Morgan Freeman says he will ‘overlook glitches’ in script if pay is good enough

LOS ANGELES: Oscar-winning actor Morgan Freeman has revealed that while a strong script is always welcome, it is not the only factor that influences his decision to accept a film role, saying he is willing to overlook flaws in a screenplay if the compensation is right, according to People.

In an interview with The New York Times, the veteran actor reflected on what goes into choosing projects after decades in Hollywood. “If somebody offers you a job, it’s very nice if they’re offering you also an exciting script, but in reality, two or three things come into play,” Freeman said.

“What are they going to pay you? If they’re going to pay you enough, then you overlook some of the glitches in the script that happen to be there,” he added, as quoted by the outlet.

Morgan Freeman says a good payday can make him “overlook” a bad screenplay: “If they’re going to pay you enough, then you overlook some of the glitches in the script that happen to be there.”

“If somebody offers you a job, it’s very nice if they’re offering you also an exciting… pic.twitter.com/Q85fFT42xK

— Variety (@Variety) August 6, 2026

Freeman said actors can often raise concerns about aspects of a screenplay they believe need improvement. “Sometimes you can mention things that are in the script that don’t quite work out for you and by and large, that gets worked out,” he said.

As he approaches his 90th birthday in 2027, Freeman said he has no plans to slow down and intends to keep working for as long as possible. “I’m like Clint Eastwood on that: Don’t let the old man in,” Freeman said, according to People.

“So, keep working. If you can get out of bed and don’t fall down when you do it, then you just count your blessings and keep moving. So, I’ll work as long as I can, as long as somebody says, ‘Do you want to do this part?'” he added.

The actor also joked that he is no longer thinking about dream roles at this stage of his career. “I’m pushing 90 now. So, the roles that I wished I had been able to play, Denzel Washington will play,” he said.

Beyond films, Freeman has continued to work in television and currently stars as Secretary of State Edwin Mullins in Taylor Sheridan’s Paramount+ series ‘Lioness’. The third season of the series premiered on Sunday, with new episodes releasing weekly.

Praising Sheridan’s storytelling, Freeman said the filmmaker’s work resonates because of its emotional depth. “It has to do more with the human experience, what people are actually going through, emotionally, in a lot of cases,” Freeman said.

“It takes courage to write about stuff like that, and Taylor seems to have an awful lot of it,” he added. Freeman releases a blues album on August 7, adding another milestone to his long and celebrated career, according to People. (ANI)