Morgan Freeman recently told the Guardian that he was angry about AI recreating his iconic voice without his consent. The Oscar winner said his “lawyers have been very busy lately trying to remove all unauthorized uses of my voice from the internet.”
“I’m kind of PO’d,” Freeman said. “I’m like any other actor. Don’t fake it. I don’t appreciate it and I get paid to do things like that, so if you’re going to do it without me, you’re taking money from me.”
Freeman previously slammed AI in June 2024, thanking a fan who pointed out an example in X of AI stealing Freeman’s voice in an ad that Freeman did not agree to promote. He wrote at the time, “Thank you to my amazing fans for your vigilance and support against the fraudulent use of AI voices imitating me. Your dedication allows us to ensure that authenticity and integrity remain paramount. Thank you. #AI #Fraud #Imitation #IdentityProtection.”
The actor joins a long list of his peers who have used their likeness without their consent to speak out against AI. Scarlett Johansson has been at the forefront of the anti-AI fight, criticizing OpenAI last year for using a voice similar to hers after the company rejected the company’s request to use a voice that speaks directly to her. Johansson said he was “shocked” and “angry” by OpenAI’s decision. But other celebrities are also leaning towards AI. Matthew McConaughey and Michael Caine recently signed a deal with AI audio company ElevenLabs to create virtual replicas of their famous voices.
As for Morgan, he has been doing 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” films. The latest film will be Freeman’s solo release in 2025, which is unusual for an actor. At 88 years old, Freeman has still released an average of three films a year in recent years.
“Sometimes the thought of leaving crossed my mind, but as soon as your agent says there’s a job, or someone wants you, or they’ve made an offer, everything goes back to where it was yesterday: How much are we going to pay you, where are we going?” Freeman told the Guardian.
“My appetite is still there, I admit it’s diminished a bit, but not enough to cause any serious changes,” he concluded.
To read Freeman’s latest profile in full, visit the Guardian website.
