What were the earnings and net worth of Morgan Freeman?
Morgan Freeman is an American actor, film director, and narrator with a net worth of $250 million. For more than two decades, he has been one of the world’s most famous and sought-after actors. Morgan’s present net worth would have been significantly higher if he had not been forced to pay his ex-wife a divorce settlement of $100-$200 million in 2010.
Early Life
Morgan Freeman was born in Memphis, Tennessee, on June 1, 1937, as the son of Mayme Edna and Morgan Porterfield Freeman. He is the youngest of five children. Morgan’s parents moved to Chicago shortly after his birth to find work, leaving him with his maternal grandmother in Charleston, Mississippi. When he was six, his grandmother died, and he moved to Chicago to live with his mother, who had separated from his father. They eventually returned to Tennessee.
Freeman caught the acting bug when he was nine years old and played the lead in a school play. He graduated from Broad Street High School in 1955 and enlisted in the US Air Force. After serving in the military, he returned to Los Angeles and began taking acting lessons at the Pasadena Playhouse. Morgan supported herself by working as a transcript clerk at Los Angeles City College. At the same time, he was frequently commuting between New York City and San Francisco, working as a dancer and member of a music theater group, respectively.
Career
Freeman first appeared in the off-Broadway play The Niggerlovers in the middle of the 1960s, and in 1968 he appeared in an all-African-American Hello, Dolly! production on Broadway. His first cinematic appearance came in Who Says I Can’t Ride a Rainbow? In 1971. He became well-known in America through his work on the soap opera Another World and appearances on The Electric Company, a PBS children’s show.
He continued to work in theater, earning an Obie Award in 1980 for his leading role in Coriolanus. He won his second Obie in 1984 for The Gospel at Colonus and again in 1989 for his main role in Driving Miss Daisy.
Freeman’s career took off in the late 1980s and early 1990s, when he began to portray major roles in big-budget films. He played Fast Black in the 1987 film Street Smart, for which he received an Oscar nomination for Best Supporting Actor. In 1994, he landed the role of Red in The Shawshank Redemption, propelling him to A-list status. He went on to star in several big-budget movies, including Seven, Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves, Deep Impact, and Unforgiven.
2005 was a significant year for Freeman. Morgan received the Best Supporting Actor Oscar for his role in Clint Eastwood’s Million Dollar Baby at the 77th Academy Awards, following three prior nominations.
In 2005, he was cast as God in the hit film Bruce Almighty (and later, the sequel Evan Almighty). He also appears in the 2005 film Batman Begins, part of Christopher Nolan’s Dark Night Trilogy. He went on to reprise his part in both sequels.
After appearing in 2007’s The Bucket List, Freeman made a triumphant return to the stage, co-starring with Peter Gallagher and Frances McDormand in the Broadway hit The Country Girl. He collaborated with filmmaker Clint Eastwood in 2009 to play Nelson Mandela in Invictus, for which he received an Academy Award nomination for Best Actor. He appears in the films Oblivion and Olympus has Fallen (with a sequel in 2016; London has Fallen). More recent projects include 2019’s The Poison Rose, starring John Travolta; 2019’s Angel Has Fallen, the third episode in the Has Fallen film series; 2020’s criminal comedy The Comeback Trail; and 2021’s Coming to America.
On November 20, 2022, Freeman and Ghanim Al-Muftah performed at the 2022 FIFA World Cup opening ceremony in Qatar.
Other Work
In 1993, Morgan made his directorial debut with Paramount Pictures’ “Bopha!” To date, he has only directed three episodes of Madam Secretary.
Morgan’s powerful, booming voice makes him a popular choice for narrating work. He narrated War of the Worlds and the documentary March of the Penguins in 2005 and later voiced characters in the 2014 film Lego Movie. In 2010, he took over as the voice of the CBS Evening News from Walter Cronkite. He also hosts and narrates “Through the Wormhole,” a Discovery Channel physics show. Freeman narrated several iconic Visa ads until 2018. He also voiced Netflix’s nature documentary series “Our Universe,” which debuted in 2022.
Personal Life
Freeman was married to Jeanette Adair Bradshaw from 1967 to 1979. He married Myrna Colley-Lee in 1984; they separated in September 2010. He has four children. In 2015, his stepdaughter from his first marriage was brutally murdered in New York City. She was 33 years old.
Freeman was involved in a near-fatal vehicle accident on the night of August 3, 2008, in Ruleville, Mississippi. His Nissan Maxima flipped numerous times after leaving the freeway. Paramedics used the “Jaws of Life” to save him and a female passenger, who were then transported to a hospital in Memphis by helicopter. During the incident, Freeman shattered his left shoulder, arm, and elbow. Although alcohol was excluded as a contributing factor in the incident, his passenger (Demaris Meyer) later sued him for carelessness, claiming he had been drinking that night. The lawsuit was resolved for an unknown sum outside of court. He continues to wear a compression glove to alleviate his fibromyalgia symptoms.
In May 2018, CNN published the findings of an investigation in which eight women accused Freeman of sexual harassment. Eight other people came forward to report inappropriate behavior on film sets or at his production company. Following the report’s release, Freeman tendered an apology. As a result, the Screen Actors Guild considered removing Freeman’s lifetime achievement award but concluded in September 2018 that he may keep it.
Freeman was involved in relief efforts for Hurricane Katrina victims, and he established the Grenada Relief Fund to help Hurricane Ivan victims.
Morgan disclosed in March 2019 that he had converted his 124-acre Mississippi farm into a bee sanctuary. Freeman also has a residence in New York City. He owns and maintains Ground Zero, a blues club in Clarksdale, Mississippi.
Divorce Settlement
Morgan Freeman’s current net worth is $250 million; however, that is after he paid his ex-wife of 26 years, Myrna Colley-Lee, $100–200 million in real estate and cash in 2010. Myrna had previously demanded up to $400 million based on the value of their holdings and his future earnings potential.
Morgan Freeman’s philanthropic contributions with his massive fortune
Morgan Freeman has demonstrated his commitment to a multitude of philanthropic endeavors, including but not limited to adoption and fostering, orphanages, AIDS and HIV, animals, cancer, children, conservation, the creative arts, disaster relief, education, the environment, health, human rights, hunger, oceans, peace, water, and women’s rights.
Additionally, for the benefit of the American Red Cross, he has organized an online auction for disaster relief and authored a cookbook titled “Morgan Freeman and Friends: Caribbean Cooking for a Cause,” the earnings of which will be donated to the Grenada Relief Fund. Furthermore, he has provided financial assistance to the establishment of a novel research division at the Mississippi State College of Veterinary Medicine, which was later designated the Morgan Freeman Equine Reproduction Research Unit, and supported the Mississippi Animal Rescue League.
Plan!t Now, formerly the Grenada Relief Fund, was another organization he established to assist victims of natural disasters.
In addition to making monetary donations, Freeman has utilized his platform and influence to advocate for a range of causes, such as environmental sustainability, equal rights, and social justice.
What are the nonprofits that Morgan Freeman supports?
Morgan Freeman supports numerous charities and causes, including, but not limited to:
- Adoption, Fostering, and Orphanages.
- AIDS and HIV
- Animals
- Cancer
- Children’s
- Conservation
- Creative Arts
- Disaster Relief
- Education
- Environment
- Health
- Human Rights
- Hunger
- Oceans
- Peace
- Poverty
- Voter Education
- Water Women
Freeman has supported a variety of organizations and causes, including the ONE Campaign, Red Cross, Entertainment Industry Foundation, Tallahatchie River Foundation, and Grenada Relief Fund/PLAN!T NOW. He has worked on climate change programs, education for marginalized populations, and disaster assistance. He has also demonstrated his dedication to subjects like animal welfare, early childhood education, and environmental sustainability through his charity activities.
How has Morgan Freeman’s charity activity affected his career?
Morgan Freeman’s charitable initiatives have had a significant impact on his career. His commitment to social and environmental issues is consistent with his sense of global responsibility and desire to positively impact the world. Freeman’s charitable endeavors and activism demonstrate his commitment to having a positive impact on people and the environment.
He has utilized his position and wealth to campaign for a variety of social and environmental causes, inspiring others to use their influence for the betterment of people and the planet.
Freeman’s involvement in a variety of humanitarian efforts, including the Grenada Relief Fund and PLAN!T NOW, reflects his desire to make the world a better place.
His humanitarian efforts have encouraged others in the entertainment industry and beyond to use their platforms and resources for good causes. In addition to his acting talent, Freeman’s humanitarian efforts have elevated him to the status of a symbol of social responsibility and progress.
What are some social causes that Morgan Freeman has pushed for?
Morgan Freeman has supported a variety of humanitarian causes, exhibiting a deep dedication to charity and activism. Some of the social causes he has supported are:
Freeman is a vocal supporter of racial and social equality.
He has taken part in civil rights campaigns and supported causes that promote equality and justice.
Disaster Relief: Freeman has been active in disaster relief activities, notably sponsoring the Grenada Relief Fund, which he helped form after Hurricanes Ivan and Emily destroyed the small Caribbean island.
Environmental Sustainability: He has shown his commitment to environmental causes by supporting initiatives such as the Mississippi Animal Rescue League and donating funds to create a new research area at the Mississippi State College of Veterinary Medicine, which was later named the Morgan Freeman Equine Reproduction Research Unit
Freeman is a patron of the Campaign for Female Education and has supported educational and literacy activities.
Health and Welfare: He has been involved in efforts linked to HIV/AIDS, cancer, and animal welfare, displaying a broad dedication to health and welfare causes.
Freeman’s charitable and advocacy efforts have had a considerable impact on several social problems, demonstrating his commitment to making a positive difference in the world.
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