In the pantheon of beloved cinema stars who have withstood the test of time and relevancy, few performers shine brighter than Morgan Freeman.

The 86-year-old actor has seen and done it all in his 50 years in the entertainment business, and it’s safe to say that he’s gained a fair share of admirers in the process.

Indeed, it seems like Freeman has achieved the incredibly rare feat of being almost universally adored. In addition to having a calm voice unmatched by anyone else, he is well-known for his exceptional work ethic and memorable roles in some of the best movies ever created. He also has no controversies to his credit.

The Shawshank Redemption actor has portrayed many different roles over the years, but one thing that fans have noticed is that he never fails to sport his signature golden earrings.

If you’re a fan of Morgan Freeman, you’re undoubtedly aware of the golden earrings he dons when he goes out.

And as it happens, there’s a reason he’s not selling them in.

Sources claim that Freeman started wearing them when he was a young man and has worn them through all of the highs and lows of his lengthy and storied career.

Even though he is currently one of the most well-known celebrities in the world, Freeman initially had difficulty breaking through, at least in his field.

In contrast to the majority of other contemporary male movie stars, Freeman did not start his profession as a child or even as a young man. Rather, the actor was not allowed to get his shot until he was older than fifty. His career would take off after the 1986 film Street Smart, and the rest is, as they say, history.

Ever since, Freeman’s reputation on the big screen has increased. He was nominated for an Academy Award in 1986 for Street Smart, in 1994 for The Shawshank Redemption, and in 2014 for Invictus. He won an Oscar in 2005 for his work in Million Dollar Baby.

Celebrity Net Worth claims that Freeman has amassed a wealth of $250 million (£199 million) overall from his late-blooming career. The seasoned actor has consistently worn the same set of gold earrings in spite of this.

He ultimately gave his followers an explanation for his decision to wear the hoops after much discussion, posting on Instagram, saying, “These earrings.” I get asked about them all the time. The truth is, things are only worth enough for someone to buy me a coffin in the unlikely event that I pass away somewhere unknown. That’s the reason I wear them, and the reason sailors do too.

In contrast, Freeman said to Fox News in 2016 that Burt Lancaster’s golden earrings from the 1952 movie The Crimson Pirate served as his inspiration.

“I thought that was sexy.” Then I learned that sailors would wear gold earrings to help pay for their funerals should they pass away in a remote area. “It’s ideal because I’m a sailor,” Freeman continued.

I was completely unaware of that! Did you also?