Morgan Freeman

One of the most gifted and admired actors in America, Morgan Freeman was born in Memphis and raised in Mississippi. At an early age, he found his calling acting in school plays. In the seventh grade, he won the state championship in a student theatrical competition. In his teens he was appearing on Nashville radio. He turned down a college scholarship to join the Air Force; on leaving the service in 1959, he headed to Hollywood, where he auditioned unsuccessfully for eight impoverished years. He moved to New York City, and was finally offered a part in an Off-Broadway production about the Freedom Riders of the civil rights era. He later won a role in the Broadway production of Hello, Dolly! with Pearl Bailey and Cab Calloway. A regular role as Easy Reader on public television's The Electric Company made him a familiar figure to younger audiences, and led to film roles, including his breakout performance in Street Smart (1987). He followed with unforgettable roles in Glory and Unforgiven. After receiving Oscar nominations for his roles in Driving Miss Daisy and The Shawshank Redemption, he received a well-deserved Oscar in 2005 for his performance in Million Dollar Baby. He captured one of the century's great figures with his performance as South Africa's President Nelson Mandela in the 2009 film Invictus. In addition to his work in motion pictures, he is a founder of PLANIT NOW, an association that provides preparedness assistance to communities exposed to severe storms and hurricanes. Morgan Freeman discusses his life and career in this podcast, recorded by the Academy of Achievement in Washington D.C. on June 4, 2012.