Morgan Freeman To Receive SAG Life Achievement Award

Morgan Freeman will be the 54th recipient of the SAG Life Achievement Award for his career achievement and humanitarian accomplishments. The award, which will be presented at the 24th annual Screen Actors Guild Awards on January 21, 2018, is SAG-AFTRA’s highest honor.

“I am thrilled to announce Morgan Freeman as this year’s recipient of the SAG Life Achievement Award. Some actors spend their entire careers waiting for the perfect role. Morgan showed us that true perfection is what a performer brings to the part,” said SAG-AFTRA President Gabrielle Carteris. “He is innovative, fearless and completely unbound by expectations. As a chauffeur, convicted murderer, boxing gym attendant, pimp or president, Morgan fully realized every character, baring their souls and showcasing their humanity. It has been a privilege to see his genius at work.”

Freeman, who began acting at age 12, has appeared in nearly 100 films, which together have earned over $4.5 billion at the box office. His credits include “Million Dollar Baby,” which earned him a Best Supporting Actor Oscar; “Unforgiven”, and “The Shawshank Redemption,” for which he received Best Actor nominations for a SAG Award, Oscar and a Golden Globe. Other credits include “Street Smart,” his 1987 breakthrough role, “Invictus,” “The Dark Knight,” “The Bucket List,” “Glory,” “Lean on Me,” “Se7en,” “Amistad,” “Bruce Almighty,” and “Along Came a Spider.” He most recently starred in Warner Bros.’ Going In Style, Paramount Pictures’ Ben-Hur, Summit Entertainment’s “Now You See Me 2” and Focus Features’ “London Has Fallen.” Freeman’s upcoming films include Broad Green Pictures’ “Villa Capri” and Disney’s “The Nutcracker and the Four Realms.”

With one of the world’s most recognizable voices, Freeman was the voice of two Oscar-winning documentaries: “The March of the Penguins” and “The Long Way Home.”

Freeman first became nationally known in 1971 when he starred in the Children’s Television Workshop’s “The Electric Company,” for which he created characters including the iconic Easy Reader. He is currently an executive producer of “Madam Secretary” for CBS, and hosts and is an executive producer for the Science Channel series “Through the Wormhole with Morgan Freeman,” which recently completed its seventh season. He also hosted the event series “The Story of God with Morgan Freeman” on the National Geographic Channel, and will next host “The Story of Us with Morgan Freeman,” which premieres October 11 on the National Geographic Channel.

His philanthropic work includes support for Artists for a New South Africa and the Campaign for Female Education – organizations working to create hope and better lives for thousands of people. In 1973, he co-founded the Frank Silvera Writers’ Workshop, now in its 37th season, which supports and nurtures promising African American playwrights to ensure those voices can be heard.

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