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Top 10 Morgan Freeman

Morgan Freeman has played the big-man himself, and starred in some of the biggest films during his six-decade career, including Invictus, Se7en, The Shawshank Redemption and Christopher Nolan's Batman Begins/The Dark Knight. It was a challenge to cut down to 10, but here are his highlights...

His Top 10 Films

Street Smart (1987)

Having become most recognized throughout the 70s as a Television star in America, the early eighties saw Freeman moving into some serious supporting roles on film. Street Smart, saw him star alongside A-lister Christopher Reeve, earning him a Best Supporting Actor Oscar nomination for his role as pimp, Fast Black, (he lost out to Sean Connery in The Untouchables).

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Driving Miss Daisy (1989)

Adapted from the Alfred Uhry play of the same name, Driving Miss Daisy is about – you guessed it – an elderly lady named Daisy. Set in the 1950s, Daisy is forced to hire a driver, a black middle-aged man named Hoke (Freeman). The film tells the story of their friendship, which spans over twenty years. The moving comedy won four Oscars – including Best Picture and Best Leading Actress for Jessica Tandy, and upped Morgan’s status from supporting star to Hollywood lead actor.

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The Shawshank Redemption (1994)

Openly known as Morgan Freeman's favourite film, and we can hardly blame him. Based on Stephen King's original story, Freeman’s character Red was written as a white Irishman, and after he got the part, the line: ‘Maybe it's 'cause I'm Irish’, was left in as a joke. Clint Eastwood, Harrison Ford, Paul Newman and Robert Redford were all considered for the part of Red, but director Frank Darabont cast Freeman because of his, ‘authoritative presence, demeanor and deep voice’.

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Deep Impact (1995)

Freeman plays the role of the American President in this end of days thriller, tasked with the job of saving the world as a comet is on course to collide with Earth. He devises a plan to save humanity by sheltering a million people in a manmade cave. (Genius idea in our opinion). Director Mimi Leder, was particularly taken with Freeman’s tattoo’s and made a point of showing them off, in order to give the President an ‘everyman look’.

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Se7en (1995)

David Fincher’s gruesome thriller stars Freeman as a retiring police officer and Brad Pitt as his soon-to-be replacement. They were praised for their chemistry as their characters investigate a series of ritualistic murders inspired by the seven deadly sins. Also noteworthy, Freeman's son Alfonso plays a fingerprint technician in the film.

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Bruce Almighty (2000)

Morgan Freeman's most divine role to date saw him play God, in this Jim Carrey comedy. The film was actually banned in Egypt and Malaysia after Islamic religious groups objected to the portrayal of God as a visually ordinary man. This didn’t stop the film becoming the fifth highest-grossing film in the US in 2000, and made way for a sequel Evan Almighty.

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Million Dollar Baby (2004)

This Clint Eastwood film is perhaps most memorable for Hilary Swank’s Oscar-winning performance as a female boxer, but Freeman also bagged the Best Supporting Actor gong. He was originally offered the role of coach Frankie Dunn, which ultimately went to actor/director Eastwood, but Freeman turned it down in preference for the smaller part of Eddie "Scrap-Iron" Dupris.

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March of the Penguins (2005)

Known for his velvety yet gruff tones and his wise demeanor Freeman was the perfect choice to narrate this Oscar award-winning documentary, which charted the treacherous journey of the Emperor penguins’ breeding habits. It took Freeman just one day to record his voiceover.

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Batman Begins/The Dark Knight (2005/2008)

Morgan Freeman was writer David Goyer’s first and only choice to play Lucius Fox, rounding off an all-star cast in the hugely successful Christian Bale Batman films. He may be in his 70s but Freeman doesn’t do things by half, and to prove it he filmed The Dark Knight whilst also working on the Angelina Jolie action-thriller Wanted.

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Invictus (2010)

Only Morgan Freeman could have the stature to play Nelson Mandela, a sentiment Madiba (Mandela’s Xhosa clan name) apparently shares, having handpicked the actor to play him onscreen. Freeman, who’s been a friend of Mandela for a number of years, received an Oscar nomination for his part, but was unfortunately pipped to the post by Jeff Bridges for Crazy Heart. Co-star Matt Damon too received a nomination for his role as South African Rugby captain Francois Pienaar.

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Tegan Kniveton