Morgan Freeman on the Roles He Finds Most Daunting

Few actors have navigated such a diverse range of characters as Morgan Freeman, whose career has spanned decades and genres. Despite his reputation for tackling complex roles with apparent ease, Freeman admits that certain parts have proved particularly taxing. Even after portraying figures as grand as God himself, he confesses that stepping into the life of a real person brings a unique set of challenges.

Freeman, now well into his eighties, remains as active as ever, still pursuing ambitions he has yet to fulfil. Among these are working alongside Meryl Streep and hosting Saturday Night Live—goals that continue to motivate him. There was a time, too, when he hoped to play the legendary lawman Bass Reeves, a role he feels he has now aged out of. Looking back, he reflects that biographical roles once seemed less daunting, but these days he prefers parts that are less emotionally demanding.

Portraying Real People: A Rare Undertaking

For Freeman, the experience of embodying a real individual is not one he has often repeated. He has only done so twice in his career, most notably as Nelson Mandela in the 2009 film Invictus. The opportunity felt almost fated, as Mandela himself had named Freeman as his preferred choice for a biopic in his 1992 autobiography. Yet, even this endorsement did little to ease the pressure. Freeman described the process as being chosen by destiny, but the weight of expectation remained heavy.

He once remarked,

“I don’t play living people—I’ve only done it twice now,”

highlighting just how rare such roles have been for him. Comparing his experiences, he noted that playing Joe Clark in Lean on Me was made easier by the real Joe’s daily presence on set.

“With Lean on Me, the real Joe was there every day, and that made it easier, because if you’re going to play a living person, it helps to hold hands, literally. You get a sense of their energy, whether it’s high or low or if this person is calm or humming with anxiety.”

Finding Connection Through Observation

Without the benefit of Mandela’s presence, Freeman relied on extensive research, poring over hours of footage to capture the subtleties of the South African leader’s mannerisms. He paid close attention to both public appearances and more mundane moments, searching for details that might not be obvious even to those who knew Mandela well. One such observation was that Mandela rarely used his left hand, a detail Freeman found particularly resonant.

He explained that this discovery was oddly comforting, as he himself had limited use of his left hand following a car accident.

“I was sort of relieved, because I can’t use mine well either, since my car accident last year. There’s no reason to. You don’t act like there’s something wrong with the hand; you just don’t use it.”

This shared trait helped Freeman forge a personal connection with the character, even in the absence of direct interaction.

The Lasting Impact of Biographical Roles

Freeman’s portrayal of Mandela stands out among his many performances, not least because of the profound responsibility he felt in representing such a significant figure. The experience left a lasting impression, with few subsequent projects matching its intensity. It is telling that, even before accepting the part, Freeman had been quietly observing Mandela, perhaps preparing himself for the role long before it became a reality.