All About Morgan Freeman’s Children and Grandchildren

Morgan Freeman is one of the most recognizable names in Hollywood thanks to a legendary acting career spanning five decades, but the Oscar winner is also the father of four children.

Freeman first became a dad in the early 1960s, welcoming his sons, Alfonso and Saifoulaye, with two different women. Over the years, Freeman has been candid about devoting his early life to acting.

“I’m not sure fatherhood has changed me,” Freeman admitted The Telegraph 2014 “It took me a while to become a father. I was busy trying to be an actor, and the two didn’t really go together in my youth.”

Morgan Freeman’s life in photos

Freeman’s first marriage to Jeanette Adair Bradshaw in 1967 resulted in two more children: he adopted Bradshaw’s daughter from a previous relationship, Deena, and the couple had another daughter together, Morgana. He also helped raise Deena’s daughter, E’dena Hines, with his second wife, Myrna Colley-Lee.

The acclaimed actor revealed to The Telegraph that he was more “hands-on” with his daughters. However, Freeman felt he really shined when he became a grandfather. “I’m old now, I’m a great-grandfather. I have 14 grandchildren,” he said.

One of Freeman’s grandchildren, Morgan’s daughter Alexis Freeman, shared a similar sentiment about her grandfather when she accompanied him to the 2016 Chaplin Awards in New York.

“He makes you a really humble person,” she told PEOPLE. “He makes you realize you have to work for what you want. I work really hard for everything I do.”

Here’s everything you need to know about Morgan Freeman’s children and grandchildren.

Alfonso Freeman, 64

Morgan Freeman and his son, Alfonso Freeman, at the Golden Globe Awards after party on January 15, 2012 in Beverly Hills, California. Jeff Vespa/Getty

Freeman’s first child, a son named Alfonso, was born in 1959 and was raised by his mother, Loletha Adkins. Freeman was not present during Alfonso’s childhood; the actor dumped Adkins after discovering she was pregnant, Freeman said Esquire in 2012.

He was unaware of his relationship with Freeman during his childhood. “I grew up watching The Electric Company and Easy Reader,” said Alfonso USA Today 2007, referring to one of the actor’s early roles. “I had no idea it was my dad.”

Father and son began corresponding when Alfonso was 19; they met two years later when Freeman surprised his eldest child by knocking on his door.

“I opened it and there’s Morgan Freeman,” he told the paper about their first meeting. “At first you get all these emotions. Anger, wondering why he wasn’t there. But then all you can do is hug yourself. I mean, he’s my dad.”

Alfonso eventually followed in his father’s footsteps and continued his acting career. He had several minor roles throughout the 1990s and early 2000s, including appearances in films such as Shawshank Redemption and Se7en — in which Freeman had starring roles — and in television shows like West wing, Emergency and Southland.

Alfonso’s most famous role came when he appeared opposite his father in 2007 Bucket List as Roger, Freeman’s on-screen son. According to director Rob Reiner, Freeman believed that Alfonso “should audition like everyone else and not be given special treatment.”

Alfonso was married twice: he and his first wife, Cynthia Gafford, were together from 1982 to 1989 and have three sons (Alfonso II, Joshua and Donovan). He married his second wife Larcenia Letica in 1994.

Saifoulaye Freeman, 63

Few details have been revealed about Freeman’s second child, son Saifoulaye, who was born in 1960 and whose mother’s identity is unknown.

He was the only one of Freeman’s four children who was not at the 2018 Screen Actors Guild Awards, where the actor brought his family to witness his acceptance of the Lifetime Achievement Award.

Deena Adair, 60

Morgan Freeman and his daughter Deena Adair at the premiere of “Landing Up” on June 7, 2017 in Hollywood, California. Greg Doherty/Getty

When Freeman married his first wife, Jeanette Adair Bradshaw, in 1967, Bradshaw had a daughter, Deena, born four years earlier, from a previous relationship. Freeman ended up adopting Deena despite the law making it difficult at the time, it said Esquire.

“I have a stepdaughter that I adopted as soon as I could,” Freeman told the paper. “There was some sort of legislative action at the time … that stood in the way of the adoption of the girl. I don’t recall.”

As an adult, Deena’s career took her to Hollywood – but not to pursue acting like her father. Instead, she worked as a hair and make-up artist on set, often serving as Freeman’s stylist.

She is credited with working on films including Amistad, Along Came a Spider, Bruce Almighty, A million dollar baby, dark Knight and dozens of other titles with her father.

Deena was also part of the hairstyling teams nominated for two Emmy Awards for Outstanding Hairstyling in a Miniseries or a Movie: for Gifted Hands: The Ben Carson Story in 2009 and Ring of fire in 2013

In 1982, Deena gave birth to a daughter, E’dena Hines, who was raised by Freeman and his second wife, Myrna Colley-Lee. Hines was killed by her boyfriend Lamar Davenport in 2015.

Morgana Freeman, 52

Morgan Freeman and daughter, Morgana Freeman, arrive at the premiere of “Oblivion” on April 10, 2013 in Hollywood, California. Frank Trapper/Corbis/Getty

Freeman and Bradshaw had a daughter, Morgana, in 1971, and it was an emotional experience for the actor.

“When I had my daughters, I changed them [diapers],” He said The Telegraph in 2014. “Being practical makes a difference in your child’s life.”

Morgana, Freeman’s namesake, has appeared on the red carpet several times with her famous father.

She attended the 1990 Academy Awards with Freeman, where he was nominated for Best Actor in a Motion Picture Driving Miss Daisyand the 2010 Academy Awards, where Freeman was also in contention for Best Actor, this time for Invictus. She was with him at the premieres Batman begins and Oblivion and was also present when Freeman received a Lifetime Achievement Award at the 2018 SAG Awards.

Morgana attended Spelman College in Atlanta, where she majored in economics, according to her LinkedIn. She also studied cosmetology and then became the owner of two salons in Georgia. Morgana currently serves as the executive director of her father’s nonprofit organization, the Tallahatchie River Foundation, which focuses on improving early childhood education in Freeman’s native Mississippi.

“My father, Morgan Freeman, who grew up in Mississippi and became a very successful actor, felt it was his responsibility when he came back to give back,” she said in a video about the foundation. “He knew that education was the way; it was the heart of everything that needed to happen in Mississippi.”

Eden Hines

Morgan Freeman and granddaughter, E’Dena Hines, at the 62nd Annual Golden Globe Awards on January 16, 2005 in Beverly Hills, California. Kevin Winter/Getty

When Freeman married his second wife, Colley-Lee, in 1984, she was excited about raising children, so they adopted Freeman’s granddaughter, E’dena Hines.

“His daughter Deena was having a hard time, so I asked E’Dena to live with us,” Colley-Lee told PEOPLE in 1988. “Morgan functions more like a grandfather, but he’s happy that I got the chance to be a parent.”

Freeman and Colley-Lee raised Hines, who was born on March 4, 1982. After studying acting at NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts from 2008 to 2011, she began her acting career, with minor roles in television series Minority Report and a short film Cohab. Hines ended up landing her biggest role in the film Landing abovehowever, the tragedy stuck before it was published.

On August 16, 2015, Hines was brutally stabbed to death more than a dozen times by her boyfriend, Lamar Davenport. He was charged with her murder and convicted of manslaughter in May 2018. Davenport was sentenced to 20 years in prison for the 33-year-old’s murder.

“The world will never know her skill and talent and how much she had to offer,” Freeman said in a statement to PEOPLE about his granddaughter. “Her friends and family were fortunate enough to know what she meant as a person. Her star will continue to shine brightly in our hearts, thoughts and prayers. May she rest in peace.”

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Source: HIS Education