3. Sgt. Maj. John Rawlins - Glory
Glory was released the same year as Driving Miss Daisy, and whilst he received an Academy Award nomination for the later, Glory features the greater performance and is a supremely better movie. Edward Zwick's Civil War drama shows Freeman as a firm and warm figure and saves the movie from being occupied solely by Matthew Broderick. The supporting cast all round is strong, as in addition to Freeman, Denzel Washington signals his arrival on the big stage and Cary Elwes gives the most overlooked performance in the picture. Glory shows Freeman doing a performance which he would emulate throughout his career. He's been cast dozens of times because of his ability to emit assured strength whilst simultaneously bringing warmth to a role, and his first great display of that was in Glory. Freeman has this unique ability to always seem fatherly and in the quieter scenes with Broderick, he shows a very paternal quality and those gentle scenes are some of the most powerful in the movie.