Morgan Freeman names his favourite movie role
Possessing genuinely exceptional talent in the realm of acting, plus a commanding on-screen presence and one of the most iconic, deep voices in the history of cinema, Morgan Freeman is a true hero of the American movie industry and has provided some of contemporary cinema’s greatest moments.
The list of the Tennessee-born actor’s films of high quality is seemingly endless and includes Million Dollar Baby, Driving Miss Daisy, The Shawshank Redemption, Invictus, Unforgiven and Se7en, a testament to his prowess and versatility as a performer of the acting profession.
But while Freeman has indeed offered countless memorable performances to the screen throughout his remarkable career, there are some that sit higher in his personal estimation than others, and when Freeman was interviewed in Amsterdam back in 2000 while promoting the film Nurse Betty, he named his favourite movie role of all time.
“Yes, a movie I did with Christopher Reeve called Street Smart,” Freeman said. Street Smart was released in 1987, a crime drama directed by Jerry Schatzberg, and starred Freeman and Christopher Reeve. Focusing on the dangerous underworld of New York City, the film explores the perilous nature of the city when journalism and criminal enterprise collide.
Reeve plays a journalist who makes up a story about a fictional pimp played by Freeman, but when the story is taken seriously by the police, the pair become wrapped up in a deceitful plot. Freeman’s performance was truly powerful, and the film marked the first time he was nominated for an Academy Award, this time for ‘Best Supporting Actor’.
Freeman was asked why he had never played such a vicious character again, with the interviewer noting the actor’s believability in such a role, especially considering the Oscar nomination he received. Freeman responded, “I refused. As soon as you come out with something like that, you get a lot of offers to play that same role again in other films. I didn’t wanna be… If I’m good at something, I don’t want to do that again. I want to do something else.”
“Well… not always,” the actor added. “I did a play in New York, on Broadway and off-Broadway, in which I played the same role. The play had two different titles: Off-Broadway, it was called The Last Street Play. On Broadway, they called it The Mighty Gents. I got a Tony nomination for it. I played a wino. A street guy. Kinda out of it. Even if he was sober, he wasn’t quite straight. Wonderful role.”
Check out the trailer for Street Smart below.
