Morgan Freeman believed Taylor Sheridan’s biggest strength had little to do with explosions or espionage. The Oscar winner explained that the writer’s emotional storytelling kept audiences invested long after the action ended.
The actor also reflected on why Lioness continued finding loyal viewers season after season.
Morgan Freeman explains why he believes Taylor Sheridan’s writing connects so deeply with audiences
Freeman shared his thoughts during an interview with The New York Times while promoting Season 3 of Lioness. The veteran actor returned as Secretary of State Edwin Mullins alongside Zoe Saldaña and Nicole Kidman.
According to Freeman, Sheridan’s scripts stood apart because they focused on authentic human emotions. “His writing has to do more with the human experience, what people are actually going through, emotionally, in a lot of cases,” he explained during the interview.
He pointed to Yellowstone before praising Lioness for giving Saldaña’s character impossible choices. Freeman said Joe constantly balanced dangerous missions with her responsibilities as a wife and mother. “It takes courage to write about stuff like that, and Taylor seems to have an awful lot of it,” he added.
Although Lioness revolved around government operations and international conflicts, Freeman insisted it never tried to mirror current headlines. He explained that viewers naturally interpreted stories through their own experiences, but the series itself “had nothing to do with current situations at all.”
Freeman also laughed off decades of praise surrounding his famous voice. Asked when he realized audiences considered it iconic, he admitted, “I still haven’t. I’m just being told that.”
The Hollywood legend credited no secret technique behind his unmistakable delivery. “Just try to speak clearly. That’s all,” he said. “What’s there is there.”
Away from acting, Freeman discussed preserving blues music through his Mississippi club and upcoming record project. He explained that supporting the genre became a responsibility after visitors struggled to find live blues performances in Clarksdale.
Despite approaching 90, Freeman showed no interest in slowing down. He admitted money still influenced project choices, but he planned to keep working whenever good opportunities arrived. Echoing Clint Eastwood’s famous philosophy, Freeman summed up his outlook simply: “Don’t let the old man in.”
TELL US – DO YOU AGREE WITH MORGAN FREEMAN THAT TAYLOR SHERIDAN’S WRITING SUCCEEDS BECAUSE IT FOCUSES ON THE HUMAN EXPERIENCE?
