Why Morgan Freeman never wants to repeat his favourite role: “I refused”
An undisputed cinematic hero, Morgan Freeman has built one of the most impressive careers in Hollywood history. This veteran actor has found a welcome place in nearly every genre, delivering brilliant performances across a wide range of films and consistently touching the hearts and minds of audiences worldwide.
Famously, Freeman has starred alongside Clint Eastwood in the western Unforgiven and Brad Pitt in the crime thriller Se7en, giving two of his finest performances to date. However, one of his most significant roles was Ellis ‘Red’ Redding in the prison drama The Shawshank Redemption, for which he received an Academy Award nomination, despite his unsettled relationship with the movie at large.
Perhaps owing in part to his widely beloved narration voice, Freeman’s roles aren’t just restricted to everyday people. The actor played God himself, and his distinguishable rich voice and magnetic nature made him the perfect fit for the role in the 2003 comedy Bruce Almighty, starring alongside comedy legend Jim Carrey. What these roles show is that, whether it be a light-hearted summer blockbuster or a gritty murder-driven thriller, Freeman has the dexterity to reach out to his audience and connect with them emotionally.
When looking for his most beloved performance across his long-running career, it is easy to come up with several different answers. Freeman has provided plenty of movie buffs with their favourite roles due to his diverse choice in work. Despite most of his most beloved roles coming from the 1990s and early 2000s, Freeman’s personal favourite role dates back to the late ’80s.
The 1987 film Street Smart wins the accolade and is a blend of drama and crime, with screen icon Christopher Reeves taking top billing. Freeman’s appearance as Leo Smalls/Fast Black, a pimp, was his breakout role. It also earned him his first Academy Award nomination for ‘Best Supporting Actor’ and rubber-stamped his authenticity as a genuine Hollywood actor.
The plot concerns authenticity in news reports. A struggling journalist (Reeves) digs himself too deep a hole after faking a story about a pimp attempting a murder. Despite the story being fictional, the description of the pimp hits a little too close to home for Leo Smalls. This results in fiction and reality blurring for the journalist, as Smalls demands to know who his sources are.
The film was well-received by both audiences and critics. But, like so many favourite roles of actors, the movie failed to gain a widespread audience. It was a box office bomb and commercial disappointment, leaving the project tarnished for many of those looking back.
In 2011, Freeman sat with the American Film Institute to discuss his acting career. When discussing this role, carried out under the direction of Jerry Schatzberg, who has also worked with Al Pacino and Faye Dunnaway, Freeman speaks positively. “I went as about as far away from me as I could get in terms of acting,” he shares. “Everything else — you know — you pull something out of you. Not that I wasn’t pulling stuff out of me in terms of my action with the ladies, but to me, it was more alien to who I really am.”
The comments illustrate the balance of personal reflection and professional effort that comes with creating the kind of authentic performance that will always appeal to professional actors. Freeman cites this role as one that had him blending elements he was familiar with in his personal life. The acclaim he earned from this demonstrates his skill and understanding of acting as a craft. So, would Freeman take on such a role again? Well, he answered this in a 2000 interview, stating: “I refused”.
Freeman’s reasoning for rejecting any more murdering pimp-type roles was simple: to continue to take on such roles would leave him painted into a corner he did not feel comfortable operating from.
Freeman explains: “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”. The actor expresses a need for variety and freedom when choosing and playing roles, as “I didn’t wanna be (typecast…If I’m good at something I don’t want to do that again, I want to do something else.”
This notion speaks highly of Freeman as a bonafide artist. While many Hollywood stars would be happy to cash the cheques and keep their work in a nice and easily accessible spot while continually performing, Freeman always wanted to push himself into uncharted territory.
Despite typecasting being a standard for most actors today, Freeman’s active avoidance of the matter for himself proved to be a beneficial one. The actor has shown his talent in numerous ways, as supported by appearances in various genres. He is able to bring something unique to each of his roles, establishing his iconic stance in his industry.
