Morgan Freeman to get AFI lifetime award

Oscar-winning actor Morgan Freeman will receive a lifetime achievement award from the American Film Institute, the AFI said on Monday, calling him an "American treasure" .

Freeman, 73, who won an Academy Award for his work in boxing drama "Million Dollar Baby" and a Golden Globe for "Driving Miss Daisy", has played roles ranging from God to presidents in a 40-year career on both stage and screen.

Known for his mellow voice and calm demeanor, he was last seen playing former South African president Nelson Mandela in the 2009 movie "Invictus".

"Morgan Freeman is an American treasure," Sir Howard Stringer, Chair of the AFI Board of Trustees, said in a statement.

"Across decades, whether playing a prisoner, a president or God, he embodies a calm authority that demands respect for the character and for the art form. His gifts to the cultural record are also underscored by his unmistakable voice that echoes through the hearts and minds of movie lovers around the world."

Freeman will be presented with the award -- the AFI's highest honor -- at a gala dinner in June 2011 that will later be broadcast on television.

Freeman joins the likes of Al Pacino, Meryl Streep, Clint Eastwood, Gene Kelly and Alfred Hitchcock who are also among the 39 actors honored by the AFI since 1973.

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Morgan Freeman, wife finalise divorce

Morgan Freeman and his wife Myrna Colley-Lee have announced that their divorce has been finalised.

Freeman's attorney William R Wright told The AP that the couple were granted a divorce in a Mississippi court on September 15.

"It was done without a trial," he said. "Everybody is glad it's over."

Terms of the divorce are to remain sealed, according to the lawyer.

Wright stated that his client and Colley-Lee will both continue to live in Tallahatchie County where the two-time Oscar nominee owns a ranch.

The couple announced that they would split in 2007 after 26 years of marriage.

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It's difficult to get Mandela's accent

Oscar nominee Morgan Freeman is set to entertain audiences as he plays the challenging role of Nelson Mandela in Invictus presented by Warner Bros Pictures. Here he talks about his experience of meeting the man himself.

How does it feel to play your friend on the big screen?
It feels rather terrific. It’s a situation that was meant to be.

Did you feel a lot of responsibility?
No!

How did Nelson Mandela react to the film?
He smiled a lot and nodded! When I first came on-screen he leaned over to me and said, “I know this fella!” I got the impression that he wasn’t embarrassed.


Did you consult him at all while making the film?
No. I consulted film and tapes of him. But I didn’t go to him and say, “Madiba, how did you feel about this?” He’s 90-years-old now.

How well do you know him?
I’ve run into him in different places in the world over the years. But it’s not like I’d call him up in the middle of the night and go, “Yo Madiba, how’s it going?”

Tell us a bit about your research and what you found most challenging?
The most challenging was the voice... the accent. I’d been watching him for years. Once I got the notion that I would be playing him on-screen, it became a question of paying close attention to him, whenever I was in his company or when I’d see him on screen.

How important are awards to a film like Invictus?
They’re just a pat on the back. The main thing about awards is that they serve as an economic surge for the film. If your movie gets nominated for any award it does it a big favour. People might go and see it again.

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