Morgan Freeman has built a career on a voice audiences instantly recognize—but as artificial intelligence continues trying to recreate it, the Oscar winner is making it clear he’s not letting that slide.
During a February 27 appearance on CBS Mornings, Freeman was asked directly about AI being used to mimic actors’ voices and likenesses. His response was blunt: “I’ve got lawyers.”
He followed that up by confirming those lawyers have already been active, saying they’ve been working to “tamp that down” as unauthorized uses of his voice continue to surface.
The conversation came while Freeman was promoting the Netflix documentary series, The Dinosaurs, which explores the history of dinosaurs and was a project he joined after being approached by Steven Spielberg.
Freeman admitted he had “no interest in dinosaurs whatsoever,” but signed on because of the scale of the production and its visuals. “Doing a voice over for such a great project… the visuals,” he said, adding that the computer-generated imagery “jumps off at you.”
Even in that context, his voice remained a focal point of the discussion. When asked about its distinct tone, Freeman explained it wasn’t something he was born with. Instead, he trained for it. “I went to school and studied voice and diction,” he said, describing how techniques like lowering the voice and even something as simple as yawning can help relax the throat and deepen delivery.
That level of intentional work is part of why Freeman takes issue with AI replication. In a previous interview with The Guardian, he said he has taken legal action against multiple unauthorized uses of his voice. “Don’t mimic me with falseness,” he said. “I get paid for doing stuff like that, so if you’re gonna do it without me, you’re robbing me.”
At the same time, Freeman acknowledged there are situations where using his voice—indirectly—can be acceptable. He recalled a past deal with a company that paid him to allow someone else with a similar sound to perform on his behalf. “Yeah, that works,” he said, when asked if compensation changes his perspective.
Still, the rise of AI-generated voices and digital performers continues to raise questions across the industry. Freeman also raised concerns about synthetic actors, noting that replacing real performers with artificial ones could create tension within the business.
