Not only is Morgan Freeman the master of narration with his calming voice, he’s also an amazing actor and a director who has been in the film industry since the 1960s. But before he made it on-screen, he actually had a passion for dancing and used his skills to start a career in Broadway plays. What really kicked off his acting career, though, was his breakout role in Street Smart (1987). Since then, he’s gone on to continuously conquer the industry.
Updated February 1st, 2023: If you're a fan of Morgan Freeman, you'll be happy to know that we've updated this article with more of the talented actor's best films.
Indeed, Freeman is one of the most universally liked and celebrated actors across the globe (which may explain why nobody really cared when eight women came forward with sexual assault allegations). Here’s a reminder why — take a look at Morgan Freeman’s greatest movies.
10 The Dark Knight
The great Christopher Nolan made an impeccable choice casting Morgan Freeman as the tech maestro Lucius Fox in The Dark Knight trilogy. Although playing a side character, Freeman occasionally stole the spotlight with his skillful enterprise. Bruce Wayne would not be capable of holding up his reputation if it weren't for the vehicles and gadgets provided by Lucius himself. Freeman incredibly grasped the concept of the character. His sophisticated portrayal of the authoritative, kind and organization-driven business manager definitely speaks to the masses.
9 Unforgiven
Clint Eastwood’s Best Picture-winning film Unforgiven (1992) takes its place among the great Westerns. Telling the story of William Munny (played by Eastwood), an aging outlaw and killer who, after peaceful life as a farmer, is forced to return to his life of crime, the film is an uncompromising look at the West, its myths, and its heroes. Freeman is reliably superb in his portrayal of the lead character’s old sidekick Ned Logan. It is not surprising that he became one of Unforgiven’s most beloved characters.
8 Street Smart
Jerry Schatzberg’s 1987 crime thriller Street Smart follows a struggling reporter (Christopher Reeve) who decides to make up a story about a Times Square pimp when he fails to gain information for an authentic article. His fictional character turns out to be strangely similar to the actual pimp known as Fast Black (Freeman). Street Smart does manage to give Freeman a chance at exploring a brutal, mean, and ruthless character, the complete opposite of his usual roles. For his performance, Freeman was nominated for an Academy Award and a Golden Globe Award for Best Actor in a Supporting Role.
7 Invictus
Invictus serves as the third collaboration between one of the finest actors and directors: Morgan Freeman and Clint Eastwood. This time around, Freeman got to play the late president Nelson Mandela in his first years of presidency as he tried uniting the nation by getting involved in the 1995 Rugby World Cup. Invictus is titled after Mandela's favorite poem written by William Ernest Henley. Although it's true that the accent could be worked on a little more, Freeman gave a brilliant performance. A man who carries himself with such dignity was an excellent choice to capture Mandela's force of personality. It earned him an Academy Award nomination for the Best Actor.
6 Lucy
Lucy follows the story of a woman Lucy (played by Scarlett Johansson) who gets accidentally pumped with a drug that causes her to have psychokinetic abilities. In order to understand what's happening to her, she seeks out a neurologist played by Morgan Freeman to help her guide through the process. The movie itself received mixed reviews. One side praises the actors for their astonishing performances, but the other criticizes the implausible theory about our brain working only with 10% of its full potential. Regarding Freeman's acting, playing a wise scientist is just something that sits wholly right with his persona.
5 Lean On Me
Freeman luxuriates in playing characters based on true events. The 80s drama film Lean On Me is no different. He took on the role of a former Eastside High school principal Joe Clark, who was known for his unconventional and controversial disciplinary measures. Freeman's character is assigned a high school in New Jersey that is about to be sold to the state government. He decides to turn things around and discipline the kids, so they would keep up their behavior and better their grades. Freeman's strong personality suits perfectly for a character that is not afraid to stand up for himself. Thanks to his amazing performance, he received an Image Award for the Best Actor.
4 The Shawshank Redemption
Released around the same time of October 1994 in theaters as Jurassic Park, Pulp Fiction and Forrest Gump, despite its cultural significance now, The Shawshank Redemption wasn't exactly a box-office success with its $16 million earnings back then. The plot follows two prisoners, Andy Dufresne (Tim Robbins) and Ellis Redding (Morgan Freeman), as they bond in the Shawshank State Penitentiary over two decades and walk towards redemption. The movie itself is life-affirming as it is shocking. Even though the movie's a longer one, not one scene is wasted. Freeman's performance is yet again amazing and plays into the story very well.
3 Se7en
There's no better words to describe Se7en other than graphic, disturbing and amazingly cast and directed. Freeman portrays the character of a veteran detective William Somerset. He is approached by a rookie detective David Mills (played by Brad Pitt), in need for help to solve the case of a serial killer who uses the seven deadly sins as motif. Pitt and Freeman play the roles of good cop/bad cop brilliantly. Despite its worth-watching performances, beware: this movie definitely isn't for the faint-hearted. But, if you like a good twist, this is exactly the one for you.
2 Driving Miss Daisy
Morgan Freeman received a Golden Globe Award for Best Actor for his role of Hoke Colburn in Driving Miss Daisy. He plays a role of a personal chauffer for a wealthy woman (Jessica Tandy) in the South of the USA. Their relationship goes through a bumpy road over the years as they slowly create a beautiful bond between each other. Freeman's character essentially becomes Daisy's best friend. Hoke carries just enough righteous anger and knows when to use it when wronged. Many would think his humor's used as a front, but that's exactly who the chauffer is.
1 Million Dollar Baby
Million Dollar Baby is yet another sports drama directed by Clint Eastwood, starring Morgan Freeman in the role of a gym assistant Eddie Dupris. The plot focuses on Mary Fitzgerald (Hilary Swank) who's determined to become the best boxer with the help of her gruff trainer (Clint Eastwood) and Eddie. The movie's more interested in the inner demons than the sporting themes themselves.
The story's strongest point is definitely the heartfelt journey, but it's all assisted by solid acting and direction. Freeman's pseudo-narration works incredibly well for the story advancing the work with a somber tone. The exceeding performance of his supporting role earned him an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor.