As well as leaving Oscar viewers feeling emotional following his heartfelt tribute to Gene Hackman, Morgan Freeman tonight sparked the curiosity of many watching the festivities from home for another reason.
Walking out onto the stage, the Hollywood legend was seen donning a single glove on his left hand. But why?
It turns out, the 87-year-old has been seen with this unconventional fashion accessory on a handful of occasions before.
In fact, it’s been several years since Freeman’s glove made its debut.
Freeman has been seen wearing a glove on several occasions (Jim Spellman/WireImage
In 2023, the Tennessee native attended the 95th Academy Awards alongside fellow A-lister Margot Robbie to mark 100 years of Warner Brothers Studios. The pair’s appearance shocked fans, however, with many noticing he was wearing what appeared to be an elbow-length black glove.
His appearance sent social media into meltdown at the time – but it turns out, there’s a very logical reason for his accessory choice.
In 2008, Freeman was involved in a major car accident in 2008.
At the time, the Shawshank Redemption actor had been driving near his home in Charleston, Mississippi, when his vehicle flipped over multiple times.
According to a report released by The Guardian, Freeman and a female companion were cut free from the car by emergency workers and were airlifted over 90 miles to a hospital in Memphis, Tennessee.
Due to his sustained injuries, the father-of-four was forced to undergo four hours worth of surgery and was left with permanent nerve damage and shoulder pain.
Freeman’s limbs began to swell as a result of the injury and he has worn a compression glove to keep the blood flowing ever since.
Speaking in 2010 about his horrific injury, the Dark Knight star said: “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 later told Esquire that his fibromyalgia had been impacted by the car injury, with the shoulder pain shooting ‘up and down’ his arm.
As we say, Freeman’s latest on-screen appearance saw him hosting the 97th Academy Awards’ In Memoriam segment, where he began by paying tribute to fellow actor Gene Hackman.
“I lost a dear friend,” he began. “I had the pleasure of working alongside Gene on two films – Unforgiven and Under Suspicion.
“Like everyone whose ever shared a scene with him, I learned he was a generous performer, and a man whose gifts elevated everyone’s work.”
Hackman was found dead alongside his wife Betsy Arakawa, 63, in their Santa Fe, New Mexico, home on Wednesday (26 Feb).
Speaking of the star, Freeman continued: “He received two Oscars, but more importantly, he won the hearts of film lovers all over the world.”
