The terrible performance that terrified Morgan Freeman

(Credits: Far Out / YouTube Still)

Friday 25 October 2024 17:15, United Kingdom

As an actor who has always radiated a sense of calm, Morgan Freeman You have never considered yourself prone to nervousness, restlessness or outright fear. However, it has happened, but only once during a storied career that began more than 60 years ago.

It makes even more sense knowing that it was the worst performance he ever gave, what his words were. As an Academy Award-winning legend who has been in some of the most beloved films ever made, Freeman’s natural gravitas and commanding disposition have made him one of the most trusted veterans in the business.

Even when he stars in terrible movies, which has become increasingly common in recent yearsHe cannot often be accused of having telephoned him. Furthermore, when Freeman makes his semi-regular detours into straight-to-video tedium, he’s not asked to do much more than stop by and recite some exposition before collecting his paycheck and heading home. Even then, his voice is so luxuriously syrupy that it remains poetic.

Self-confidence is key for any artist to be successful, and it’s something Freeman has always possessed in spades. However, there are exceptions to the rule, and for The Shawshank Redemption star, tackling one of William Shakespeare’s most formidable texts during his first days on stage was going too far. In the early 1980s, before smart street made him a movie star, but more than two decades into his acting life, Freeman played the lead role in a production of Othello.

Looking back, he has been open to denigrating his own performance, going so far as to call it not only his least favorite role he has ever played, but One of the worst things he has done on stage and screen.. It was an honest assessment, but understandable after Freeman confessed that he was shitting himself all the time.

“I’ve only been afraid once,” he said. Hi guys of his most intimidating work as an actor. “I was trying to do something I wasn’t really prepared for and I haven’t yet met the actor I was ready for.” The terrifying twist was none other than Othello, but Freeman doesn’t think he’s the only one struggling with the play.

“I saw Sir Laurence Olivier play Othello, and he’s incredible,” Freeman said despite the British heavyweight adopting blackface. “But I’ve never seen anyone else do it and pull it off.” Raúl Julia was another who got passing grades for playing the characterbut those are the only pair of actors Clint Eastwood’s frequent collaborator has seen do the play justice.

Maybe he was being too hard on himself, or maybe he really was horrible as Othello, but either way it endures as a low point for Freeman on two fronts after he let his fear fuel his performance and bombed in front of the audience, or at the same time. at least that’s how he tells it.