"You're robbing me": Morgan Freeman takes legal action against AI usage of his voice

Morgan Freeman, the legendary actor known globally for his commanding voice, has found himself at the center of the ongoing debate surrounding Artificial Intelligence (AI) and intellectual property rights.

Internet users and various digital content creators have increasingly deployed sophisticated AI voice generation tools to clone his signature baritone, using it for unauthorized narrations, deepfake audio, and commercial projects without his consent. In an interview with The Guardian published on November 10, 2025, the Invictus star stated:

“I’m a little PO’d, you know. 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.”

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Hollywood icon Morgan Freeman battles AI over unauthorized voice clones

Morgan Freeman at the AUTO: MAR 16 NASCAR Cup Series Pennzoil 400 (Image via Getty)

In his interview, Morgan Freeman elaborated on his disapproval of unapproved voice cloning by stating that the widespread abuse of AI has required significant legal actions.

He claimed that the issue is so serious that his legal team is currently "very busy," indicating that numerous legal actions are being taken to stop the digital theft of his voice and image. Notably, the lawsuit goes beyond his personal situation.

He specifically criticized the emergence of fully synthetic artists, citing the AI-generated model Tilly Norwood as an example, which he views as a direct infringement on the rights and livelihoods of real human artists. The Now You See Me star stated:

“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 … The union’s job is to keep actors acting, so there’s going to be that conflict.”

Additionally, Morgan Freeman credited his inspiring voice and diction instructor, Robert Whitman, at a Los Angeles community college for teaching him how to master his voice. He stated:

“If you’re going to speak, speak distinctly, hit your final consonants and do exercises to lower your voice. 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.”

Morgan Freeman's chat with The Guardian was mainly about his upcoming film, Now You See Me: Now You Don't, which is set to release on November 14, 2025, in the U.S. by Lionsgate.

Freeman appears in a cameo role as Thaddeus Bradley, a character whose allegiance has shifted significantly throughout the franchise: starting as a foe in the first film, becoming an ally in the second, and now evolving into a wise mentor. In the upcoming film, he shares a grand country estate (filmed at a 150-year-old mansion near Budapest), which houses strange artifacts, including a hall of mirrors and the legendary Harry Houdini’s straitjacket.

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Stay tuned for more updates.

Edited by Suchita Patnaha