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Morgan Freeman first appeared in front of a camera at 27, acting as an uncredited man on the street in the 1964 Rod Steiger drama tragedy “The Pawnbroker.” While parts were hard to find in those early days, 1971 saw a breakthrough when Freeman secured a spot on the successful, Grammy-winning comedy variety TV show “The Electric Company,” where, for seven years and 780 episodes, he joined the likes of Mel Brooks and Bill Cosby in delighting children.
After his extended run on “The Electric Company,” Morgan Freeman’s more recognizable face and polished acting earned him further roles, and he maintained consistent television and film work throughout the 1980s. Then, in 1987, Freeman took the next step up the acting ladder with his 10th-ranked movie, 1987’s “Street Smart.”
10. Street Smart (1987)
Morgan Freeman was nominated for a Best Supporting Actor Oscar for his role as Fast Black, a ruthless, manipulative, antagonistic pimp who gets caught up with a fabricated magazine profile written by a struggling journalist. Freeman’s critically acclaimed performance marked the major turning point that propelled him to international stardom.
Best line: That ain’t me. And don’t be using that lawyer tone with me. I pay you. I can stop paying you. I’m the one that was up there being arraigned while you was pulling your dong. So don’t use that schoolhouse tone with me.
9. Lean on Me (1989)
Morgan Freeman’s next example of acting gold arrived in 1989, when he took on the role of Joe Clark, a famous real-life New Jersey high school principal. Freeman brilliantly captured Clark’s fierce, no-nonsense leadership style in a career-defining role that blended the strictness of his drill-sergeant past with the passion of a dedicated educator.
Best line: You think you run this school? If you could, then I wouldn’t be here, would I? No one talks in my meetings. No one! You take out your pencils and write. I want the names of every hoodlum, drug dealer, and miscreant who’s done nothing but take this place apart on my desk by noon today.
8. Invictus (2009)
In 2009, Morgan Freeman accepted what many would call the role of a lifetime, portraying South Africa’s legendary president Nelson Mandela in the rugby movie “Invictus,” opposite Matt Damon. For his impressive efforts, Freeman earned an Oscar nomination for Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role.
Best line: People don’t realize that I played rugby myself when I was a student at Fort Hare. It is a very rough game, almost as rough as politics.
7. Glory (1989)
Morgan Freeman’s character in the Civil War film “Glory” is an older, level-headed former slave who guides the younger men through army life while also helping Colonel Shaw (Matthew Broderick) understand his troops’ needs. As the wise, calm and grounded Rawlins, he stands up to the fiery and bitter Trip played by Denzel Washington, challenging him to look at the bigger picture of the war.
Best line: The men need shoes, Colonel. That boy ran off to find him some shoes, Colonel. He wants to fight. Same as the rest of us. More, even.
6. The Dark Knight (2008)
Critics praised Morgan Freeman’s portrayal of Lucius Fox, Bruce Wayne’s corporate CEO and tech genius in Christopher Nolan’s “The Dark Knight” for the calm gravitas, quiet wit and moral strength he brought to the role. Freeman used sharp intellect and quiet authority to ground Christian Bale’s Batman superhero elements, standing up to blackmail with calm loyalty.
Best line: Let me get this straight, you think that your client, one of the wealthiest and most powerful men in the world, is secretly a vigilante who spends his nights beating criminals to a pulp with his bare hands, and your plan is to blackmail this person?
5. Driving Miss Daisy (1989)
80-year-old Jessica Tandy won an Oscar for her role in “Driving Miss Daisy,” and many movie buffs believe Morgan Freeman’s Best Supporting Actor Oscar nomination should have transformed into a winner as well. Freeman played Tandy’s chauffeur, Hoke Colburn, with a quiet dignity, deep patience and gentle warmth, adding some soft humor and human kindness that enhanced the character’s realism even further.
Best line: Yes’m… I had the air-conditioning checked. I don’t know what for. You ain’t never allow me to turn it on.
4. Unforgiven (1992)
As he moves toward retirement, Clint Eastwood buys golf courses and surrounds himself with a stellar cast in movies he directs. In this 1993 Best Picture Oscar winner, the first of two Eastwood films on this list that include Morgan Freeman, Freeman brings quiet dignity, moral hesitation and tragic vulnerability to the deconstruction of this classic Western. He serves as the conscience of the journey, reluctant to shed blood, in contrast to the darker, colder past of Eastwood’s William Munny.
Best line: Hell, Will. We ain’t bad men no more. Shit, we’re farmers.
3. Million Dollar Baby (2004)
Twelve years after “Unforgiven,” Freeman and Eastwood teamed up again in another Oscar success. “Million Dollar Baby” saw Hilary Swank portraying the gutsy female boxer, Maggie Fitzgerald, who made an impression on Eastwood and Freeman’s characters. The film won the Best Picture Oscar, Eastwood the Best Director Oscar, Swank the Best Actress Oscar and Freeman the Best Supporting Actor Oscar.
Best line: People love violence. They’ll slow down at a car wreck to check for bodies. Same people claim to love boxing. They got no idea what it is. Boxing is about respect. Getting it for yourself and taking it away from the other guy.
2. Se7en (1995)
Morgan Freeman’s portrayal of Detective William Somerset in the 1995 thriller “Se7en” is widely acclaimed as a masterclass in weary but intellectual gravity. As an aging, deeply cynical cop in his last seven days on the job, Freeman anchors the film with quiet sorrow, deep moral exhaustion and a profound sense of intellectual restraint. Opposite a younger and more volatile David Mills, played by Brad Pitt, the finesse brought to Freeman’s role is even more apparent.
Best line: Gentlemen, gentlemen… I’ll never understand. All these books, a world of knowledge at your fingertips. What do you do? You play poker all night.
1. The Shawshank Redemption (1994)
While “The Shawshank Redemption” undoubtedly ranks as Morgan Freeman’s top film in a stellar career, it also ranks among the very best movies of all time and a masterful Stephen King novella adaptation. Much of these plaudits is down to the portrayals by the lead actors, Freeman and Tim Robbins. Both deliver performances for the ages, making “The Shawshank Redemption” one of the truly memorable movies in cinematic history.
Best line: Get busy living or get busy dying. That’s goddamn right!
So Many Roles to Choose From
Morgan Freeman is now 89 years old. In a career spanning over six decades, he’s appeared on screen in 152 different films or series, with another two in the pipeline. With this wide array of roles to draw from, it stands to reason that those mentioned in this list are among the absolute cream of the crop, thrilling movie fans around the globe for decades.
