'Morgan Freeman Died 2012' Hoax: Reps Confirm Actor Is Alive, "Stop Believing What You See on the Internet"
Morgan Freeman is alive and well, despite what the Internet claimed this weekend.
A Facebook page claiming the 75-year-old Academy Award-winning actor had died gained more than 60,000 new followers as the rumor spread throughout social media. But the actor's representatives confirmed Freeman is still alive and the entire story was simply a hoax.
"Morgan is alive and well and joins the long list of actors who have been victimized by this hoax. He's still alive and well, stop believing what you see on the Internet," Freeman's rep said in a statement.
Freeman is only the most recent celebrity to succumb to a fictional demise publicized online. Bill Cosby is one of the death hoax's most frequent targets, and Eddie Murphy and Jackie Chan have also fallen victim to false death reports.
Freeman is one of Hollywood's most successful stars, both commercially and critically. His films have grossed a total of more than $5 billion worldwide and $3 billion in the U.S., and his more than 60 movies average about $64 million per film at the box office.
His performances have also reached near universal acclaim in hits like "Driving Miss Daisy," "The Shawshank Redemption," "Million Dollar Baby" and "Invictus."
Freeman is also known for his immediately recognizable voice, which has led to his narrating many film projects, including "War of the Worlds" and "March of the Penguins," as well as the current Discovery channel TV show "Through the Wormhole."