October 12, 2010 (Sampurn Wire): Morgan Freeman, the Hollywood actor,will receive the lifetime achievement award from the American Film Institute this year, said a report from the AFI, which also describes the actor as an American treasure. Morgan Freeman has an illustrious career spanning 40 years, with films such as Million Dollar Baby and Driving Miss Daisy to his credit. Though the actor has remained absent from the big screen since his Invictus: released last year, who can ever forget the powerful performances that Freeman put up on screen and on stage.

It is true that Morgan Freeman is probably an actor who has portrayed such a variety of roles onscreen in his 40 year old brush with cinema. Ranging from a prisoner, to a president and even a god, Morgan Freeman has proved that he can perform to any role with equal lan. Hence the title American treasure is befitting of him, says Sir Howard Stringer, the chairman of the AFI board of trustees.

The 73 year old Freeman is probably as much known for the films that he is a part of as he is known for his deep voice. While the characters he portrays onscreen does appeal to the viewers, it is his mellow voice that the audience mostly remember while thinking about the great actor.

The AFI award will be presented to Morgan Freeman next year June at a gala dinner hosted by the AFI. Freeman now joins a league of actors like Al Pacino, Meryl Streep, Clint Eastwood, Gene Kelly and Alfred Hitchcock, all of whom received the AFI award since it was introduced in the year 1973.


-- Sampurn Wire