Won For: Million Dollar Baby Should Have Won For: The Shawshank Redemption Morgan Freeman is one of Hollywood's most beloved actors, famous for his soothing yet inherently powerful voice. Freeman finally broke through and won an Oscar for Best Supporting Actor in Clint Eastwood's Best Picture winning Million Dollar Baby. In the film, Freeman plays Eddie "Scrap-Iron" Dupris - a former boxer who lost his sight in one eye - alongside Hilary Swank and Eastwood. It is an impressive supporting performance, but it's not the one he should have bagged an Oscar for. Instead, Morgan Freeman should have won the Oscar for Best Actor for playing Ellis Boyd "Red" Redding in The Shawshank Redemption. Although the film was generally well-received at the time of its release and it secured numerous nominations, The Shawshank Redemption has attained a legendary status in popular culture over the past twenty years. For reference, the film currently ranks as the number one of all-time on the IMDb, with more than one million votes. One of the major reasons is Freeman's exceptional performance as Red. The film, of course, is a resounding tribute to the strength of the human spirit and Freeman's narration and acting gives the film a sense of authenticity and empathy. His performance is the driving forces of the film - he should've brought the Oscar home.
