At the 95th Academy Awards, fans noticed Morgan Freeman wearing an elbow-length glove on his left hand.
Morgan Freeman wears glove on left hand to Oscars 2023 — here’s why https://t.co/mgz4xp9skC pic.twitter.com/lSBhTEB4Cu
— Matthew Harrison 🇬🇧 (@Matthew73610025) March 13, 2023
While many may have written it off as a mere style choice, there’s actually a heartbreaking reason why the actor wore the glove at last night’s Oscars.
Freeman has been wearing a compression glove on his left hand following a major car accident that happened in Mississippi in 2008.
margot robbie on the #oscar stage next to morgan freeman pic.twitter.com/xszDoAFvUV
— pics of margot (@picsofrobbie) March 13, 2023
Freeman had been driving late at night when his car left the road, flipping several times before ending up in a ditch not far from his then-home. A local journalist told The Guardian that paramedics had to use hydraulic cutters to free him from the vehicle, with the actor still conscious and making jokes with rescue workers throughout his ordeal.
Despite the emergency responders’ attempts to treat Freeman at the scene, the actor’s injuries were too great, and he had to be flown over 100 miles away to a hospital in Memphis.
Upon arriving, it was discovered that the then-71-year-old had suffered multiple broken bones and spent over four hours in surgery having his arm reset. Although he would be able to act again, Freeman was left with permanent nerve damage and unbearable shoulder pain. Unable to move his left hand, the actor’s limb began to swell, and it was this that led him to wear the compression glove to ease his symptoms.
Speaking about his injury in 2010 to People magazine, Freeman revealed that his injury has never gotten any better. “If you don’t move your hand, it will swell up. Do you know you move your hand about a million times a day?” he said. He also told Esquire a few years later that his fibromyalgia had also been impacted by the car accident, with the shoulder pain shooting “up and down” his arm.
Whilst some fans may not realise the significance behind the gloves, it’s not the first time he’s attended a major event wearing the medical device.
Back in 2022, the actor was also spotted wearing a similar compression glove during the opening ceremony of the FIFA Qatar World Cup. During the high-profile sporting event, the Oscar-winning actor appeared on stage with disabled YouTuber Ghanim al-Muftah, who spoke about “tolerance and respect.”
At last night’s Oscars, Freeman took to the stage with Margot Robbie to celebrate 100 years of Warner Brothers Studios.
Although some may have been surprised to see the actor wearing the compression glove, his commitment to continuing his work in Hollywood, despite the pain, is a testament to his resilience. Freeman’s appearance at the awards ceremony serves as a reminder that even the biggest stars face challenges and obstacles, but it’s how they overcome them that truly matters.
