4t MORGAN FREEMAN “MAD” ABOUT WHO: “Don’t imitate my voice – that’s ROBBERY!”The Oscar king roared: “Every line, every breath I take is stolen from me… and they won’t pay me a penny!”But the bigger secret: At the age of 88, Freeman declared that he would “NEVER retire” – just one call from his agent and he would be ready to “revive” immediately.Can AI copy Freeman’s “soul”… or will he make Hollywood kneel before his undying “star hunger”?
Morgan Freeman recently told The Guardian that he is pissed off when it comes to AI recreating his iconic voice without his consent. The Oscar winner said his “lawyers have been very, very busy” as of late working to remove all unauthorized uses of his voice off the internet.
“I’m a little PO’d, you know,” Freeman said. “I’m like any other actor: don’t mimic me with falseness. I don’t appreciate it and I get paid for doing stuff like that, so if you’re gonna do it without me, you’re robbing me.”
Freeman previously hit out against AI in June 2024, thanking his fans on X for calling out examples of AI ripping off Freeman’s voice for advertisements the actor has not signed off on to promote. He wrote at the time: “Thank you to my incredible fans for your vigilance and support in calling out the unauthorized use of an AI voice imitating me. Your dedication helps authenticity and integrity remain paramount. Grateful. #AI #scam #imitation #IdentityProtection.”
The actor joins a long list of fellow industry professionals who have spoken out against AI using their likeness without consent. Scarlett Johansson has been on the forefront of the anti-AI battle, criticizing OpenAI last year for using a voice similar to hers after she turned down the company’s request to use her direct speaking voice. Johansson said she was “shocked” and “angered” by OpenAI’s decision. Other celebrities, however, have been leaning in to AI. Matthew McConaughey and Michael Caine recently inked a deal with AI audio company ElevenLabs to produce virtual replications of their famous voices.
As for Morgan, he’s been making the press rounds in support of his role in “Now You See Me: Now You Don’t.” The actor has appeared in all three “Now You See Me” movies. The latest installment is Freeman’s sole release of 2025, which is unusual for the actor. Even at 88 years old, Freeman has been averaging three film releases a year over the last several years.
“Sometimes the idea of retirement would float past me but, as soon as my agent says there’s a job or somebody wants you or they’ve made an offer, the whole thing just boils back into where it was yesterday: how much you’re going to pay, where we’re gonna be?” Freeman told The Guardian.
“The appetite is still there. I will concede that it’s dimmed a little. But not enough to make a serious difference,” he concluded.
Head over to The Guardian’s website to read Freeman’s latest profile in its entirety.
A Variety and iHeartRadio Podcast
Company Logo
Privacy Preference Center
Manage Consent Preferences
Performance Cookies
Performance Cookies
These cookies allow us to count visits and traffic sources so we can measure and improve the performance of our site. They help us to know which pages are the most and least popular and see how visitors move around the site. All information these cookies collect is aggregated and therefore anonymous. If you do not allow these cookies we will not know when you have visited our site, and will not be able to monitor its performance.
Targeting Cookies
Targeting Cookies
These cookies may be set through our site by our advertising partners. They may be used by those companies to build a profile of your interests and show you relevant adverts on other sites. They do not store directly personal information, but are based on uniquely identifying your browser and internet device. If you do not allow these cookies, you will experience less targeted advertising.
These cookies are necessary for the website to function and cannot be switched off in our systems. They are usually only set in response to actions made by you which amount to a request for services, such as setting your privacy preferences, logging in or filling in forms. You can set your browser to block or alert you about these cookies, but some parts of the site will not then work. These cookies do not store any personally identifiable information.
Functional Cookies
Functional Cookies
These cookies enable the website to provide enhanced functionality and personalisation. They may be set by us or by third party providers whose services we have added to our pages. If you do not allow these cookies then some or all of these services may not function properly.
Consent Leg.Interest
checkbox label label
checkbox label label
checkbox label label
