How Old Is Morgan Freeman And How Long Has He Been Acting?

Quick Facts

While they can’t get enough of the trail of box office hits he is leaving on the streets of Hollywood, fans sometimes wonder – how old is Morgan Freeman? This is entirely based on the simple fact that the actor has been appearing in films and TV shows since the 1960s and guess what, he isn’t ready to take a bow just yet. Even more interesting is the fact that he was born long before he made his debut as an actor, thus, he didn’t start as a child actor. He also paid his dues in the military, serving in the United States Air Force from 1955 to 1959 before acting took center stage in his professional life.

His deep voice which has narrated a lot of motion picture projects, as well as his smooth way of delivering humor, are some of his strong suits. He has appeared in more than 50 onscreen projects, many of which shook things up at the box office. Accordingly, he has received several awards and nominations to acknowledge his contributions to the industry. The highlights of his early beginning and career achievements are available below.

How Old Is Morgan Freeman?

The American actor was born on June 1, 1937. His place of birth is recorded as Memphis, Tennessee, where his parents Mayme Edna (mother) and Morgan Porterfield Freeman welcomed him as their fourth child. His mother was a teacher while his father earned a living as a barber. From infancy, Morgan was sent to live with his grandmother in Charleston, Mississippi, and it didn’t end there, he continued moving around to different places, including Greenwood, Mississippi and Gary, Indiana, as well as Chicago.

His love for the arts was ignited in school where he debuted in a play. He is an alum of Broad Street High School from where he won a drama competition and took part in a radio show. Following his graduation from high school, Morgan Freeman received a partial drama scholarship from Jackson State University which he turned down to enlist in the United States Air Force. His military service spanned for four years, during which he rose through the ranks to Airman 1st Class.

After putting in four years of service to his country, Morgan Freeman reignited his passion for the arts and made a move to Los Angeles where several illustrious entertainment careers usually begin. He celebrated his 82nd birthday in June 2019.

How Long Has Morgan Freeman Been Acting?

Since 1964, Morgan Freeman has occupied a spot in the hearts of many with his flawless delivery of movie roles. He has also expanded his horizon to include stints as a film director and narrator, the latter which he excels at with the help of his striking deep voice.

During the early days of his career, Morgan joined the 1964 World’s Fair as a dancer and also became a part of the Opera Ring musical theater group in San Francisco. His debut, off-Broadway, was made in 1967, in The Nigger Lovers. However, he was first credited for a film appearance in 1971, in Who Says I Can’t Ride a Rainbow! and gained widespread popularity when he appeared in Another World and the PBS kids’show The Electric Company.

Some of the box office sensations he has under his belt include Glory (1989), Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves (1991), Seven (1995), Deep Impact (1998), The Sum of All Fears (2002), Bruce Almighty (2003), The Dark Knight Trilogy (2005–2012), Wanted (2008), RED (2010), Now You See Me (2013), The Lego Movie (2014), Lucy (2014), and the list could go on forever.

Other Achievements

Despite being one of the actors who have not truly received the kind of recognition they deserve from various award bodies, Morgan Freeman has raked in some prestigious accolades for his performances over the years. He bagged an Academy Award in 2005 in the category of Best Supporting Actor for his Million Dollar Baby performance in 2004. He equally won a Screen Actors Guild Award for the same role and walked away with a Golden Globe Award in the category of Best Actor for his role in Driving Miss Daisy. The foregoing does not include several other nominations he has received for his performances in different projects like Street Smart (1987), The Shawshank Redemption (1994) and Invictus (2009).

The first installment of Mississippi’s Best Awards acknowledged his works with the Lifetime Achievement Award in 2006 while he got his SAG Life Achievement Award in 2017. In diaspora, City of London bestowed upon him, the honor of Freedom of the City in 2014.

Also Read: Top 10 Richest People in the world with full biography and details.