SOUTH AFRICA: Morgan Freeman is greeted by cheering crowds in Soweto for the screening of "Invictus", a film where he plays Nelson Mandela

Record ID: 455867

  • Title: SOUTH AFRICA: Morgan Freeman is greeted by cheering crowds in Soweto for the screening of "Invictus", a film where he plays Nelson Mandela
  • Date: 20th December 2009
  • Summary: SOWETO, SOUTH AFRICA (DECEMBER 16, 2009) (REUTERS) MORGAN FREEMAN COMING DOWN ESCALATORS WITH PRODUCER, LORI MCCREARY SCREAMING FANS WINNIE MADIKIZELA MANDELA AND OTHERS COMING DOWN ESCALATORS (FROM LEFT TO RIGHT) WINNIE MADIKIZELA MANDELA, ZINDZI MANDELA, ANC LEADER NOMVULA MOKONYANE, SOWETO BUSINESSMAN RICHARD MAPONYA AND TSHITSHI MAPONYA SEATED NEWS CONFERENCE MORGAN FREEMAN HANDING OVER CHEQUE TO CHARITIES THREE MEN SEATED (SOUNDBITE) (English) ACTOR MORGAN FREEMAN, SAYING; "It's quite a challenge, for one thing and I have the feeling here and abroad that I kind of pulled it off, that I don't have to hang my head in shame for having attempted it." PEOPLE GATHERED TO SEE FREEMAN (SOUNDBITE) (English) ACTOR MORGAN FREEMAN, SAYING; "One of the more appeasing aspects of it is that it's shot in South Africa, for South Africa, by South Africans and everybody realises that, we've got good, good responses to it - highlight." ACHMAT DANGOR FROM THE NELSON MANDELA FOUNDATION SEATED NEXT TO LORI MCCREARY (SOUNDBITE) (English) ACTOR, MORGAN FREEMAN, SAYING; "Any award, any nomination for an award, for me, it is like a serious pat on the back 'done good, boy, you know', so that feels good, it always feels good to get a good pat on the back. I don't think about the Academy Award, I go along with Clint, He says 'we'll see'." (*** SOME FLASH PHOTOGRAPHY ***) MORGAN FREEMAN WALKING INTO MOVIE THEATRE WITH LORI MCCREARY FREEMAN ADDRESSING PEOPLE INSIDE THE THEATRE BACK OF THE THEATRE
  • Embargoed: 4th January 2010 12:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: South Africa
  • Country: South Africa
  • Reuters ID: LVA2DS834LJKESYZFJ0ZCUE2RHMJ
  • Story Text: Morgan Freeman was on Wednesday (December 16) greeted with cheers by crowds gathered at a mall in Soweto for the screening of "Invictus", the movie in which he plays Nelson Mandela.
    At a news conference ahead of the screening, Mandela's former wife Winnie Madikizela-Mandela and one of his daughters Zindzi attended. There were also politicians from the African National Congress (ANC) as well as Chester Williams, who was part of the world cup winning Springbok team of 1995.
    Freeman handed over a cheque to charities chosen as beneficiaries of the Invictus Fund before addressing the media about his portrayal of Nelson Mandela.
    "It's quite a challenge, for one thing and I have the feeling here and abroad that I kind of pulled it off, that I don't have to hang my head in shame for having attempted it." he said.
    "One of the more appeasing aspects of it is that it's shot in South Africa, for South Africa, by South Africans and everybody realises that, we've got good, good responses to it - highlight," said Freeman.
    Freeman has been nominated for a Golden Globe Award and if he wins, it could pave the way to an Oscar victory.
    "Any award, any nomination for an award, for me, it is like a serious pat on the back 'done good, boy, you know', so that feels good, it always feels good to get a good pat on the back. I don't think about the Academy Award, I go along with Clint, He says 'we'll see'," Freeman added in response to a question on whether he thought he would win an Oscar for the role.
    'Invictus', directed by legendary Hollywood actor-director Clint Eastwood, captures the period of reconciliation in post-apartheid South Africa with Mandela having just taken the reigns of power and confronted with the task of uniting black and white South Africa.
    The film takes place in 1995 when the country was due to host the Rugby World Cup. Mandela, with the help of the then South African rugby captain Francois Pienaar, rallied behind an almost entirely white national team which went on to win the tournament. Matt Damon plays the role of Francois Pienaar.
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