural reverence few actors ever 00:00:45.079 --> 00:00:47.670 reach. Absolutely. So our source material today 00:00:47.670 --> 00:00:49.869 is a really comprehensive look at his trajectory, 00:00:49.969 --> 00:00:52.049 and it demands a true deep dive. We're going 00:00:52.049 --> 00:00:54.789 to be examining everything. Everything from his 00:00:54.789 --> 00:00:57.929 unexpected kind of gritty origins and his crucial 00:00:57.929 --> 00:01:01.170 hard -won career pivots to his surprising life 00:01:01.170 --> 00:01:04.730 as a producer, an environmentalist, a philanthropist, 00:01:04.730 --> 00:01:07.810 all the way up to his status as this absolute 00:01:07.810 --> 00:01:11.370 industry giant. Our mission here is to move past 00:01:11.370 --> 00:01:14.540 the roles. You know, so well past Lucius Fox 00:01:14.540 --> 00:01:17.620 and read from Shawshank to reveal the foundational 00:01:17.620 --> 00:01:20.439 moments and the surprisingly disciplined choices 00:01:20.439 --> 00:01:23.439 that really define this enduring American icon. 00:01:23.760 --> 00:01:26.540 We want to focus on why he made the decisions 00:01:26.540 --> 00:01:28.920 he did, especially the early ones. Yeah, we're 00:01:28.920 --> 00:01:31.340 aiming to provide you with those aha moments 00:01:31.340 --> 00:01:34.079 behind the legend. So you walk away not just 00:01:34.079 --> 00:01:36.280 knowing what he did, but really understanding 00:01:36.280 --> 00:01:38.939 why he endured. OK, let's unpack this journey, 00:01:39.000 --> 00:01:41.359 because the starting point is, well, it's a long 00:01:41.359 --> 00:01:43.420 way from the Hollywood. or any red carpet. Morgan 00:01:43.420 --> 00:01:46.719 Freeman was born on June 1st, 1937 in Memphis, 00:01:46.840 --> 00:01:49.079 Tennessee. Right. But his life was largely shaped 00:01:49.079 --> 00:01:51.219 by his upbringing, which was primarily in Mississippi. 00:01:51.439 --> 00:01:53.319 And his family roots, they show a great deal 00:01:53.319 --> 00:01:55.459 of quiet strength, a lot of that early grit. 00:01:55.579 --> 00:01:58.099 They really do. His mother, Mamie Edna, was a 00:01:58.099 --> 00:02:01.079 dedicated teacher, which, you know, perhaps instilled 00:02:01.079 --> 00:02:02.879 an early appreciation for language and education. 00:02:03.180 --> 00:02:05.040 And his father. His father, Morgan Porterfield 00:02:05.040 --> 00:02:08.259 Freeman, was a barber. And tragically, his father 00:02:08.259 --> 00:02:11.039 passed away relatively young from cirrhosis in 00:02:11.039 --> 00:02:14.789 1961. And he had siblings. Yep. three older siblings 00:02:14.789 --> 00:02:17.930 so you could just imagine a crowded complex and 00:02:17.930 --> 00:02:19.750 probably pretty demanding family environment 00:02:19.750 --> 00:02:22.210 what's truly fascinating though and i think deeply 00:02:22.210 --> 00:02:24.949 revealing is the information that's been unearthed 00:02:24.949 --> 00:02:28.009 through genealogy these surprising layers of 00:02:28.009 --> 00:02:30.569 his family history that tie directly into the 00:02:30.569 --> 00:02:33.650 themes of race identity and defiance that would 00:02:33.650 --> 00:02:36.409 later you know really define his career and it's 00:02:36.409 --> 00:02:38.770 incredible historical deaths to a story yeah 00:02:38.770 --> 00:02:40.389 i mean his research revealed that some of his 00:02:40.389 --> 00:02:43.050 great great grandparents were slaves who migrated 00:02:43.240 --> 00:02:46.099 from North Carolina to Mississippi. Wow. But 00:02:46.099 --> 00:02:48.740 there's a really remarkable detail on his maternal 00:02:48.740 --> 00:02:51.960 side, a discovery about love defying the entire 00:02:51.960 --> 00:02:54.719 era of segregation. Tell us a bit more about 00:02:54.719 --> 00:02:56.819 that maternal history because it's such a poignant 00:02:56.819 --> 00:02:58.979 piece of American history and it's unfolding 00:02:58.979 --> 00:03:01.840 right in his own family tree. It is. It's this 00:03:01.840 --> 00:03:04.539 profound counterpoint to the rigid segregation 00:03:04.539 --> 00:03:07.800 of the Deep South. His genealogy revealed that 00:03:07.800 --> 00:03:10.280 his white maternal great -great -grandfather 00:03:10.650 --> 00:03:12.990 actually lived with and was later buried right 00:03:12.990 --> 00:03:15.729 beside his black great -great -grandmother. In 00:03:15.729 --> 00:03:17.710 the segregated South. In the segregated South 00:03:17.710 --> 00:03:19.909 where, you know, legal marriage between them 00:03:19.909 --> 00:03:23.069 was completely prohibited. It's this early family 00:03:23.069 --> 00:03:26.810 narrative of defiance, a chosen commitment. Despite 00:03:26.810 --> 00:03:29.430 all these systemic obstacles, it really sets 00:03:29.430 --> 00:03:32.319 a tone of resilience in his ancestry. And the 00:03:32.319 --> 00:03:34.879 sources even get into the specifics of his genetic 00:03:34.879 --> 00:03:38.280 roots. Yeah, they do. DNA testing gave some specificity 00:03:38.280 --> 00:03:40.860 on his African ancestry, suggesting it largely 00:03:40.860 --> 00:03:43.560 came from two distinct areas. About one quarter 00:03:43.560 --> 00:03:46.139 of it traces back to the Senegal -Liberia area, 00:03:46.259 --> 00:03:48.879 and the majority three quarters originating from 00:03:48.879 --> 00:03:51.740 the Congo -Angola region. This deep historical 00:03:51.740 --> 00:03:54.979 root in specific African regions adds a lot of 00:03:54.979 --> 00:03:57.180 complexity to his identity. And you have to think 00:03:57.180 --> 00:03:59.900 it fuels his later political commitment to insisting 00:03:59.900 --> 00:04:01.539 that, you know, black American history can't 00:04:01.539 --> 00:04:03.419 be segmented from the American narrative as a 00:04:03.419 --> 00:04:06.539 whole. Exactly. So despite this challenging yet 00:04:06.539 --> 00:04:09.139 really rich background, he showed this early, 00:04:09.199 --> 00:04:11.680 immediate aptitude for performance. Oh, right 00:04:11.680 --> 00:04:14.020 away. He made his debut on stage at the tender 00:04:14.020 --> 00:04:16.720 age of nine in a school play. Just nine years 00:04:16.720 --> 00:04:18.939 old. And then he went on to win a statewide drama 00:04:18.939 --> 00:04:23.339 competition when he was just 12. These are clear 00:04:23.339 --> 00:04:26.500 signals of talent. You would assume that success 00:04:26.500 --> 00:04:28.620 would just propel him straight into formal artistic 00:04:28.620 --> 00:04:31.620 training. But it doesn't. No. And here comes 00:04:31.620 --> 00:04:34.319 one of those foundational, really unexpected 00:04:34.319 --> 00:04:37.639 detours. This is the first critical pivot in 00:04:37.639 --> 00:04:39.759 his life, really. After graduating high school 00:04:39.759 --> 00:04:43.060 in 1955, he received a partial JAMA scholarship 00:04:43.060 --> 00:04:45.879 from Jackson State University. And he turned 00:04:45.879 --> 00:04:48.100 it down. Turned it down. Instead of immediate 00:04:48.100 --> 00:04:50.660 formal education and the, you know, the unstable 00:04:50.660 --> 00:04:53.839 life of a budding artist, he opted for structure. 00:04:54.319 --> 00:04:56.680 For stability. He enlisted in the United States 00:04:56.680 --> 00:04:58.459 Air Force. This was a four -year commitment, 00:04:58.560 --> 00:05:02.959 too. He served from 1955 to 1959. And this is 00:05:02.959 --> 00:05:04.360 where we need to get into the technical detail 00:05:04.360 --> 00:05:06.959 that's often overlooked. He wasn't some celebrity 00:05:06.959 --> 00:05:08.899 entertainer in the military. Not at all. He was 00:05:08.899 --> 00:05:11.879 an automatic tracking radar repairman. Wow. And 00:05:11.879 --> 00:05:14.120 he ultimately achieved the rank of Airman First 00:05:14.120 --> 00:05:17.000 Class. That was not a soft job. Being a radar 00:05:17.000 --> 00:05:19.240 repairman required immense technical discipline. 00:05:19.519 --> 00:05:22.779 A focus on precision. Total precision. Absolute 00:05:22.779 --> 00:05:25.750 clarity in execution. It's a technical skill 00:05:25.750 --> 00:05:28.670 that requires patience, methodical repetition. 00:05:29.209 --> 00:05:31.269 Those are not skills you typically associate 00:05:31.269 --> 00:05:34.310 with dramatic flair. But they map perfectly onto 00:05:34.310 --> 00:05:37.029 his later mastery of speech and scene work. They 00:05:37.029 --> 00:05:39.610 absolutely do. He was a man who chose structure 00:05:39.610 --> 00:05:42.470 and technical precision over immediate artistic 00:05:42.470 --> 00:05:45.089 freedom. So when his military service concluded, 00:05:45.370 --> 00:05:48.389 that artistic ambition resurfaced, and it seems 00:05:48.389 --> 00:05:50.610 like it was really focused by the discipline 00:05:50.610 --> 00:05:53.360 he'd just acquired. Right. He moves to Los Angeles, 00:05:53.560 --> 00:05:56.759 determined to pursue acting, enrolling in classes 00:05:56.759 --> 00:05:59.180 at the Pasadena Playhouse. He also studied theater 00:05:59.180 --> 00:06:02.160 arts at Los Angeles City College. And there's 00:06:02.160 --> 00:06:04.680 another subtle hint here of the roads not taken. 00:06:04.879 --> 00:06:06.879 Yeah, a teacher there encouraged him to lean 00:06:06.879 --> 00:06:09.600 toward a career in dance. He absorbed that training, 00:06:09.720 --> 00:06:12.480 but his true passion, it seems, remained in the 00:06:12.480 --> 00:06:14.500 dramatic arts. Which brings us into the actual 00:06:14.500 --> 00:06:17.240 struggle years, you know, the hustle years, where 00:06:17.240 --> 00:06:19.319 he's piecing together early gigs just to survive. 00:06:19.879 --> 00:06:22.339 And you can see the direct influence of that 00:06:22.339 --> 00:06:25.600 brief detour into dance. He worked as a dancer 00:06:25.600 --> 00:06:28.600 at the 1964 World's Fair. He was also an active 00:06:28.600 --> 00:06:30.699 member of the Opera Reign musical theater group 00:06:30.699 --> 00:06:33.279 in San Francisco. He was everywhere just looking 00:06:33.279 --> 00:06:36.600 for opportunity. And early on in this low profile 00:06:36.600 --> 00:06:40.279 work, he appeared as an extra in Sidney Lumet's 00:06:40.279 --> 00:06:43.730 powerful 1965 drama. The pawnbroker. Just to 00:06:43.730 --> 00:06:46.569 be in the environment. Exactly. Surrounding him 00:06:46.569 --> 00:06:49.269 with the professionals he aspired to be until 00:06:49.269 --> 00:06:51.790 he landed his proper stage opportunities. And 00:06:51.790 --> 00:06:54.550 he found stage success relatively quickly. His 00:06:54.550 --> 00:06:58.230 off -Broadway debut came in 1967. In a show about 00:06:58.230 --> 00:06:59.990 the Freedom Riders called The Nigger Lovers. 00:07:00.129 --> 00:07:02.209 And that was immediately followed by his Broadway 00:07:02.209 --> 00:07:05.750 debut in 1968. In the celebrated all -black version 00:07:05.750 --> 00:07:08.269 of Hello, Dolly! Yeah. Alongside legends like 00:07:08.269 --> 00:07:10.920 Pearl Bailey and Cab Calloway. That Broadway 00:07:10.920 --> 00:07:14.000 visibility was a huge step up. But the true financial 00:07:14.000 --> 00:07:15.740 stability, the kind that allowed him to stop 00:07:15.740 --> 00:07:18.079 hustling and just, you know, pay the rent. That 00:07:18.079 --> 00:07:20.060 came from children's television. Right. We're 00:07:20.060 --> 00:07:21.620 talking about the electric company years from 00:07:21.620 --> 00:07:25.139 1971 to 1975. This is a classic example of an 00:07:25.139 --> 00:07:27.860 artist making a necessary compromise. He became 00:07:27.860 --> 00:07:30.339 recognizable to an entire generation of young 00:07:30.339 --> 00:07:33.459 Americans. But the crucial, deeply human nugget 00:07:33.459 --> 00:07:36.699 here is his own private perspective on that work. 00:07:36.899 --> 00:07:40.360 He was miserable. Utterly. He apparently loathed 00:07:40.360 --> 00:07:42.980 appearing on the show. He even called it a very 00:07:42.980 --> 00:07:45.980 unhappy period because of the tiring nature and 00:07:45.980 --> 00:07:48.740 the monotony of the work. He felt it was a distraction 00:07:48.740 --> 00:07:52.019 from the serious, complex, dramatic work he was 00:07:52.019 --> 00:07:54.319 trained for and really passionate about. It's 00:07:54.319 --> 00:07:56.600 that fundamental conflict so many artists... 00:07:56.560 --> 00:07:58.839 face, right? The trade -off between reliable 00:07:58.839 --> 00:08:01.500 financial stability and true artistic fulfillment. 00:08:01.920 --> 00:08:04.800 But later, he did admit gratitude for the experience. 00:08:05.060 --> 00:08:07.339 It gave him the stability he lacked and it made 00:08:07.339 --> 00:08:10.319 his a recognizable face. But it definitely reinforced 00:08:10.319 --> 00:08:12.500 his desire to get back to the serious theater 00:08:12.500 --> 00:08:14.660 work he truly loved. And when he returned to 00:08:14.660 --> 00:08:16.860 the stage, he just dominated. He really did. 00:08:17.019 --> 00:08:19.040 Took a short break after the show ended in 75. 00:08:19.790 --> 00:08:21.970 But his return was marked by serious, dedicated 00:08:21.970 --> 00:08:24.910 acclaim. He won a Drama Desk Award and a Clarence 00:08:24.910 --> 00:08:27.069 Derwin Award for his role as a wino in The Mighty 00:08:27.069 --> 00:08:30.750 Gents in 1978. And that also earned him a Tony 00:08:30.750 --> 00:08:33.629 nomination. It did. And we should probably pause 00:08:33.629 --> 00:08:36.350 here to just contextualize the weight of his 00:08:36.350 --> 00:08:39.090 stage success for you. He later received two 00:08:39.090 --> 00:08:41.870 prestigious Obie Awards. For those who might 00:08:41.870 --> 00:08:43.990 not know the theater world, the Obies are basically 00:08:43.990 --> 00:08:46.870 the highest honors for off -Broadway work. Exactly. 00:08:46.909 --> 00:08:49.509 He won the first for playing the title role in 00:08:49.509 --> 00:08:52.029 the Shakespearean tragedy Coriolanus in 1980, 00:08:52.230 --> 00:08:55.230 which is a massive undertaking. Huge. And the 00:08:55.230 --> 00:08:57.870 second, crucially, was for the stage version 00:08:57.870 --> 00:09:01.210 of Driving Miss Daisy. This continuous stream 00:09:01.210 --> 00:09:04.309 of acclaim proves his reputation was built outside 00:09:04.309 --> 00:09:06.960 the commercial pressures of Hollywood. He was 00:09:06.960 --> 00:09:09.559 already a formidable, serious actor. But the 00:09:09.559 --> 00:09:12.159 pivotal moment that truly launched him into film 00:09:12.159 --> 00:09:15.500 viability, the true breakthrough role, was playing 00:09:15.500 --> 00:09:18.899 a violent, intimidating street hustler in 1987's 00:09:18.899 --> 00:09:21.440 Street Smart. This role was a massive departure 00:09:21.440 --> 00:09:23.860 from the wise, dramatic characters he had built 00:09:23.860 --> 00:09:26.460 a reputation playing on stage. This was a calculated 00:09:26.460 --> 00:09:30.139 risk that paid off, I mean, spectacularly. He 00:09:30.139 --> 00:09:33.639 played the villain, Leo Smalls Jr. The film critic 00:09:33.639 --> 00:09:36.120 Roger Ebert called him an unforgettable villain, 00:09:36.240 --> 00:09:38.639 noting his transformation, which could shift 00:09:38.639 --> 00:09:41.539 instantly from charming and disarming to absolutely 00:09:41.539 --> 00:09:44.960 chilling. That sheer dramatic range, that proof 00:09:44.960 --> 00:09:47.340 of versatility on screen, that's what earned 00:09:47.340 --> 00:09:50.360 him his very first Academy Award nomination for 00:09:50.360 --> 00:09:52.980 Best Supporting Actor. And Freeman himself confirmed 00:09:52.980 --> 00:09:55.639 the magnitude of this shift. He stated that he 00:09:55.639 --> 00:09:57.620 considered Street Smart to be his true breakthrough 00:09:57.620 --> 00:10:00.309 role. It proved he could translate that raw, 00:10:00.389 --> 00:10:02.690 complex stage presence to the screen and succeed 00:10:02.690 --> 00:10:05.110 wildly playing against type. That performance 00:10:05.110 --> 00:10:07.799 was the launch pad. the absolute launch pad into 00:10:07.799 --> 00:10:10.679 the next decade, which just solidified his Hollywood 00:10:10.679 --> 00:10:13.860 icon status. The year 1989 wasn't just good for 00:10:13.860 --> 00:10:15.639 Morgan Freeman. It was arguably the year that 00:10:15.639 --> 00:10:18.720 solidified his star. You'd call it the quadruple 00:10:18.720 --> 00:10:20.860 threat, given the sheer volume, quality, and 00:10:20.860 --> 00:10:22.840 diversity of his releases that year. It really 00:10:22.840 --> 00:10:25.500 is the definition of a career pivot. Four major 00:10:25.500 --> 00:10:28.620 films hit theaters. Glory, Drive Miss Daisy, 00:10:28.799 --> 00:10:31.000 Lean on Me, and Johnny Handsome. The variety 00:10:31.000 --> 00:10:34.019 is just astonishing. It is. Let's start with 00:10:34.019 --> 00:10:37.059 Glory. The historical epic. He played Sergeant 00:10:37.059 --> 00:10:39.600 Major John Rawlins, focusing on the 54th and 00:10:39.600 --> 00:10:41.940 Massachusetts Infantry Regiment during the Civil 00:10:41.940 --> 00:10:44.720 War. And his presence just grounded the film. 00:10:44.820 --> 00:10:47.740 His performance was lauded specifically for providing 00:10:47.740 --> 00:10:50.399 a warming sense of fraternity with his co -star 00:10:50.399 --> 00:10:53.720 Denzel Washington. And this film for Freeman 00:10:53.720 --> 00:10:57.080 was more than just a job. It was deeply, deeply 00:10:57.080 --> 00:11:00.419 important to him personally. He explicitly connected 00:11:00.419 --> 00:11:02.940 it back to that desire for affirmation of his 00:11:02.940 --> 00:11:05.789 identity. Absolutely. He later cited Gloria as 00:11:05.789 --> 00:11:07.830 one of his favorite releases because it explicitly 00:11:07.830 --> 00:11:10.190 showcased that the black legacy is as noble, 00:11:10.230 --> 00:11:13.070 is as heroic as anybody else's. It was a deliberate 00:11:13.070 --> 00:11:15.409 choice to be part of a film that reaffirmed the 00:11:15.409 --> 00:11:17.730 importance of black history in the context of 00:11:17.730 --> 00:11:19.789 the greater American narrative. But then in that 00:11:19.789 --> 00:11:21.889 same year, he brought his already celebrated 00:11:21.889 --> 00:11:25.250 stage role as Hope Colburn in Driving Miss Daisy 00:11:25.250 --> 00:11:28.070 to the Screen, starring alongside Jessica Tandy. 00:11:28.149 --> 00:11:30.240 And that film became a phenomenon. It was everything. 00:11:30.399 --> 00:11:32.379 It wasn't just a critical darling earning him 00:11:32.379 --> 00:11:34.919 an Academy Award nomination for Best Actor and 00:11:34.919 --> 00:11:37.559 a Golden Globe win. It was a massive commercial 00:11:37.559 --> 00:11:42.679 success. It grossed $145 million worldwide. This 00:11:42.679 --> 00:11:45.019 proved he could carry a major commercial film 00:11:45.019 --> 00:11:47.259 while receiving serious critical recognition. 00:11:47.779 --> 00:11:50.360 And the versatility just kept coming that year. 00:11:50.620 --> 00:11:54.080 He portrayed the real -life principal of an underperforming 00:11:54.080 --> 00:11:56.899 high school in the biographical drama Lean on 00:11:56.899 --> 00:11:59.570 Me. where critics praised his powerful casting 00:11:59.570 --> 00:12:01.889 and his authority. And then to round out the 00:12:01.889 --> 00:12:04.970 year, he balanced out those weighty roles with 00:12:04.970 --> 00:12:07.269 the crime drama Johnny Handsome, playing New 00:12:07.269 --> 00:12:10.590 Orleans police officer. That single year cemented 00:12:10.590 --> 00:12:13.029 him as a bankable, critically recognized star 00:12:13.029 --> 00:12:15.929 capable of leading or deeply enriching any type 00:12:15.929 --> 00:12:18.370 of genre film. It set the stage for everything 00:12:18.370 --> 00:12:20.240 that came after. Now that he was established, 00:12:20.440 --> 00:12:22.539 he quickly moved into collaboration that defined 00:12:22.539 --> 00:12:25.120 the 90s. And that includes what would become 00:12:25.120 --> 00:12:27.299 one of the most important professional relationships 00:12:27.299 --> 00:12:29.740 in his life, working with Clint Eastwood. Yes, 00:12:29.799 --> 00:12:31.820 his collaboration with Eastwood began with the 00:12:31.820 --> 00:12:34.379 widely acclaimed revisionist Western Unforgiven 00:12:34.379 --> 00:12:37.559 in 1992. That film was a cultural and commercial 00:12:37.559 --> 00:12:40.659 powerhouse. It won four Oscars, including Best 00:12:40.659 --> 00:12:43.320 Picture. So working on such a prestigious project. 00:12:43.720 --> 00:12:46.480 instantly elevated Freeman into the highest echelon 00:12:46.480 --> 00:12:49.480 of quality cinema. It really demonstrated his 00:12:49.480 --> 00:12:51.679 serious commitment to his craft. In leveraging 00:12:51.679 --> 00:12:54.740 that newfound prestige, he made his own foray 00:12:54.740 --> 00:12:57.740 behind the camera, which is a key, often understated 00:12:57.740 --> 00:13:00.799 aspect of his career. It really is. In 1993, 00:13:01.080 --> 00:13:03.960 he directed the drama Bofa, set during South 00:13:03.960 --> 00:13:07.159 Africa's volatile apartheid era. It focused on 00:13:07.159 --> 00:13:09.379 the loyalty conflicts faced by a black policeman. 00:13:09.769 --> 00:13:12.149 His direction was generally well -received. He 00:13:12.149 --> 00:13:14.309 showed his commitment to exploring these complex, 00:13:14.389 --> 00:13:17.409 challenging international issues. Yeah. The Washington 00:13:17.409 --> 00:13:19.350 Post praised him for laying out the difficult 00:13:19.350 --> 00:13:22.669 father -son dynamics with great skill, noting 00:13:22.669 --> 00:13:24.549 that he stuck to the facts and relied on his 00:13:24.549 --> 00:13:27.110 talented cast for the emotion. Though some critics, 00:13:27.250 --> 00:13:29.470 like the Los Angeles Times, felt the film was 00:13:29.470 --> 00:13:32.389 more predictable than powerful, the effort demonstrated 00:13:32.389 --> 00:13:34.669 that he wasn't content merely to wait for roles. 00:13:34.909 --> 00:13:37.330 No, he wanted to curate and shape narratives 00:13:37.330 --> 00:13:40.309 that explored a global conscience. And that drive 00:13:40.309 --> 00:13:42.909 later informed his production company. But the 00:13:42.909 --> 00:13:45.070 film that truly put him on the cinematic map 00:13:45.070 --> 00:13:48.389 forever, arguably his most enduring and culturally 00:13:48.389 --> 00:13:52.049 permanent role for a generation, was The Shawshank 00:13:52.049 --> 00:13:55.350 Redemption in 1994. Where he played Red. Which 00:13:55.350 --> 00:13:58.190 is a remarkable story of casting defying the 00:13:58.190 --> 00:14:00.909 source material. The character in Stephen King's 00:14:00.909 --> 00:14:03.919 novella was a white Irishman. That's right. The 00:14:03.919 --> 00:14:06.840 producer, Liz Glotzer, suggested Freeman for 00:14:06.840 --> 00:14:09.559 the role, recognizing that his inherent gravitas 00:14:09.559 --> 00:14:12.320 was essential to anchoring the entire narrative. 00:14:12.879 --> 00:14:15.419 Red is the audience surrogate, you know. He's 00:14:15.419 --> 00:14:17.360 the conscience. He's the narrative conscience, 00:14:17.480 --> 00:14:20.220 the constant in a world of institutional cruelty. 00:14:20.759 --> 00:14:24.240 His quiet, weary authority makes the grand drama 00:14:24.240 --> 00:14:27.120 around him feel real. And despite the film's 00:14:27.120 --> 00:14:29.440 immense cultural popularity and critical acclaim, 00:14:29.600 --> 00:14:31.840 the sources revealed the filming process was... 00:14:32.110 --> 00:14:34.590 Well, it was fraught for Freeman. It's a great 00:14:34.590 --> 00:14:36.529 piece of behind -the -scenes friction. Freeman 00:14:36.529 --> 00:14:38.950 found the filming process extremely challenging 00:14:38.950 --> 00:14:41.610 due to the director's demand for multiple, often 00:14:41.610 --> 00:14:44.330 excessive, takes. He was very candid about it. 00:14:44.370 --> 00:14:46.710 He called the experience debilitating to the 00:14:46.710 --> 00:14:48.970 energy. He felt that the constant repetition 00:14:48.970 --> 00:14:51.629 just sapped the spontaneity and life from the 00:14:51.629 --> 00:14:55.169 scene work. Yet, ironically, his fatigue and 00:14:55.169 --> 00:14:58.320 the resulting resignation he projected arguably 00:14:58.320 --> 00:15:00.700 enhanced the character of Red. A man resigned 00:15:00.700 --> 00:15:03.759 to decades of incarceration. Exactly. So despite 00:15:03.759 --> 00:15:06.299 that onset fatigue, the result was undeniable. 00:15:06.539 --> 00:15:09.039 He earned another Academy Award nomination for 00:15:09.039 --> 00:15:12.080 Best Actor. And the box office success followed 00:15:12.080 --> 00:15:15.240 immediately with two major thrillers in 1995 00:15:15.240 --> 00:15:18.379 that cemented him as a genre powerhouse. First 00:15:18.379 --> 00:15:21.580 was the medical blockbuster Outbreak, which grossed 00:15:21.580 --> 00:15:24.659 nearly $190 million worldwide. That was followed 00:15:24.659 --> 00:15:28.360 by the dark, intense crime thriller C7 alongside 00:15:28.360 --> 00:15:30.539 Brad Pitt. Where he played the weary detective 00:15:30.539 --> 00:15:33.440 William Somerset. And critics singled out his 00:15:33.440 --> 00:15:36.259 performance in C7 for its subtlety. It was described 00:15:36.259 --> 00:15:39.820 as supremely nuanced. Indeed. A key insight into 00:15:39.820 --> 00:15:41.620 his acting style here is that he played nearly 00:15:41.620 --> 00:15:44.379 every scene in a doleful hush, forcing you, the 00:15:44.379 --> 00:15:46.559 audience, to lean in to catch the nuances of 00:15:46.559 --> 00:15:49.419 anger, regret, and weary determination. That 00:15:49.419 --> 00:15:52.080 ability to deliver quiet power, to command attention 00:15:52.080 --> 00:15:54.559 without shouting, that is a hallmark of his mastery. 00:15:54.740 --> 00:15:57.620 Building on that control over his destiny, in 00:15:57.620 --> 00:16:01.059 1996, he officially moved into content creation. 00:16:01.419 --> 00:16:03.879 by co -founding Revelations Entertainment with 00:16:03.879 --> 00:16:06.980 Laurie McCreary. This isn't just a footnote. 00:16:07.059 --> 00:16:10.620 This is a critical career pivot. It is the moment 00:16:10.620 --> 00:16:13.919 he shifted from merely being an actor to a creator 00:16:13.919 --> 00:16:17.320 and a curator of content. The driving philosophy 00:16:17.320 --> 00:16:20.379 behind Revelations Entertainment was clear. They 00:16:20.379 --> 00:16:22.340 wanted to achieve better representation on screen, 00:16:22.620 --> 00:16:25.279 explore challenging issues, and, as the name 00:16:25.279 --> 00:16:28.399 suggests, reveal hidden truths. It gave him the 00:16:28.399 --> 00:16:30.919 control to drive stories that he felt the industry 00:16:30.919 --> 00:16:34.179 was neglecting, to ensure depth and substance 00:16:34.179 --> 00:16:36.679 in the material he produced. Exactly. As the 00:16:36.679 --> 00:16:38.860 century closed, he fully established himself 00:16:38.860 --> 00:16:42.039 as this reliable, iconic presence. He moved into 00:16:42.039 --> 00:16:43.919 roles that really defined him as an authority 00:16:43.919 --> 00:16:45.960 figure, preparing us for the next decade where 00:16:45.960 --> 00:16:48.860 he would, you know, literally play God. He cemented 00:16:48.860 --> 00:16:51.240 his narrator status by lending his commanding 00:16:51.240 --> 00:16:53.379 voice to the Oscar -winning documentary The Long 00:16:53.379 --> 00:16:57.149 Way Home in 1997. He appeared in Spielberg's 00:16:57.149 --> 00:17:00.309 historical epic Amistad. And he began his turn 00:17:00.309 --> 00:17:02.889 as the forensic psychologist Alex Cross in the 00:17:02.889 --> 00:17:05.269 film series, starting with Kiss the Girls. And 00:17:05.269 --> 00:17:08.390 then, perhaps anticipating his inevitable celestial 00:17:08.390 --> 00:17:10.970 casting, he played the highest office in the 00:17:10.970 --> 00:17:14.569 land. Correct. In 1998, he starred in the disaster 00:17:14.569 --> 00:17:18.529 film Deep Impact as President Tom Beck. Playing 00:17:18.529 --> 00:17:21.049 the president in a crisis scenario just reinforced 00:17:21.049 --> 00:17:23.210 the public perception of his inherent authority 00:17:23.210 --> 00:17:26.089 and calming presence. The film was a major box 00:17:26.089 --> 00:17:28.349 office hit. And all this work culminated in his 00:17:28.349 --> 00:17:30.829 inevitable Oscar win. He finally took home the 00:17:30.829 --> 00:17:32.990 Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor for Million 00:17:32.990 --> 00:17:35.970 Dollar Baby in 2004. Directed once again by his 00:17:35.970 --> 00:17:38.539 frequent collaborator Clint Eastwood. That role, 00:17:38.779 --> 00:17:41.480 as Eddie Scrapiron Dupree, an elderly former 00:17:41.480 --> 00:17:44.000 boxer, was just perfectly suited to his gravitas. 00:17:44.319 --> 00:17:47.019 His work was highly praised, especially his narration. 00:17:47.279 --> 00:17:50.140 Roger Ebert described it as flat and factual, 00:17:50.339 --> 00:17:53.599 a style that conveys profound truth without melodrama. 00:17:53.930 --> 00:17:56.490 This whole period established him as an undisputed 00:17:56.490 --> 00:17:59.130 Hollywood legend ready to enter his omnipresent 00:17:59.130 --> 00:18:02.069 phase. Following his Oscar win, Morgan Freeman's 00:18:02.069 --> 00:18:04.329 career settled into this really unique status. 00:18:04.589 --> 00:18:07.450 He became, quite simply, omnipresent. He was 00:18:07.450 --> 00:18:09.710 the go -to actor for roles requiring institutional 00:18:09.710 --> 00:18:13.009 wisdom or, well, a celestial presence. You can 00:18:13.009 --> 00:18:14.890 see the shift, right? He's no longer just the 00:18:14.890 --> 00:18:17.750 actor. but the anchor of Consequence. Yes. He 00:18:17.750 --> 00:18:20.609 became Lucius Fox, the CEO of Wayne Enterprises, 00:18:20.650 --> 00:18:23.269 and the technical support and moral sounding 00:18:23.269 --> 00:18:25.589 board for Bruce Wayne in Christopher Nolan's 00:18:25.589 --> 00:18:28.150 Dark Knight trilogy. Starting with Batman Begins 00:18:28.150 --> 00:18:31.230 in 2005, he brought this essential grounding 00:18:31.230 --> 00:18:33.450 and technical competence, maybe drawing on his 00:18:33.450 --> 00:18:36.710 radar repairman past, to that high stakes, high 00:18:36.710 --> 00:18:39.789 fantasy world, appearing in all three films up 00:18:39.789 --> 00:18:43.150 to The Dark Knight Rises in 2012. And of course, 00:18:43.150 --> 00:18:45.799 the role he's most associated with. outside of 00:18:45.799 --> 00:18:49.380 the Batman universe or Shawshank, is God. He 00:18:49.380 --> 00:18:52.279 reprised his deity role in 2007's comedy sequel, 00:18:52.420 --> 00:18:54.759 Evan Almighty, following his highly successful 00:18:54.759 --> 00:18:57.839 turn in Bruce Almighty back in 2003. The voice 00:18:57.839 --> 00:19:00.380 had now truly become a character in itself. Absolutely. 00:19:00.519 --> 00:19:02.839 The defining characteristic of a benevolent and 00:19:02.839 --> 00:19:05.700 supremely authoritative higher power. This isn't 00:19:05.700 --> 00:19:07.640 just about his acting. It's about the public's 00:19:07.640 --> 00:19:10.160 perception of his sound. People literally associate 00:19:10.160 --> 00:19:13.180 his voice with ultimate wisdom. And this authoritative 00:19:13.180 --> 00:19:15.880 voice is why he became the narrator extraordinaire 00:19:15.880 --> 00:19:18.480 for premium documentary and informational content. 00:19:18.799 --> 00:19:21.359 This is what really cemented his legacy outside 00:19:21.359 --> 00:19:24.259 of narrative film. The list is exhaustive, and 00:19:24.259 --> 00:19:26.400 it speaks to the trust placed in his delivery. 00:19:26.700 --> 00:19:29.099 We're talking about the authoritative voice behind 00:19:29.099 --> 00:19:31.500 the Academy Award -winning March of the Penguins 00:19:31.500 --> 00:19:34.930 in 2005. A film that needed serious gravitas 00:19:34.930 --> 00:19:37.549 to convey the harsh realities of the Antarctic. 00:19:37.630 --> 00:19:40.970 Totally. And later, he hosted and narrated the 00:19:40.970 --> 00:19:43.750 long -running television series Through the Wormhole. 00:19:44.160 --> 00:19:47.960 from 2010 to 2017, tackling complex astrophysics 00:19:47.960 --> 00:19:50.720 and existential questions. He also starred in 00:19:50.720 --> 00:19:53.000 and hosted The Story of God with Morgan Freeman 00:19:53.000 --> 00:19:56.119 from 2016 to 2019, where he traveled the globe 00:19:56.119 --> 00:19:58.259 exploring different religious practices and belief 00:19:58.259 --> 00:20:01.920 systems. This entire phase of his career showcases 00:20:01.920 --> 00:20:04.619 an intellectual curiosity that really matches 00:20:04.619 --> 00:20:07.319 his artistic ambition. And that curiosity translated 00:20:07.319 --> 00:20:09.660 into one of his most deeply personal and long 00:20:09.660 --> 00:20:12.200 anticipated projects. Fulfilling a long held 00:20:12.200 --> 00:20:15.440 desire to portray. Nelson Mandela. Exactly. That 00:20:15.440 --> 00:20:18.599 project was Invictus in 2009. He had previously 00:20:18.599 --> 00:20:21.079 wanted to adapt Mandela's autobiography Long 00:20:21.079 --> 00:20:23.839 Walk to Freedom, but instead he purchased the 00:20:23.839 --> 00:20:26.160 film rights to John Carlin's book Playing the 00:20:26.160 --> 00:20:29.000 Enemy, focusing on Mandela's efforts to use the 00:20:29.000 --> 00:20:32.339 1995 Rugby World Cup to unite post -apartheid 00:20:32.339 --> 00:20:34.880 South Africa. And this role was critically lauded. 00:20:34.980 --> 00:20:37.299 It earned him his fifth and most recent Oscar 00:20:37.299 --> 00:20:40.599 nomination for Best Actor. Critics were in awe 00:20:40.599 --> 00:20:43.789 of his transformation. Roger Ebert lauded the 00:20:43.789 --> 00:20:46.009 portrayal, noting that Freeman did a splendid 00:20:46.009 --> 00:20:48.990 job of evoking the man Nelson Mandela, showing 00:20:48.990 --> 00:20:52.309 him as genial, confident, and calming, yet underpinned 00:20:52.309 --> 00:20:55.490 by a core of tempered steel. He just captured 00:20:55.490 --> 00:20:57.849 the essence of the complex, dignified leader. 00:20:58.349 --> 00:21:01.529 The period post -2005 also showcases incredible 00:21:01.529 --> 00:21:04.109 genre diversity. It shows he was still eager 00:21:04.109 --> 00:21:06.630 to stretch his wings beyond the wise mentor or 00:21:06.630 --> 00:21:09.009 the authoritative CEO. Oh, for sure. He took 00:21:09.009 --> 00:21:11.230 diverse roles across genres. Action thrillers 00:21:11.230 --> 00:21:13.529 like the hyper -stylized Wanted in 2008. The 00:21:13.529 --> 00:21:16.470 fun spy caper Red in 2010. And the sci -fi adventure 00:21:16.470 --> 00:21:19.529 Oblivion in 2013. And notably, he enjoyed high 00:21:19.529 --> 00:21:21.809 -profile ensemble comedies. Like The Bucket List 00:21:21.809 --> 00:21:23.829 with Jack Nicholson. And Las Vegas. And even 00:21:23.829 --> 00:21:26.329 a small humorous part in Ted 2 as a civil rights 00:21:26.329 --> 00:21:28.859 attorney. His presence became so reliable, so 00:21:28.859 --> 00:21:31.740 inherently stabilizing, that he anchored several 00:21:31.740 --> 00:21:35.019 ongoing cinematic franchises where his character's 00:21:35.019 --> 00:21:37.440 progression mirrored the public's rising expectation 00:21:37.440 --> 00:21:40.079 of him. The Has Fallen franchise is the perfect 00:21:40.079 --> 00:21:43.339 example of this. It began with Olympus Has Fallen 00:21:43.339 --> 00:21:45.920 in 2013, where he started as the Speaker of the 00:21:45.920 --> 00:21:48.680 House, Alan Trumbull. And naturally, in the sequels 00:21:48.680 --> 00:21:51.720 London Has Fallen and Angel Has Fallen, his character 00:21:51.720 --> 00:21:54.480 ascended to Vice President. And then president. 00:21:54.640 --> 00:21:57.160 Of course. The audience expects him to take the 00:21:57.160 --> 00:22:00.059 most consequential role. Angel Has Fallen was 00:22:00.059 --> 00:22:02.079 commercially successful, despite mixed reviews, 00:22:02.400 --> 00:22:05.140 demonstrating his continued box office viability. 00:22:05.359 --> 00:22:07.480 And the audience's comfort in seeing him in a 00:22:07.480 --> 00:22:09.960 position of ultimate authority. He also appeared 00:22:09.960 --> 00:22:12.019 in the illusionist series Now You See Me and 00:22:12.019 --> 00:22:14.500 its sequel, playing the ex -magician Thaddeus 00:22:14.500 --> 00:22:16.920 Bradley. He was often the skeptical voice of 00:22:16.920 --> 00:22:19.619 reason, kind of working against type as a magician, 00:22:19.819 --> 00:22:22.500 but still filling that wise elder statesman role. 00:22:22.920 --> 00:22:25.119 And the fact that a fourth installment, Now You 00:22:25.119 --> 00:22:27.359 See Me, Now You Don't, is scheduled for release 00:22:27.359 --> 00:22:30.720 in November 2025, shows he is still a desired 00:22:30.720 --> 00:22:33.400 commodity in major franchises. But the career 00:22:33.400 --> 00:22:36.440 wasn't all hits. The later period saw some notable 00:22:36.440 --> 00:22:39.779 commercial failures. It's proof that even a legend 00:22:39.779 --> 00:22:42.460 can't guarantee success in the fickle landscape 00:22:42.460 --> 00:22:45.279 of Hollywood. Unfortunately, yeah. The historical 00:22:45.279 --> 00:22:48.839 drama Ben -Hur in 2016 was a massive critical 00:22:48.839 --> 00:22:51.480 and commercial disappointment. It turned out 00:22:51.480 --> 00:22:53.519 to be one of the biggest box office flops of 00:22:53.519 --> 00:22:56.819 that year. And the 2017 comedy Just Getting Started, 00:22:57.019 --> 00:23:00.049 despite co -starring Tommy Lee Jones. was critically 00:23:00.049 --> 00:23:02.910 panned and just failed to find an audience. However, 00:23:03.069 --> 00:23:05.049 he balanced these cinematic disappointments with 00:23:05.049 --> 00:23:07.269 a significant return to recurring television 00:23:07.269 --> 00:23:09.829 work. He played Chief Justice Frawley in the 00:23:09.829 --> 00:23:12.789 CBS political drama Madam Secretary from 2014 00:23:12.789 --> 00:23:15.910 to 2019. And this venture was significant because 00:23:15.910 --> 00:23:18.390 he wasn't just acting. He and Laurie McCreary 00:23:18.390 --> 00:23:20.529 through Revelations Entertainment were executive 00:23:20.529 --> 00:23:23.490 producers. Right. And in a great nod to his continuing 00:23:23.490 --> 00:23:26.089 artistic curiosity, he actually directed the 00:23:26.089 --> 00:23:28.369 first episode of the series. His producing partner, 00:23:28.529 --> 00:23:30.589 Laurie McCreary, gave some insights into his 00:23:30.589 --> 00:23:33.230 on -set demeanor when he was directing. She noted 00:23:33.230 --> 00:23:36.029 his command of the craft. She said he could achieve 00:23:36.029 --> 00:23:38.569 a complete tonal change in performance from an 00:23:38.569 --> 00:23:40.849 actor with the least amount of direction. She 00:23:40.849 --> 00:23:43.849 also humorously observed that everybody behaves 00:23:43.849 --> 00:23:46.420 better when Morgan is there. which suggests his 00:23:46.420 --> 00:23:48.700 signature authority extended naturally to running 00:23:48.700 --> 00:23:52.279 a tight ship on set. And moving into the 2020s, 00:23:52.279 --> 00:23:54.119 he received further acknowledgement from the 00:23:54.119 --> 00:23:56.839 industry, earning a primetime Emmy nomination 00:23:56.839 --> 00:23:59.460 for Outstanding Guest Actor in a comedy series 00:23:59.460 --> 00:24:02.700 for The Kominsky Method in 2021. And in his most 00:24:02.700 --> 00:24:05.200 recent television work, he joined the cast of 00:24:05.200 --> 00:24:08.000 the Paramount Plus spy thriller series Lioness 00:24:08.000 --> 00:24:11.460 in 2023, portraying a United States Secretary 00:24:11.460 --> 00:24:14.019 of State. He joined that project specifically 00:24:14.019 --> 00:24:16.539 because of his admiration for the prolific and 00:24:16.539 --> 00:24:18.799 specific work of the creator Taylor Sheridan. 00:24:18.920 --> 00:24:20.960 Which illustrates that he's still actively seeking 00:24:20.960 --> 00:24:23.460 out quality creative partnerships rather than 00:24:23.460 --> 00:24:25.900 simply, you know, collecting paychecks or resting 00:24:25.900 --> 00:24:27.779 on his laurels. It seems like that appetite remains 00:24:27.779 --> 00:24:31.160 even after a 60 -year career. He himself conceded 00:24:31.160 --> 00:24:33.700 that the appetite for work has dimmed a little, 00:24:33.819 --> 00:24:36.019 but not enough to make a serious difference. 00:24:36.319 --> 00:24:38.619 The continuous pursuit of quality and control 00:24:38.619 --> 00:24:41.819 really divines this phase of his life. Beyond 00:24:41.819 --> 00:24:43.900 the acting credits, what's remarkable about Morgan 00:24:43.900 --> 00:24:47.099 Freeman is his life outside the camera, his deep 00:24:47.099 --> 00:24:50.180 entrepreneurial spirit, his outspoken activism, 00:24:50.420 --> 00:24:53.000 and the serious health challenges he has quietly 00:24:53.000 --> 00:24:55.539 managed. Right. Started with his business ventures, 00:24:55.680 --> 00:24:58.700 Revelations Entertainment is obviously the major 00:24:58.700 --> 00:25:01.720 success. It's his enduring creative outlet. But 00:25:01.720 --> 00:25:04.160 not every venture was successful, which gives 00:25:04.160 --> 00:25:06.960 a realistic view of his business attempts. That's 00:25:06.960 --> 00:25:10.369 true. He co -founded ClickStar in 2006. It was 00:25:10.369 --> 00:25:13.029 intended as an early film download company, and 00:25:13.029 --> 00:25:15.769 he even secured investment from Intel. But that 00:25:15.769 --> 00:25:18.490 operation struggled. It ceased operations just 00:25:18.490 --> 00:25:20.670 two years later in 2008. Yeah, it shows that 00:25:20.670 --> 00:25:22.569 navigating the digital distribution landscape 00:25:22.569 --> 00:25:25.289 was a challenge even for him. But despite the 00:25:25.289 --> 00:25:28.349 high profile of his global career, he maintains 00:25:28.349 --> 00:25:31.410 the significant cultural and economic ties to 00:25:31.410 --> 00:25:33.069 his home state of Mississippi. That's right. 00:25:33.130 --> 00:25:36.069 He owns and operates Ground Zero. a popular blues 00:25:36.069 --> 00:25:38.130 club in Clarksdale, Mississippi. The club is 00:25:38.130 --> 00:25:40.210 a genuine attempt to preserve the cultural heritage 00:25:40.210 --> 00:25:42.569 of the Delta region. He was also the former co 00:25:42.569 --> 00:25:44.829 -owner of a fine dining establishment in the 00:25:44.829 --> 00:25:48.589 same city, Medidi. These ventures reflect a genuine, 00:25:48.630 --> 00:25:51.109 tangible investment in the cultural and economic 00:25:51.109 --> 00:25:53.670 landscape of the area he grew up in. And his 00:25:53.670 --> 00:25:55.990 philanthropy and environmental activism are equally 00:25:55.990 --> 00:25:58.420 focused and interesting. They're often centered 00:25:58.420 --> 00:26:00.980 around preparation and preservation. In 2004, 00:26:01.200 --> 00:26:03.579 following the devastation of Hurricane Ivan in 00:26:03.579 --> 00:26:06.299 the Caribbean, he helped form the Grenada Relief 00:26:06.299 --> 00:26:08.559 Fund. And that initiative later evolved into 00:26:08.559 --> 00:26:12.250 Planet Now. This organization provides severe 00:26:12.250 --> 00:26:15.329 storm preparedness resources, so it shifted his 00:26:15.329 --> 00:26:17.950 humanitarian efforts from mere response to proactive 00:26:17.950 --> 00:26:20.569 disaster readiness. He's also a dedicated supporter 00:26:20.569 --> 00:26:23.450 of Oceana, focusing on vital ocean conservation 00:26:23.450 --> 00:26:26.349 efforts. But the most unique and hands -on environmental 00:26:26.349 --> 00:26:29.470 action he took involved a rather buzz -worthy 00:26:29.470 --> 00:26:31.470 creature. Yeah, I still find this detail surprising. 00:26:31.890 --> 00:26:34.190 Wait, the voice of God spent his later years 00:26:34.190 --> 00:26:38.210 actively managing 26 beehives. It's true. That 00:26:38.210 --> 00:26:41.069 shift from celestial authority to hands -on agricultural 00:26:41.069 --> 00:26:43.809 commitment is genuinely one of the most surprising 00:26:43.809 --> 00:26:46.369 details in this whole dive. In a beautiful gesture 00:26:46.369 --> 00:26:48.849 of environmental commitment, he converted his 00:26:48.849 --> 00:26:52.609 entire 124 -acre ranch in Mississippi into a 00:26:52.609 --> 00:26:56.490 bee sanctuary. In July 2014, he started this 00:26:56.490 --> 00:26:59.170 project with 26 beehives after learning about 00:26:59.170 --> 00:27:01.450 the crucial decline of the honeybee population. 00:27:01.890 --> 00:27:04.339 That's a powerful metaphor. The man known for 00:27:04.339 --> 00:27:06.380 his commanding voice taking quiet, deliberate 00:27:06.380 --> 00:27:09.259 action to protect the environment. A hands -on 00:27:09.259 --> 00:27:12.000 approach to solving a global crisis. It connects 00:27:12.000 --> 00:27:13.779 back to that technical precision we discussed 00:27:13.779 --> 00:27:16.900 from his airport stays. It's a detailed, methodical 00:27:16.900 --> 00:27:20.039 act of conservation, not just simple advocacy. 00:27:20.619 --> 00:27:22.779 Okay, moving to his political and social stances. 00:27:22.940 --> 00:27:25.619 It's essential we present these views impartially, 00:27:25.660 --> 00:27:28.279 as they're reported in the sources. Freeman has 00:27:28.279 --> 00:27:30.180 not shied away from controversial commentary 00:27:30.180 --> 00:27:32.819 regarding race and politics. Not at all. And 00:27:32.819 --> 00:27:35.299 these have often sparked national debates. One 00:27:35.299 --> 00:27:37.259 who's most publicized and often criticized his 00:27:37.259 --> 00:27:39.420 statements relates to the commemoration of Black 00:27:39.420 --> 00:27:41.569 History Month. He famously called the concept 00:27:41.569 --> 00:27:44.809 ridiculous. He did, arguing firmly and publicly 00:27:44.809 --> 00:27:47.490 that black history is American history and that 00:27:47.490 --> 00:27:49.769 separating it only serves to diminish its importance. 00:27:49.990 --> 00:27:52.829 And his solution to ending racism was equally 00:27:52.829 --> 00:27:55.450 controversial. It focused on eliminating the 00:27:55.450 --> 00:27:58.849 linguistic habit of racial identifiers. He posited 00:27:58.849 --> 00:28:02.109 that the only way to end racism is to stop perpetuating 00:28:02.109 --> 00:28:05.029 the use of race itself. And I'm quoting the source 00:28:05.029 --> 00:28:08.059 material here. He said. I am going to stop calling 00:28:08.059 --> 00:28:10.619 you a white man and I'm going to ask you to stop 00:28:10.619 --> 00:28:13.680 calling me a black man. His belief being that 00:28:13.680 --> 00:28:16.839 by continually identifying people by race, we 00:28:16.839 --> 00:28:18.980 inherently reinforce the artificial divisions 00:28:18.980 --> 00:28:21.440 we claim we want to eliminate. Right. It's a 00:28:21.440 --> 00:28:24.740 complex argument that generated significant controversy. 00:28:24.839 --> 00:28:27.259 He's also weighed in on specific political issues 00:28:27.259 --> 00:28:29.500 in his home state. He supported the ultimately 00:28:29.500 --> 00:28:31.960 defeated proposal to change the Mississippi state 00:28:31.960 --> 00:28:34.319 flag, which at the time included the Confederate 00:28:34.319 --> 00:28:36.900 battle flag emblem. He also publicly accused 00:28:36.900 --> 00:28:39.660 the Tea Party movement of racism during a CNN 00:28:39.660 --> 00:28:41.980 interview, which generated a lot of controversy 00:28:41.980 --> 00:28:44.799 due to the highly charged nature of that accusation. 00:28:44.859 --> 00:28:47.859 And following the 2015 Baltimore protests, he 00:28:47.859 --> 00:28:50.380 voiced staunch support for the protesters, stating 00:28:50.380 --> 00:28:52.539 that the unrest was a direct reaction to what 00:28:52.539 --> 00:28:55.039 he called the terrorism we suffer from the police. 00:28:55.519 --> 00:28:57.440 He pointed specifically to the proliferation 00:28:57.440 --> 00:29:00.240 of smartphone technology, allowing citizens to 00:29:00.240 --> 00:29:03.500 record and witness police actions. And he questioned 00:29:03.500 --> 00:29:06.099 the high rate of black individuals dying in police 00:29:06.099 --> 00:29:09.599 custody. His views consistently align with a 00:29:09.599 --> 00:29:12.920 critique of systemic racial injustice. Regarding 00:29:12.920 --> 00:29:15.759 political endorsements, he backed Barack Obama 00:29:15.759 --> 00:29:19.079 in 2008. And he even provided the voiceover for 00:29:19.079 --> 00:29:20.980 the introduction to Disney World's The Hall of 00:29:20.980 --> 00:29:23.680 Presidents when Obama was added, lending his 00:29:23.680 --> 00:29:26.180 authoritative voice to that formal transition 00:29:26.180 --> 00:29:28.759 of power. He also provided the voiceover for 00:29:28.759 --> 00:29:31.180 Hillary Clinton's video introduction at the 2016 00:29:31.180 --> 00:29:34.500 Democratic National Convention. And most pointedly, 00:29:34.500 --> 00:29:37.539 in 2017, he appeared in a video for the committee 00:29:37.539 --> 00:29:40.140 to investigate Russia using his commanding voice 00:29:40.140 --> 00:29:43.099 to declare the U .S. at war, accusing Russia 00:29:43.099 --> 00:29:45.400 of launching cyber attacks and spreading false 00:29:45.400 --> 00:29:47.900 information. The deliberate use of his voice 00:29:47.900 --> 00:29:50.420 for such a weighty, consequential political statement 00:29:50.420 --> 00:29:52.599 shows his willingness to use his stature for 00:29:52.599 --> 00:29:55.140 causes he believes are critical. In a move that 00:29:55.140 --> 00:29:57.140 really synthesizes his views on race and the 00:29:57.140 --> 00:30:00.160 justice system, in 2021, he and a University 00:30:00.160 --> 00:30:02.859 of Mississippi professor, Linda Kina, donated 00:30:02.859 --> 00:30:05.240 a million dollars to the school to establish 00:30:05.240 --> 00:30:07.579 the Center for Evidence -Based Policing and Reform. 00:30:07.819 --> 00:30:09.960 So it shows a dedication, not just to commentary, 00:30:10.180 --> 00:30:13.140 but to funding systemic, data -driven change 00:30:13.140 --> 00:30:15.799 in law enforcement practices. Exactly. Looking 00:30:15.799 --> 00:30:17.460 at his personal life, we should touch on the 00:30:17.460 --> 00:30:19.640 framework of his private life. He's been married 00:30:19.640 --> 00:30:22.720 twice, first to Jeanette Adair Bradshaw from 00:30:22.720 --> 00:30:26.799 1967 to 1979, and then to Myrna Colley Lee from 00:30:26.799 --> 00:30:30.420 1984 until their divorce in 2010. And he has 00:30:30.420 --> 00:30:33.430 four children. But we must pause to recognize 00:30:33.430 --> 00:30:36.329 the profound personal tragedy he endured in 2015 00:30:36.329 --> 00:30:39.369 when his step -granddaughter from his first marriage, 00:30:39.549 --> 00:30:41.509 Adina Hines, was tragically murdered in New York 00:30:41.509 --> 00:30:43.910 City. It's a crucial reminder of the private 00:30:43.910 --> 00:30:46.490 suffering that contrasts so sharply with his 00:30:46.490 --> 00:30:48.990 commanding, confident public image. Absolutely. 00:30:49.250 --> 00:30:51.230 And despite the high -profile roles, he maintains 00:30:51.230 --> 00:30:53.349 a balance between his New York City home and 00:30:53.349 --> 00:30:55.369 his primary residence in Charleston, Mississippi. 00:30:55.789 --> 00:30:58.329 His hobbies are surprisingly demanding. They 00:30:58.329 --> 00:31:00.589 really speak to his love of control and mastery. 00:31:01.339 --> 00:31:03.500 He earned his private pilot's license at age 00:31:03.500 --> 00:31:06.579 65, well into his peak cinematic career. Wow. 00:31:06.859 --> 00:31:08.799 And he has owned at least three private aircraft 00:31:08.799 --> 00:31:11.200 over the years, including jets like a Cessna 00:31:11.200 --> 00:31:15.759 Citation 501 and an Emmy vest SJ -30. This passion 00:31:15.759 --> 00:31:18.539 for aviation speaks to a man who values freedom, 00:31:18.700 --> 00:31:22.119 technical command, and mastery. mirroring the 00:31:22.119 --> 00:31:24.900 dedication he shows to his acting. Moving to 00:31:24.900 --> 00:31:27.160 his faith, even after playing God multiple times 00:31:27.160 --> 00:31:29.799 and hosting a series dedicated to exploring global 00:31:29.799 --> 00:31:32.700 religion, his personal beliefs remain philosophical 00:31:32.700 --> 00:31:36.259 and deeply introspective. He stated quite candidly 00:31:36.259 --> 00:31:38.660 and provocatively that when asked if he believes 00:31:38.660 --> 00:31:41.799 in God, I think we invented God. So if I believe 00:31:41.799 --> 00:31:43.960 in God and I do, it's because I think I'm God. 00:31:44.099 --> 00:31:46.119 Which reveals an extraordinary self -awareness 00:31:46.119 --> 00:31:48.819 and philosophical individualism. It does. And 00:31:48.819 --> 00:31:50.799 he identifies most closely with the Zoroastrian 00:31:50.799 --> 00:31:53.059 belief system, distilling it down to the core 00:31:53.059 --> 00:31:55.619 creed. Good thoughts, good words, good deeds. 00:31:56.039 --> 00:31:58.740 We must now address the 2008 automobile crash, 00:31:58.980 --> 00:32:01.339 which had serious, lasting consequences for his 00:32:01.339 --> 00:32:04.200 health and his career. In August 2008, he was 00:32:04.200 --> 00:32:06.779 seriously injured in a rollover automobile crash 00:32:06.779 --> 00:32:10.109 in Mississippi. The accident was severe. He and 00:32:10.109 --> 00:32:12.349 his passenger had to be extracted from the vehicle 00:32:12.349 --> 00:32:14.569 with hydraulic tools. But even though he was 00:32:14.569 --> 00:32:16.869 conscious and reportedly joked with the photographer 00:32:16.869 --> 00:32:19.759 right after, the injuries were severe. a broken 00:32:19.759 --> 00:32:22.839 left shoulder, arm, and elbow. He required four 00:32:22.839 --> 00:32:25.140 hours of surgery to repair nerve damage in his 00:32:25.140 --> 00:32:27.940 shoulder and arm, and the long -term impact of 00:32:27.940 --> 00:32:30.140 that injury went beyond the initial surgery and 00:32:30.140 --> 00:32:33.160 recovery. This physical challenge is one he carries 00:32:33.160 --> 00:32:35.799 with him constantly. It is. Following the incident, 00:32:35.859 --> 00:32:38.400 he developed fibromyalgia, a chronic condition 00:32:38.400 --> 00:32:41.660 characterized by widespread pain. And crucially, 00:32:41.779 --> 00:32:44.319 the crash resulted in permanent nerve damage 00:32:44.319 --> 00:32:47.079 that caused paralysis in his left hand, forcing 00:32:47.079 --> 00:32:49.200 him to switch to using his non -dominant hand 00:32:49.200 --> 00:32:52.019 for many tasks. It is a powerful testament to 00:32:52.019 --> 00:32:54.339 his resilience that he continues to perform at 00:32:54.339 --> 00:32:56.400 a highest level despite this physical limitation. 00:32:56.859 --> 00:32:59.539 And finally, in 2018, there was the CNN investigation 00:32:59.539 --> 00:33:02.400 regarding allegations of misconduct, which required 00:33:02.400 --> 00:33:05.000 a public response and industry scrutiny. Right. 00:33:18.239 --> 00:33:23.000 And crucially, One of the named accusers later 00:33:23.000 --> 00:33:25.980 publicly claimed that CNN misrepresented her 00:33:25.980 --> 00:33:28.500 comments. She did. She stated she viewed his 00:33:28.500 --> 00:33:31.460 comments as being said in jest and that the context 00:33:31.460 --> 00:33:33.839 was misleading. After deliberation, the Screen 00:33:33.839 --> 00:33:36.140 Actors Guild ultimately decided not to take any 00:33:36.140 --> 00:33:38.279 action against him regarding the allegations. 00:33:38.779 --> 00:33:41.079 We've talked so much about The Voice, but let's 00:33:41.079 --> 00:33:43.039 dive into the how and why of its distinction, 00:33:43.319 --> 00:33:45.619 the technical intentionality behind the legend. 00:33:46.220 --> 00:33:48.660 Journalists describe it as deeply reassuring, 00:33:48.859 --> 00:33:51.980 mellifluous and authoritative. And this is the 00:33:51.980 --> 00:33:54.099 centerpiece of the deep dive. That voice didn't 00:33:54.099 --> 00:33:56.279 happen by accident, nor was it merely a gift 00:33:56.279 --> 00:33:58.859 of biology. Freeman traced his development back 00:33:58.859 --> 00:34:01.380 to college speech classes. So a choice he made 00:34:01.380 --> 00:34:03.380 after dropping out of college to join the military 00:34:03.380 --> 00:34:06.000 and later returning to acting school. Exactly. 00:34:06.079 --> 00:34:08.820 It was an active, methodical, technical endeavor, 00:34:09.039 --> 00:34:11.500 much like his work as an automatic tracking radar 00:34:11.500 --> 00:34:14.429 repairman. He observed that most people tend 00:34:14.429 --> 00:34:17.289 to speak too fast or too high, which diminishes 00:34:17.289 --> 00:34:19.809 their ability to command attention. So he actively 00:34:19.809 --> 00:34:22.010 developed his commanding voice by consciously 00:34:22.010 --> 00:34:25.269 practicing speaking in a lower octave. And focusing 00:34:25.269 --> 00:34:27.510 obsessively on enunciating each word clearly. 00:34:27.690 --> 00:34:31.429 This isn't just a natural gift. It was a deliberate 00:34:31.429 --> 00:34:34.630 technical choice made early in his training that 00:34:34.630 --> 00:34:37.369 defined his entire career path. Turning a stage 00:34:37.369 --> 00:34:39.929 actor into the voice of consequence. Yes, and 00:34:39.929 --> 00:34:42.070 that technical precision feeds directly into 00:34:42.070 --> 00:34:44.809 his acting philosophy. He's often described as 00:34:44.809 --> 00:34:47.510 an intuitive actor who chooses roles with great 00:34:47.510 --> 00:34:50.070 care. His process emphasizes careful role selection 00:34:50.070 --> 00:34:53.090 and deep character study to ensure depth, sensitivity, 00:34:53.230 --> 00:34:55.969 and substance in every portrayal. And his co 00:34:55.969 --> 00:34:58.670 -star, Beverly Todd, remarked that he's a very 00:34:58.670 --> 00:35:01.349 sharing actor who doesn't demand all the attention 00:35:01.349 --> 00:35:04.500 in a scene. He focuses instead on elevating the 00:35:04.500 --> 00:35:06.440 entire performance. And what does he consider 00:35:06.440 --> 00:35:08.780 the greatest danger in acting a mistake he actively 00:35:08.780 --> 00:35:11.679 avoids? He believes the key to effective acting 00:35:11.679 --> 00:35:14.699 lies in presence and active engagement. He stated, 00:35:14.860 --> 00:35:17.119 the big danger in acting is to wait for your 00:35:17.119 --> 00:35:20.039 line. That's what I never do. I always listen 00:35:20.039 --> 00:35:22.699 no matter how many times we do it. And that philosophy 00:35:22.699 --> 00:35:25.119 of being fully present, listening, and reacting 00:35:25.119 --> 00:35:28.679 is perhaps why his quiet, observing roles, like 00:35:28.679 --> 00:35:31.219 Red in Shawshank or Detective Somerset in Seth 00:35:31.219 --> 00:35:34.420 7, carry such immense anchoring weight. It's 00:35:34.420 --> 00:35:36.300 clear this commitment to his craft has yielded 00:35:36.300 --> 00:35:38.820 immense professional recognition. The honors 00:35:38.820 --> 00:35:41.500 span his entire career and reflect his stature 00:35:41.500 --> 00:35:43.480 in the industry. His Academy Award recognition 00:35:43.480 --> 00:35:46.679 is comprehensive. Five nominations, with one 00:35:46.679 --> 00:35:48.980 win for Million Dollar Baby. And it's important 00:35:48.980 --> 00:35:51.369 to note the scope. He was nominated for Best 00:35:51.369 --> 00:35:53.730 Supporting Actor for Street Smart and then Best 00:35:53.730 --> 00:35:57.050 Actor three times, driving Miss Daisy, The Shawshank 00:35:57.050 --> 00:35:59.710 Redemption, and Invictus. He has five Golden 00:35:59.710 --> 00:36:02.309 Globe nominations as well, winning once for driving 00:36:02.309 --> 00:36:04.489 Miss Daisy and also receiving the prestigious 00:36:04.489 --> 00:36:07.269 Cecil B. DeMille Award for Lifetime Achievement 00:36:07.269 --> 00:36:10.969 in 2012. And the Lifetime honors extend far beyond 00:36:10.969 --> 00:36:13.750 the major film awards. They recognize him as 00:36:13.750 --> 00:36:16.590 a foundational American artist. He was chosen 00:36:16.590 --> 00:36:19.409 as a Kennedy Center honoree in 2008. One of the 00:36:19.409 --> 00:36:21.469 nation's highest cultural awards. He received 00:36:21.469 --> 00:36:24.349 the AFI Life Achievement Award in 2011, presented 00:36:24.349 --> 00:36:27.090 to him by peers like Helen Mirren and Clint Eastwood. 00:36:27.230 --> 00:36:29.969 The Screen Actors Guild gave him their Life Achievement 00:36:29.969 --> 00:36:32.690 Award in 2017. He was also honored with the Freedom 00:36:32.690 --> 00:36:35.050 of the City by the City of London in 2014 and 00:36:35.050 --> 00:36:37.170 received the National Medal of Arts in 2015. 00:36:37.610 --> 00:36:40.289 These awards collectively define him as a preeminent 00:36:40.289 --> 00:36:42.610 cultural figure. And if we look at the collective 00:36:42.610 --> 00:36:45.550 critical consensus. Specifically using Rotten 00:36:45.550 --> 00:36:48.269 Tomatoes data, his filmography is stacked with 00:36:48.269 --> 00:36:51.289 essential modern classics that span genres in 00:36:51.289 --> 00:36:53.550 decades. His critically acclaimed films list 00:36:53.550 --> 00:36:56.789 serves as a powerful summary of his legacy, defined 00:36:56.789 --> 00:36:59.829 by quality and consistency. You've got Unforgiven 00:36:59.829 --> 00:37:02.170 Million Dollar Baby, The Shawshank Redemption, 00:37:02.409 --> 00:37:05.329 the entirety of the Dark Knight trilogy, Seven, 00:37:05.610 --> 00:37:08.570 Glory, Driving Miss Daisy, and even the animated 00:37:08.570 --> 00:37:11.389 classic The Lego Movie. It is a filmography defined 00:37:11.389 --> 00:37:14.409 by quality, consistency, and, critically, consequence. 00:37:15.110 --> 00:37:17.530 And that brings us to the end of this deep dive. 00:37:17.789 --> 00:37:20.110 We've covered a remarkable amount of ground. 00:37:20.289 --> 00:37:22.730 We really have. Moving past the familiar voice 00:37:22.730 --> 00:37:25.849 of God image to reveal the immense personal history, 00:37:26.070 --> 00:37:29.070 conscious choices, and physical resilience that 00:37:29.070 --> 00:37:31.750 shaped him. The key takeaways reveal a man obsessed 00:37:31.750 --> 00:37:34.730 with control and mastery. The structure of the 00:37:34.730 --> 00:37:37.269 Air Force and the technical precision of a radar 00:37:37.269 --> 00:37:39.730 repairman. The loathing for the chaotic energy 00:37:39.730 --> 00:37:41.989 of Electric Company that reinforced his desire 00:37:41.989 --> 00:37:45.309 for serious drama. His enduring dedication to 00:37:45.309 --> 00:37:47.730 challenging subjects through Revelations Entertainment. 00:37:48.090 --> 00:37:50.650 His surprising hands -on environmental transformation 00:37:50.650 --> 00:37:53.809 of his ranch into a bee sanctuary. And the immense 00:37:53.809 --> 00:37:56.269 physical challenges he overcame, specifically 00:37:56.269 --> 00:37:59.530 the 2008 crash and subsequent fibromyalgia which 00:37:59.530 --> 00:38:01.869 forced him to switch hands. What unites the radar 00:38:01.869 --> 00:38:04.289 tech, the loathing for electric company, and 00:38:04.289 --> 00:38:06.590 the bee sanctuary? It's the constant conscious 00:38:06.590 --> 00:38:09.170 pursuit of control and mastery, whether over 00:38:09.170 --> 00:38:12.119 his voice, his scene, or his environment. And 00:38:12.119 --> 00:38:14.920 if there's one aspect that defines his incredible 00:38:14.920 --> 00:38:18.039 trajectory, it's that it was not a lucky accident. 00:38:18.179 --> 00:38:20.760 It was a deliberate choice. Think about how a 00:38:20.760 --> 00:38:24.260 young man, interested in drama, actively learned 00:38:24.260 --> 00:38:26.940 how to talk in college. He didn't just stumble 00:38:26.940 --> 00:38:29.440 into his greatest asset. He noticed that most 00:38:29.440 --> 00:38:32.679 people spoke too fast or too high. And he consciously 00:38:32.679 --> 00:38:36.159 trained himself to speak in a lower octave, enunciating 00:38:36.159 --> 00:38:39.099 clearly. That single intellectual, technical 00:38:39.099 --> 00:38:42.199 choice he made in a speech class ultimately shapes 00:38:42.199 --> 00:38:44.960 his entire career trajectory, transforming him 00:38:44.960 --> 00:38:47.699 from a struggling stage actor into the universally 00:38:47.699 --> 00:38:50.360 recognized authoritative voice of the modern 00:38:50.360 --> 00:38:53.250 cinematic age. The ultimate lesson. Sometimes 00:38:53.250 --> 00:38:55.489 the foundational decision you make early on, 00:38:55.590 --> 00:38:57.510 like simply learning how to listen or how to 00:38:57.510 --> 00:38:59.690 speak, is the one that pays the greatest creative 00:38:59.690 --> 00:39:01.769 dividend across a lifetime. Turning a technical 00:39:01.769 --> 00:39:04.590 discipline into a legendary cultural asset. We'll 00:39:04.590 --> 00:39:06.449 leave you to ponder the immense power of intentional 00:39:06.449 --> 00:39:08.730 practice and the choices we make that resonate 00:39:08.730 --> 00:39:10.289 for decades. We'll see you soon.