“That’s Why Sailors Used To Wear Them”: Morgan Freeman Reveals Why He Rocks Gold Hoop Earrings
Morgan Freeman is a name that resonates with audiences worldwide as a Hollywood icon whose fame transcends generations.
But despite his immense fame and the countless roles he’s portrayed on screen, the 86-year-old actor remains an enigmatic figure, keeping fans on their toes as to truly understanding the man behind “God’s voice”.
The Memphis, Tennessee native is not only notable for his unparalleled acting talent and resonant voice but has also been noticed often wearing his trademark gold hoops.
Fans have recently ignited a newfound interest with theories on Morgan’s consistent choice to don the jewelry during his enduring career.
Morgan Freeman revealed why he was always wearing the same golden earrings
Image credits: U.S. Secretary of Defense
In his youth, the award-winning actor initially adopted these adornments, inspired by other actors he witnessed on the big screen, as he reportedly aspired to emulate their style and charisma.
However, Morgan faced a challenging journey to establish himself in the industry, and it wasn’t until he reached the age of 49 that he eventually achieved his breakthrough with the 1987 film Street Smart, playing Fast Black.
Upon securing this role, Morgan promptly solidified his position as one of the most gifted actors in Hollywood and eventually earned an Oscar in 2005.
Even though the charming narrator went on to act in multiple blockbuster films including Bruce Almighty, The Dark Knight Rises, and Deep Impact, gaining a fortune estimated at $250 million, according to Celebrity Net Worth, Morgan has never traded out his iconic gold hoop earrings.
The actor explained why sailors used to wear them, which inspired him to do the same
Image credits: morganfreeman
Back in 2019, the actor wrote in a Facebook post: “These earrings. I get asked all the time about them. The truth is, these are worth just enough for someone to buy me a coffin if I die in a strange place. That’s why sailors used to wear them and that’s why I do.”
Morgan has been reportedly a true sailor for many years, with many miles behind him, and who, in his own words, has been practicing sailing “as a particularly effective antidote to healing from Hollywood.”
According to the Giornale della Vela magazine, the producer’s sailings have usually included Long Island Sound, Block Island, the Elizabeth Islands, Cape Cod, the Maine coast, and Yarmouth, Nova Scotia.
“I’m an avid sailor, a dyed-in-the-wool blue-water man,” Morgan said
Image credits: Morgan Freeman
Image credits: Daihana Monares
Image credits: Movieclips
Back in 2010, Morgan revealed that it was a pirate movie with Burt Lancaster, who wore an earring, that initially inspired his own style.
He told Fox News: “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 also said in a separate interview: “I always wanted an earring. 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 wrote on Facebook that his golden hoops are worth just enough for someone to buy him a coffin if he died in a strange place
Image credits: morganfreeman
Image credits: morganfreeman
Despite Morgan’s obvious admiration for the culture of sailing and the ocean, fans speculated about other reasons behind his golden hoops.
A Redditor wrote: “Freeman is concerned about being buried in a foreign land? I bet he wears them because he thinks it makes him look badass.”
Another person theorized: “Another theory is that it dates back to Ancient Greece when you needed to pay the ferryman Charon to cross the River Styx to the land of Hades. If you die on land, your family would place coins on your eyes so you had the required fee.
“If you’re a sailor the best way to ensure you always have the payment is to have a gold or silver earring. Or, it’s superstition and there’s no point trying to explain it.”
“I knew he was a pirate at heart,” a separate individual chimed in.
Morgan’s fans thought his reasoning behind his signature jewelry made him “cooler”
Hu, how naive I've been 🤣: I thought every one knew this practice. But I have been told of this practice by my roommate for 10 years: a guy who used to be a Hochseefischer (um, fisherman of a big trawler fishing in the ocean for herring etc , back in the 1980-ies G.D.R.). He also told me of the knitted pullovers use (yeah, to keep warm for the first 30seconds they are not wet yet): when a fisherman' s (unrecognisably decomposed) body was washed ashore he could be recognized by the pattern knitted into his pullover (at least roughly where he was from, but sometimes it was like "Ah, that's the pattern of villages A, B and C, and Mary's husband from C vanished some weeks ago in the storm so it must be him."
I made eye contact with him in passing on the street outside a coffee shop in Vancouver 15 years ago..he gave me a wink when I did a double take. That's my only big celebrity meet and greet.
Actually while Mr.Freeman is a learned man, his information may be inaccurate. Perhaps A Sailor claimed that was his reason to wear the earrings, however the reason Pirates and. Sailors alike wore then and some had multiples, is that a ring was added each time they successfully sailed around the Horn of Africa, the world's most dangerous body of water to sail. It was bragging rights and also for luck for their next trip as they had robbed Davy Jones Locker once again. Btw Mr.Freeman... doesn't need an earing to be BadAss!
I never heard your explanation, but I know Freeman's story is true. But both might be true, don't you think? There are lots of traditions at sea. In the Netherlands fisher men used to wear one or two golden earrings to pay for their funeral. They get them at a very young age, as boys, without probably ever leaving the Dutch waters. Nowadays lots of Dutch fisher men still wear a golden earring, not for insurance, but as part of their local traditions. I happend to have my own ears pierced in a village at the Dutch coast (in the 80s) and that piercer told me yet another story about earrings. He said some fisher men and sailors also believe that golden earrings will improve their eyesight. Well, it didn't work in my case, I still wear glasses 🤓
Load More Replies... Hu, how naive I've been 🤣: I thought every one knew this practice. But I have been told of this practice by my roommate for 10 years: a guy who used to be a Hochseefischer (um, fisherman of a big trawler fishing in the ocean for herring etc , back in the 1980-ies G.D.R.). He also told me of the knitted pullovers use (yeah, to keep warm for the first 30seconds they are not wet yet): when a fisherman' s (unrecognisably decomposed) body was washed ashore he could be recognized by the pattern knitted into his pullover (at least roughly where he was from, but sometimes it was like "Ah, that's the pattern of villages A, B and C, and Mary's husband from C vanished some weeks ago in the storm so it must be him."
I made eye contact with him in passing on the street outside a coffee shop in Vancouver 15 years ago..he gave me a wink when I did a double take. That's my only big celebrity meet and greet.
Actually while Mr.Freeman is a learned man, his information may be inaccurate. Perhaps A Sailor claimed that was his reason to wear the earrings, however the reason Pirates and. Sailors alike wore then and some had multiples, is that a ring was added each time they successfully sailed around the Horn of Africa, the world's most dangerous body of water to sail. It was bragging rights and also for luck for their next trip as they had robbed Davy Jones Locker once again. Btw Mr.Freeman... doesn't need an earing to be BadAss!
I never heard your explanation, but I know Freeman's story is true. But both might be true, don't you think? There are lots of traditions at sea. In the Netherlands fisher men used to wear one or two golden earrings to pay for their funeral. They get them at a very young age, as boys, without probably ever leaving the Dutch waters. Nowadays lots of Dutch fisher men still wear a golden earring, not for insurance, but as part of their local traditions. I happend to have my own ears pierced in a village at the Dutch coast (in the 80s) and that piercer told me yet another story about earrings. He said some fisher men and sailors also believe that golden earrings will improve their eyesight. Well, it didn't work in my case, I still wear glasses 🤓
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