Morgan Freeman, the acclaimed Hollywood actor, is father to four children: Alfonso, Saifoulaye, Deena, and Morgana, each from different relationships. He also raised his step-granddaughter, E'Dena Hines, who was tragically killed in 2015. The family has faced both reconnection and profound loss, shaping a story that extends beyond Freeman's celebrated on-screen career.
Alfonso Freeman: Following His Father into Acting
Alfonso, Morgan's firstborn, was born on 13 September 1959 to Loletha Adkins. Morgan was largely absent during Alfonso's early years, as he left Adkins upon learning of the pregnancy. Alfonso later told USA Today in 2007, as reported by Scott Bowles: "I grew up watching The Electric Company and Easy Reader. I had no idea that was my dad."
Alfonso first connected with his father by telephone in 1979 while working as a telemarketer. They met in person in 1984 when Morgan was in Los Angeles filming The Atlanta Child Murders. Alfonso began acting in 1993, with his first on-camera role as the Fresh Fish Con in The Shawshank Redemption. He also appeared in Se7en alongside his father, and continued acting through the 2000s, 2010s, and 2020s, with roles in The West Wing and The Bucket List.
Alfonso was married to Cynthia Gafford from 1982 to 1989, with whom he had three children: Joshua, Donovan, and Alfonso Jr. He later married Larcenia Letice in 1994.
Saifoulaye Freeman: The Private Second Son
Saifoulaye, Morgan's second son, was born in the early 1960s, though his mother's identity is not publicly known. Morgan similarly had no relationship with him during his childhood. In a 2012 interview with Esquire, Morgan explained: "I went to New York and I ran into another situation." Saifoulaye has remained almost entirely out of the public eye, with little verified information about his personal life or career.
Deena Freeman and E'Dena Hines: A Family Tragedy
During his first marriage to Jeanette Adair Bradshaw in 1967, Morgan adopted Bradshaw's daughter from a previous relationship, Deena. Deena gave birth to E'Dena Hines in 1982. Later, Morgan and his second wife, Myrna Colley-Lee, took E'Dena in and legally adopted her.
E'Dena was technically Morgan's step-granddaughter, but because he raised and legally adopted her, Freeman's publicist confirmed he always referred to her as his granddaughter. E'Dena was an aspiring actress, playing a small role in 5 Flights Up alongside Freeman and Diane Keaton. By summer 2015, she had returned to New York City after winning a role in an independent film.
On 16 August 2015, police responding to a 911 call at around 3 a.m. found 33-year-old E'Dena Hines lying on the street with multiple stab wounds to the chest. She was pronounced dead at Harlem Hospital. Her boyfriend, Lamar Davenport, 30, was charged with second-degree murder and taken into custody at the scene, then transferred to Columbia Presbyterian Medical Centre for mental evaluation. Manhattan District Attorney Cyrus Vance stated that Davenport stabbed her more than two dozen times while under the influence of drugs and alcohol.
Morgan issued a heartbroken statement via CNN: "The world will never know her artistry and talent, and how much she had to offer. Her friends and family were fortunate enough to have known what she meant as a person." In May 2018, Davenport was found guilty following a trial at the New York State Supreme Court and sentenced to 20 years in state prison.
Morgana Freeman: Running Her Father's Charities
Morgana, Morgan's youngest daughter, was born in 1971. She has publicly supported her father at numerous film premieres and runs his Mississippi-based charities. Based in Atlanta, she graduated from Spelman College in 1993 and owned several beauty salons. She now serves as Chief Vision Officer for Morgan's charity, the SonEdna Foundation, which focuses on empowering the Mississippi Delta through lifelong learning, community collaboration, and economic development.
Fatherhood Reflections and Net Worth
Morgan has been candid about his early shortcomings as a father. He told The Telegraph in 2014: "I'm not sure fatherhood changed me. It took a while for me to become a father. I was busy trying to be an actor, and the two didn't really go together in my youth." He added that he was more involved in his daughters' lives but admitted: "I'm not a hands-on grandfather."
Morgan Freeman's net worth is estimated at $250 million. His earnings include roughly $5 million for Bruce Almighty and over $10 million from The Dark Knight trilogy. His narration contracts typically pay around $2 million each, and he still receives residuals from films like The Shawshank Redemption and Million Dollar Baby. He co-founded Revelations Entertainment, a production company. Reports suggest his net worth would be higher if not for a divorce settlement of $100 million to $200 million paid to Myrna Colley-Lee in 2010.
In recent news, Freeman told The Guardian he is "pissed off" at AI recreating his voice without consent, saying: "Well, I tell you, my lawyers have been very, very busy. They have already found cases and are pursuing them." He has also been promoting Now You See Me: Now You Don't, and on retirement, he said: "Sometimes the idea of retirement would float past me but, as soon as my agent says there's a job or somebody wants you, the whole thing just boils back into where it was yesterday." He joined Taylor Sheridan's Lioness as U.S. Secretary of State Edwin Mullins, continuing through the show's third season.
Morgan Freeman's children have followed different paths, from Alfonso's acting career to Morgana's charitable work, while the family has endured the loss of E'Dena Hines. The story reflects resilience and the lasting bonds that shaped his life.
