An actor with more than half a century of experience under his belt, Freeman’s manner of speech and his deep baritone voice are near-instantly recognizable, in addition to his already being an icon of American film. How well paid is the legendary figure?
An actor with a long and prestigious career, Morgan Freeman makes up to $10 million per movie. He holds one of the top spots in box office gross with over $4 billion in movie income.
A talented and dependable actor who always offers a level of professionalism and reliability, Freeman is one of the last few actors possessing his level of experience. Attaching his name and his talents to a project is valued at between $5 to $10 million, a fair price when taking into consideration the gross he has generated for movies over the years.
Becoming an Icon
Although they might not have been the movies that he was paid the most for, some of the most famous movies that Freeman has been a part of are what truly put the actor on the map.
Movies like The Shawshank Redemption will frequently be cited by both casual moviegoers and film critics alike as one of their all-time favorite movies.
In the case of a movie like Shawshank, Freeman offered wisdom and humanity to his character Red that truly connected and resonated with viewers. These were the same qualities he exuded in Driving Miss Daisy.
Being able to bring that kind of warmth of character and sharpness of mind, when put in combination with his already hypnotic and unmistakable voice is what gives you someone who will win over viewers in almost any role that they are given.
It’s no wonder that with those kinds of qualities he was the perfect fit for the role of God in Bruce Almighty.
Couple that with adaptability that allows him to play both leading and supporting roles with equal ease, and you also have an actor that has many doors open to them in terms of who they can work with and what projects are available to them.
The respect that his characteristics and long history in cinema afford him make the $5 to $10 million paychecks add up, with his average gross more than paying for itself.
Freeman’s Best Successes
One of the previously mentioned movies, The Shawshank Redemption isn’t just one of Freeman’s best movies, it’s one of the best movies of all time, period. Interestingly, despite it being a favorite of critics and film buffs, it was nowhere near as commercially successful as its current popularity would have suggested.
In an interview, Freeman puts this down to the name more than anything else. He mentions the fact that the original novella that the movie was adapted from was called Rita Hayworth and Shawshank Redemption, and that if they were able to put Rita Hayworth in the title, that’s what they should have done.
The first Oscar-winning movie he was a part of, and no less one where he was a co-starring character, was Driving Miss Daisy. Freeman assumed the role of Hoke Colburn in a thoughtful movie that addressed various forms of antisemitism and racism.
One of the first huge commercial successes that he would enjoy was a co-starring role alongside Kevin Costner in a more modern, updated take on the story of Robin Hood, in Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves. It did incredibly well the year it was released, almost snatching top spot on the list of highest-grossing movies that year.
Just a few years after his outing in the classic Robin Hood tale was a deep dive into the gritty, dark world of the police detective in 1995’s cult-classic thriller Seven. Playing the partner and foil to Brad Pitt’s hot-headed police officer, the two put on an incredible performance.
Looking through some of Freeman’s other movies, he’s starred next to a who’s who list of famous and beloved actors in the industry, putting his range to work in a variety of genres so expansive that it easily justifies the amount the actor gets paid.
His total net worth is somewhere in the region of $150-300 million, solidifying the fact that the actor has been enjoying a long career of lucrative paychecks.