Morgan Freeman, a Hollywood legend, has had an illustrious career as an actor in the industry for over six decades. Known for his distinctive voice and captivating performances, he has graced the silver screen with unforgettable roles in films like The Shawshank Redemption and Driving Miss Daisy. Freeman is undoubtedly an icon of the silver screen.
As fate would have it, Freeman’s mischievous nature led him to discover his passion for acting at a young age. He found himself in trouble after playfully pulling a chair from beneath a classmate, after which he was punished by a teacher leading him to participate in a drama competition where he won. Since then, his love for acting has only grown, propelling him toward a remarkable career in the industry.
Morgan Freeman Started Acting as a Punishment!
At the age of 12, Morgan Freeman found himself in trouble for causing a classroom disturbance by playfully pulling a chair from beneath the girl he had a crush on. As a unique form of punishment, his English teacher decided to channel Freeman’s mischievous energy by encouraging him to participate in the school’s drama competition. Little did anyone know at the time that this incident would spark the beginning of an extraordinary acting career. As the then-little actor won the competition, it ignited his love and passion for acting.
Following that incident, Freeman became determined to explore and experiment in the world of acting. He eagerly took on various roles, no matter how small, until 1968 when he finally landed his breakthrough in the Broadway Musical Hello, Dolly! From that moment onward, his career slowly but steadily took off, leading to a journey that will forever be cherished by movie enthusiasts.
Morgan Freeman’s First Big Break in Hollywood
Upon completing his education, Freeman pursued theater arts in Los Angeles and embarked on his acting career in the 1970s, debuting in the children’s television series The Electric Company. Although initially taking on minor roles in various films, his big break arrived with the movie Street Smart, catapulting him to Hollywood prominence.
Although the breakthrough came in late, that is when he was 49 years old, his performance in the film earned him an Academy Award nomination for Best Supporting Actor. But the actor did not have any issue with how late that opportunity came in, he was rather grateful, he told AFI,
“It didn’t have to happen at all,–I’m very lucky and very grateful that I had a career. … if it happens right away, it’s gonna stop right away and that’s a foregone conclusion.”
Following his breakthrough, he secured roles in a series of films such as Lean On Me, Driving Miss Daisy, and the Civil War drama Glory which further helped him cement his name in his industry. As time passed, Freeman’s fame eventually started growing, and the rest, as they say, is history.
Source: Sky HISTORY UK
