A screenshot of Freeman at the World Cup opening ceremony. Image via Twitter
American actor Morgan Freeman hit global headlines when he headlined the opening ceremony of the Qatar 2022 World Cup on Sunday. The veteran Hollywood actor has carved a niche for himself as one of the most talented actors to ever grace the screen.
The octogenarian, whose deep, unique voice is one of the main attributes that make him stand out, has also amassed a huge fan base and a huge fortune. According to Celebrity Net Worth, he currently has a net worth of $250 million dollars but could have been much more. Here’s why.
Early life
Freeman was born on June 1, 1937, in Memphis, Tennesee, to Mayme Edna and Morgan Porterfield Freeman. He was the youngest of five children. He was raised by his maternal grandmother in Charleston, Mississippi after his parents relocated to Chicago to find work. However, he later joined his mother in Chicago following the demise of his grandmother, the same period his parents separated.
Schooling
Freeman attended Street High School and graduated in 1955. He was subsequently enlisted into the United States Air Force. After his time in the military, he moved to Los Angeles where he started acting lessons at the Pasadena Playhouse.
Acting career
His acting career started in the mid-1960s when he appeared in an off-Broadway production of a play titled The Niggerlovers and Pearl Bailey in an all-African-American Broadway production of Hello, Dolly!
His debut film appearance was in Who Says I Can’t Ride a Rainbow! in 1971. Since then, he has been featured in a number of high-profile movies, including Street Smart, Seven, Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves, Deep Impact, and Unforgiven. However, it was his role in The Shawshank Redemption that catapulted him into A-list fame.
Awards
His acting career has seen him win several awards. In 1980, he received the Obie Award for his starring role in Coriolanus. He also won an award for his lead role in Driving Miss Daisy. He got an Oscar Nomination for Best Supporting Actor in the movie the 1987 film Street Smart as Fast Black. He won the Best Supporting Actor Oscar for his work in Clint Eastwood’s Million Dollar Baby at the 77th Academy Awards.
Personal life
Morgan Freeman has been in and out of marriages. He first married Jeanette Adair Bradshaw and divorced in 1979. He later married Myrna Colley-Lee in 1984, and they divorced in September 2010.
Freeman has four children from his past marriages. His stepdaughter from his first marriage was murdered in 2015 in New York City at the age of 33.
Celebrity net worth reports that his net worth could have been more than $250 million had Freeman not been forced to pay his ex-wife a $100 – $200 million divorce settlement in 2010.
