Why Morgan Freeman wore a glove on his left hand at Oscars 2023
Morgan Freeman wore a glove at the 2023 Oscars after paralyzing his left hand in a car accident nearly 15 years ago.
The 85-year-old actor’s black satin garment was on display when he linked arms with Margot Robbie as they celebrated Warner Bros.’ 100th anniversary onstage at the 95th annual Academy Awards on Sunday.
Many viewers flooded Twitter with messages of concern for Freeman, but his fans pointed out that the glove is not an uncommon accessory for the “Shawshank Redemption” star.
Freeman has worn a compression glove many times for comfort reasons since being injured in a near-fatal crash on a Mississippi highway in August 2008.
Doctors initially told the Oscar winner that his hand would eventually get better, but he ended up with permanent nerve damage and can’t even wiggle his fingers to this day.
“I suffered nerve damage, and it hasn’t gotten better,” he told People in 2010. “I can’t move it.”
He added, “If you don’t move your hand, it will swell up. Do you know you move your hand about a million times a day?”
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At the time of the accident, which saw Freeman’s car flip multiple times, a local newspaper editor described the legendary voice actor as miraculously “lucid” at the scene.
“They had to use the jaws of life [hydraulic cutters] to extract him from the vehicle,” Clay McFerrin told the Guardian. “[Freeman] was lucid, conscious. He was talking, joking with some of the rescue workers at one point.”
However, it was later revealed that Freeman had broken his left shoulder, arm and elbow, requiring him to undergo a four-hour surgery.
A compression glove works by lightly squeezing the veins in one’s hand to support blood circulation and can even help to manage tingling, pain and swelling, according to Healthline.
Freeman’s functional accessory coordinated with his Oscars look for the evening, as he looked dapper in a black tuxedo and a bow tie.
Meanwhile, Robbie, 32, shimmered in a black sequin off-the-shoulder gown.
Her film “Babylon” was nominated in three categories at the star-studded event but did not take home any wins.
The actress previously received Oscar nods for her roles in “I, Tonya” and “Bombshell,” in 2018 and 2020, respectively, but she has yet to win a golden statuette.
Freeman, for his part, has been nominated for an Oscar five times and took home the award for Best Supporting Actor for his role in “Million Dollar Baby” in 2004.
