Morgan Freeman has finally shared the heartbreaking reason why he always wears those recognizable gold hoop earrings.
The 86-year-old veteran Hollywood actor has encapsulated the hearts of many through his unparalleled acting talent displayed in countless loved roles.
But despite his resonant voice, and fame that is transcending generations, Freeman still remains an enigmatic figure, keeping fans on their toes as many have always wondered why he sports his trademark gold hoops.
Well, after many decades in the industry, the Shawshank Redemption icon has finally disclosed the real reason behind the consistent jewelry in a post shared on his Instagram page back in 2019.
Check out Freeman's post below:
The Oscar-winning actor told his followers that he took inspiration from old-fashioned sailor culture when choosing the simple gold earrings, writing: "These earrings. I get asked all the time about them."
Freeman noted in the short but surprising caption that he dons the earrings in case he dies in a "strange place," adding that the hoops themselves are "worth just enough for someone to buy me a coffin".
"That's why sailors used to wear them and that's why I do," he concluded.
Reportedly, the Seven actor has been a true sailor for many years as he even said in his own words that practiced sailing as its "a particularly effective antidote to healing from Hollywood," as cited in the Giornale della Vela magazine.
The publication revealed that Freeman's sailings have included Long Island Sound, Block Island, the Elizabeth Islands, Cape Cod, the Maine coast, and Yarmouth, Nova Scotia.
Furthermore, Freeman revealed in 2010 that he decided to adopt the accessory after watching Burt Lancaster in The Crimson Pirate, which tells the story of a fictional sailor in the Caribbean.
"I thought that was sexy. Then I learned that sailors wore gold earrings to pay for funerals if they died in foreign lands. I’m a sailor so that nailed it," he told Fox News about the 1952 pirate movie.
Indeed, the Bruce Almighty star has always felt a connection to the sea as he divulged in a separate interview with The Guardian that he always "wanted an earring," explaining: "It has to do with my attachment to the sea."
"When I was around 35 I was separated from my wife and she said, 'I’m going to pierce your ear.' I’m an avid sailor, a dyed-in-the-wool blue-water man," he concluded.
