Morgan Freeman Takes Legal Action Over AI Imitations of His Iconic Voice

Morgan Freeman has long been known for having one of the most recognizable voices in Hollywood, but now the legendary actor is fighting to protect it.

In a recent interview for The Guardian, the 88-year-old revealed that his lawyers are taking action against people using artificial intelligence to copy his voice without permission.

Freeman explained that his deep, calm voice didn’t just come naturally. He credited his old college instructor, Robert Whitman, for helping him master his speech. “If you’re going to speak, speak distinctly, hit your final consonants and do exercises to lower your voice,” Freeman said, remembering what Whitman taught him.

“Most people’s voices are higher than they would be normally if they knew how to relax it. He taught that sort of thing. It was Robert Whitman: I will never forget him.”

But that same voice, which became part of his identity, is now being cloned by AI technology. Many actors have been dealing with this issue as artificial intelligence grows in film and audio production.

While the late James Earl Jones gave permission for his Darth Vader voice to be replicated through AI, Freeman has not. “I’m a little PO’d, you know,” he said. “I’m like any other actor: don’t mimic me with falseness. I don’t appreciate it and I get paid for doing stuff like that, so if you’re gonna do it without me, you’re robbing me.”

When asked if these cases have already started, Freeman said his legal team is already working hard. “Well, I tell you, my lawyers have been very, very busy,” he noted. “Many, yeah. Quite a few.”

Freeman also spoke about Tilly Norwood, a digital “AI actor” introduced in September. He wasn’t impressed by the idea of artificial performers replacing real ones. “Nobody likes her because she’s not real and that takes the part of a real person, so it’s not going to work out very well in the movies or in television,” he said. “The union’s job is to keep actors acting, so there’s going to be that conflict.”

While Freeman is defending his voice, other stars are taking a different approach. According to recent reports, Matthew McConaughey and Michael Caine have teamed up with the AI audio company ElevenLabs to create official digital versions of their voices.

McConaughey, who has supported ElevenLabs since 2022, is even investing in the company. He’s using AI to produce a Spanish-language version of his newsletter Lyrics of Livin’, which features his digitally recreated voice.

Caine’s voice, meanwhile, appears in a promotional video for the company. In it, he says, “Each new advancement in technology is met with caution — and rightly so. But every single time, the human drive for passion, artistry and creativity prevails. Because technology is just the medium. This is humanity — amplified.”

Have something to add? Let us know in the comments!