Jeanette Adair Bradshaw: Morgan Freeman’s First Wife, Their Children and Marriage

Morgan Freeman’s career has made him familiar to audiences across the world, but public interest in the veteran actor does not end with his work on screen. His personal life, particularly his marriages and family relationships, has also attracted considerable attention. 

Freeman, who famously appeared as God in Bruce Almighty, has been married on two occasions. Jeanette Adair Bradshaw was his first wife, while Myrna Colley-Lee became his second.

Jeanette Adair Bradshaw Age, Background and Early Life

Accounts of Bradshaw’s background are scarce, and much of what has been reported about her early life remains uncertain. She is generally believed to have been born sometime in the 1940s. One source lists 30 November 1940 as her birth date. Using that date, Bradshaw would have reached the age of 84 in 2024. Her astrological sign is Sagittarius.

Jeanette Adair Bradshaw and Morgan Freeman’s Marriage

The beginning of Bradshaw’s relationship with Freeman has never been described in detail by either of them. There are no widely documented accounts explaining precisely where or under what circumstances they first crossed paths. It is generally reported, however, that their relationship began in the 1960s. Freeman and Bradshaw married on 22 October 1967.

Their marriage continued for slightly more than a decade, covering a formative stretch of Freeman’s professional life. At the time, he was still working to establish a lasting career in acting and was taking whatever opportunities came his way. Television became an important part of that journey, with appearances in productions including The Electric Company, Blade, Who Says I Can’t Ride a Rainbow!, and The Mighty Gents.

The marriage came to an end on 18 November 1979. Neither Freeman nor Bradshaw has publicly explained what led to the divorce. Freeman later discussed marriage and fatherhood in an interview with The Telegraph. He said that acting had occupied much of his early adult life and had made family life difficult to balance. 

Morgan Freeman’s Children and His Family With Jeanette Adair Bradshaw

Freeman already had two sons before he married Bradshaw. Their names are Alfonso Freeman and Saifoulaye Freeman, and both came from earlier relationships. Bradshaw and Freeman did not begin their marriage without children already in the picture. The following section looks at Freeman’s children and the details available about his family life.

Deena Adair’s Career and Connection to Morgan Freeman

People reports that Morgan Freeman adopted Jeanette Adair Bradshaw’s daughter, Deena Freeman. She later built a career behind the camera, working in hair and makeup.

Deena has more than 60 credits in the field. Her work has also brought major recognition. She earned two Primetime Emmy nominations for outstanding hairstyling, for Ring of Fire and Gifted Hands: The Ben Carson Story. Her credits include work in the makeup departments of several well-known films. These include the superhero titles Loki, Oblivion, Chain Reaction, Thunder Force, and Civil War.

Morgana Freeman Education, Career and Family Background

Morgan Freeman and Bradshaw also had a daughter named Morgana Freeman. She was born in 1971. From 1990 to 1993, she studied at Spelman College. There, she worked toward a Bachelor of Arts degree in Economics.

Morgana later turned to another field. In 1991, she studied cosmetology at Atlanta Area Technical. Her professional life eventually moved beyond that work. According to her LinkedIn profile, she now serves as executive director of the Tallahatchie River Foundation. The organisation works in civic and social affairs, with a particular focus on improving early childhood education in Mississippi.

Conclusion

Jeanette Adair Bradshaw’s story is one of the unexpected absence of Hollywood headlines in the life of a Hollywood star. Bradshaw stayed out of the limelight, while Morgan Freeman became one of the most famous actors of his time. Freeman and the actress were married from 1967 to 1979, a significant time in Freeman’s early acting career, but neither has publicly outlined the reasons for their split. 

What is more obvious is the family they had together. Bradshaw’s daughter Deena was adopted by Freeman, and went on to develop a successful career in hair and makeup, while their daughter Morgana continued her education and took up cosmetology and civic work. So, Bradshaw’s life has been more private than Freeman’s, which has filled so many screens and headlines.

FAQs

1. Who is Jeanette Adair Bradshaw?

Morgan Freeman’s first wife is Jeanette Adair Bradshaw. The couple tied the knot in 1967 and separated in 1979. Bradshaw has remained out of the spotlight, in contrast to her famous former husband, and relatively little is known about her early life and career.

2. Why did Jeanette Adair Bradshaw and Morgan Freeman divorce?

Jeanette Adair Bradshaw and Morgan Freeman have not shared the reasons for their divorce. They divorced on November 18, 1979. In later years, Freeman admitted it might be hard to balance acting, marriage and fatherhood during his youth, but he never publicly cited a cause for the divorce.

3. Did Morgan Freeman have children with Jeanette Adair Bradshaw?

Yes. Morgan Freeman and Jeanette Adair Bradshaw had a daughter, Morgana Freeman, who was born in 1971. Freeman also took over Bradshaw’s daughter, Deena. Thus their blended family consisted of children from previous marriages as well as their daughter.

4. Who is Deena Adair?

Deena Adair is Jeanette Adair Bradshaw’s daughter, who Morgan Freeman adopted. She eventually went on to work in hair and make-up, and has received over 60 credits. She has also worked on significant projects including Loki, Oblivion and Civil War and has two Primetime Emmy nominations.

5. Who is Morgana Freeman?

Morgana Freeman is the daughter of Morgan Freeman and Jeanette Adair Bradshaw. She was born in 1971, attended Spelman College in economics and then trained in cosmetology. She ultimately shifted her career to civic and social service, where she is the executive director of the Tallahatchie River Foundation.