Editing Morgan Freeman (section)

==Artistry and legacy==
[[File:Morgan Freeman Deauville 2018 2.jpg|thumb|left|upright|Freeman at the 2018 [[Deauville American Film Festival]]]]

Freeman's deep voice is considered to be distinctive, iconic, and recognizable which frequently makes him a preferable choice for narration in films and documentaries.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Chan|first=Louise|date=February 24, 2016|title=The Science Of Morgan Freeman's Voice: Why We'll Follow Him Anywhere|url=https://www.techtimes.com/articles/136147/20160224/the-science-of-morgan-freemans-voice-why-well-follow-him-anywhere.htm|access-date=August 1, 2020|website=Tech Times|language=en|archive-date=March 20, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210320142827/https://www.techtimes.com/articles/136147/20160224/the-science-of-morgan-freemans-voice-why-well-follow-him-anywhere.htm|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{Cite magazine|last=Oaklander|first=Mandy|date=February 23, 2016|title=Science Explains Why You Love Morgan Freeman's Voice|url=https://time.com/4233926/morgan-freeman-voice-waze-science/|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200115004628/https://time.com/4233926/morgan-freeman-voice-waze-science/|archive-date=January 15, 2020|access-date=August 1, 2020|magazine=Time}}</ref> The journalist [[Radhika Sanghani]] writes that his "deeply reassuring voice, with its mellifluous tones and authoritative presence, is why an entire generation still hear his trademark tones when they think of the almighty".<ref>{{Cite web|last=Sanghani|first=Radhika|date=March 23, 2017|title=The inimitable and brilliantly versatile Morgan Freeman|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/films/going-in-style/inimitable-morgan-freeman/|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190227234049/https://www.telegraph.co.uk/films/going-in-style/inimitable-morgan-freeman/|archive-date=February 27, 2019|access-date=August 3, 2020|website=The Telegraph}}</ref> Freeman said that his voice developed in this way while taking speech classes in college; he found that most people speak in a voice either too fast or too high and he developed a commanding voice by speaking in a lower octave and enunciating each word.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Weinlein|first=Jill|date=February 26, 2020|title=Conversations with Morgan Freeman|url=https://www.onstageblog.com/features/2020/2/26/conversations-with-morgan-freeman|access-date=August 3, 2020|website=OnStage Blog|language=en-US|archive-date=March 20, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210320142901/https://www.onstageblog.com/industry/2020/2/26/conversations-with-morgan-freeman|url-status=live}}</ref>

According to author [[Miriam DeCosta-Willis]], Freeman is an intuitive actor. He likes to select his roles carefully, and study the character to ensure he portrays them with depth, sensitivity, and substance.<ref>{{Cite book|last=DeCosta-Willis|first=Miriam|url=https://www.worldcat.org/oclc/819330513|title=Notable Black Memphians|date=2008|publisher=Cambria Press|isbn=978-1-62499-093-9|location=Amherst, N.Y.|pages=131–133|oclc=819330513|access-date=August 1, 2020|archive-date=March 20, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210320142835/https://www.worldcat.org/title/notable-black-memphians/oclc/819330513|url-status=live}}</ref> Commenting on Freeman's persona, [[Beverly Todd]], who co-starred with him in ''Lean on Me'' (1989) and ''The Bucket List'' (2007) said: "The world knows he is such a consummate actor. He's a very sharing actor and such a nice guy. He's not the kind of actor who demands that he has all of the scenes and all the dialogues and all the emphasis is on him".<ref>{{Cite magazine|title='Bucket List' Reunites Longtime Film Friends Beverly Todd, Morgan Freeman|magazine=Jet |volume=113|date=January 21, 2008|pages=31–32|issn=0021-5996|issue=2}}</ref> Freeman has said he is interested in playing [[Character actor|character]] roles<ref name=":7" /> and values the importance of listening carefully while filming scenes: "The big danger in acting is to wait for your line. That's what I never do. I always listen, no matter how many times we do it."<ref>{{Cite web|last=Macdonald|first=Moira|date=May 26, 2002|title=Listen: Morgan Freeman reveals key to acting {{!}} The Seattle Times|url=https://archive.seattletimes.com/archive/?date=20020526&slug=freeman26|access-date=August 3, 2020|website=archive.seattletimes.com|archive-date=March 20, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210320142828/https://archive.seattletimes.com/archive/?date=20020526&slug=freeman26|url-status=live}}</ref>

[[File:Morgan Freeman figure at Madame Tussauds London.jpg|thumb|right|upright|Waxwork of Freeman at [[Madame Tussauds]] in London]]
On October 28, 2006, Freeman was honored at the first Mississippi's Best Awards in [[Jackson, Mississippi]] with the Lifetime Achievement Award for his work in film and theater. He received an honorary Doctor of Arts and Letters degree from [[Delta State University]] during the school's commencement exercises on May 13, 2006.<ref>[http://www.superstarbiography.com/Morgan_Freeman/ Morgan Freeman biography] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100821002944/http://www.superstarbiography.com/Morgan_Freeman/ |date=August 21, 2010}}, superstarbiography.com</ref> In 2013, [[Boston University]] presented him with an honorary [[Doctor of Humane Letters]] degree.<ref>{{cite news | first= John | last= O’Rourke | url= http://www.bu.edu/today/2013/actor-morgan-freeman-to-receive-honorary-degree/ | title= Actor Morgan Freeman to Receive Honorary Degree | work= BU Today | publisher= [[Boston University]] | location= Boston, Massachusetts | date= May 15, 2013 | access-date= June 2, 2013 | archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20130607134132/http://www.bu.edu/today/2013/actor-morgan-freeman-to-receive-honorary-degree/ | archive-date= June 7, 2013 | url-status= live}}</ref> On November 12, 2014, he was bestowed the honor of [[Freedom of the City]] by the [[City of London]].<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.express.co.uk/celebrity-news/534712/Morgan-Freeman-honoured-with-freedom-of-London |title=Morgan Freeman honoured with freedom of London |work=[[Daily Express]]  |location=London, England |date=November 12, 2014 |access-date=May 9, 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160603114611/http://www.express.co.uk/celebrity-news/534712/Morgan-Freeman-honoured-with-freedom-of-London |archive-date=June 3, 2016 |url-status=live}}</ref>

In 2008, Freeman was chosen as a [[Kennedy Center Honors|Kennedy Center Honoree]] at the [[John F. Kennedy Center]] in Washington D.C.<ref>{{cite web|url= https://www.seattletimes.com/nation-world/kennedy-center-honors-for-streisand-morgan-freeman-the-who/|title= Kennedy Center Honors for Streisand, Morgan Freeman, the Who|website= Seattle Times|first=Cheryl|last=Miller|date=December 4, 2008|access-date= July 14, 2020|archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20200714161214/https://www.seattletimes.com/nation-world/kennedy-center-honors-for-streisand-morgan-freeman-the-who/|archive-date= July 14, 2020|url-status= live}}</ref> In 2011, he received the [[AFI Life Achievement Award]] in recognition of his contribution to the film industry. Those who honored Freeman included [[Sidney Poitier]], [[Samuel L. Jackson]], [[Forest Whitaker]], [[Rita Moreno]], [[Helen Mirren]], [[Clint Eastwood]], [[Cuba Gooding Jr.]], and [[Matthew Broderick]].<ref>{{cite web|url= https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/morgan-freemans-afi-tribute-betty-196901|title= Morgan Freeman's AFI Tribute: Betty White, Helen Mirren and Clint Eastwood Honor the Actor|first=Gregg|last=Kilday|website= [[The Hollywood Reporter]]|date=June 10, 2011|access-date= July 14, 2020|archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20200716031410/https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/morgan-freemans-afi-tribute-betty-196901|archive-date= July 16, 2020|url-status= live}}</ref> In 2012, he was awarded the [[Golden Globe Cecil B. DeMille Award]], which recognizes lifetime achievement in the film industry.<ref>{{cite web|url= https://www.goldenglobes.com/winners-nominees/2012|title= Winners & Nominees 2012|website= goldenglobes.com|access-date= July 14, 2020|archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20171119102921/https://www.goldenglobes.com/winners-nominees/2012|archive-date= November 19, 2017|url-status= live}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book|url=https://www.worldcat.org/oclc/808930469|title=Coming home to Mississippi|date=2013|publisher=University Press of Mississippi|others=McCord, Charline R., Tucker, Judy H.|isbn=978-1-61703-767-2|location=Jackson|pages=19–23|oclc=808930469|access-date=August 1, 2020|archive-date=March 20, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210320142833/https://www.worldcat.org/title/coming-home-to-mississippi/oclc/808930469|url-status=live}}</ref> In August 2017, he was named the 54th recipient of the [[Screen Actors Guild Life Achievement Award]] for career achievement and humanitarian accomplishment.<ref>{{cite news|first=Dave|last=McNary|url=https://variety.com/2017/film/awards/morgan-freeman-wins-sag-achievement-award-1202535307/|title=Morgan Freeman to Receive SAG Life Achievement Award|work=[[Variety (magazine)|Variety]]|location=New York City|date=August 22, 2017|access-date=May 26, 2018|archive-url=https://archive.today/20180209023010/http://variety.com/2017/film/awards/morgan-freeman-wins-sag-achievement-award-1202535307/|archive-date=February 9, 2018|url-status=live}}</ref> His co-star [[Rita Moreno]] from ''The Electric Company'' presented him the award in the following January.<ref>{{Cite magazine|last=Bradley|first=Laura|date=January 21, 2018|title=See Rita Moreno Steal the Show from SAG Life Achievement Winner Morgan Freeman|url=https://www.vanityfair.com/hollywood/2018/01/sag-awards-rita-moreno-morgan-freeman-life-achievement-award-speech|url-status=live|access-date=March 20, 2021|magazine=Vanity Fair|language=en-us|archive-date=March 20, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210320142906/https://www.vanityfair.com/hollywood/2018/01/sag-awards-rita-moreno-morgan-freeman-life-achievement-award-speech}}</ref>