Today, we're celebrating the 75th birthday of Academy Award-winning actor
Morgan Freeman. A native of Memphis, Tennessee, Freeman has continued to gain popularity throughout his career and has become one of the more beloved performers to grace the silver screen. His first big-screen appearance came with an uncredited role in 1964's
The Pawnbroker, but it wasn't until 1973's
Blade that audiences actually started to take notice. He earned his first Oscar nomination for 1987's
Street Smart, but 1989 proved to be his breakout year when he appeared in the films
Lean on Me,
Glory and
Driving Miss Daisy, which would go on to win Best Picture. In the early 1990s, one could find Freeman playing opposite Kevin Costner in
Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves,
Clint Eastwood in
Unforgiven and Tim Robbins in
The Shawshank Redemption. He worked consistently through the end of the millennium and easily transitioned into 21st-century films, breaking through with the role of God in 2003's
Bruce Almighty. The following year, Freeman won his first - and to date, only - Oscar for his supporting role in Eastwood's
Million Dollar Baby. Most recently, audiences have seen Freeman in 2011's
Dolphin Tale, and they'll next be able to see him in theaters reprising his role as Lucius Fox in this summer's
The Dark Knight Rises. And so, to celebrate his birthday and honor his career, I've listed my ten favorite of Freeman's acting endeavors. I've found a few videos that correspond with this roles for your viewing pleasure, so I hope you enjoy them. Once again, I'd like to wish Morgan Freeman a very happy birthday.
10. Jack Doyle
Gone Baby Gone (2007)
*****
9. Carter
The Bucket List (2007)
*****
8. Sgt. Maj. John Rawlins
Glory (1989)
*****
7. Detective Lt. William Somerset
Se7en (1995)
*****
6. Principal Joe Clark
Lean on Me (1989)
*****
5. Eddie Scrap-Iron Dupris
Million Dollar Baby (2004)
*****
4. Nelson Mandela
Invictus (2009)
*****
3. Ned Logan
Unforgiven (1992)
*****
2. Ellis Boyd 'Red' Redding
The Shawshank Redemption (2004)
*****
1. God
Bruce Almighty (2003)
