Here's Why Morgan Freeman Wears a Glove on His Left Hand

Along with his instantly recognizable voice, actor Morgan Freeman has also been recognized for his decision to wear a glove. Over the years, he has been spotted rocking the accessory — including at big events like the 2022 World Cup and the 2023 Academy Awards.

So, what happened to Morgan's hand and why was he wearing a glove? Keep reading for all the details.

As it turns out, the actor wears the glove because of his fibromyalgia, which he developed after a 2008 car accident. During an interview with Esquire in 2012, the journalist commented on the pain Morgan was in.

“It hurts when he walks, when he sits still, when he rises from his couch, and when he missteps in a damp meadow," writer Tom Chiarella wrote. "More than hurts. It seems a kind of agony, though he never mentions it.”

Apparently, Morgan usually wears a compression glove on his left hand to keep blood from pooling there, and the hand is usually pretty close to useless.

“It’s the fibromyalgia. Up and down the arm. That’s where it gets so bad. Excruciating," Morgan himself eventually explained during the interview.

Clearly, then, that's the reason that the actor is often photographed wearing at least one glove. It has nothing to do with style; instead, he wears the glove simply because it's the only way he can handle the pain he often experiences in that hand.

According to the Mayo Clinic, symptoms often begin after "physical trauma, surgery, infection or significant psychological stress" and the primary symptoms include:

• widespread pain
• fatigue
• cognitive difficulties

"The pain, fatigue, and poor sleep quality associated with fibromyalgia can interfere with your ability to function at home or on the job," the organization states. "The frustration of dealing with an often-misunderstood condition also can result in depression and health-related anxiety."

Morgan spoke out about the mental health aspect of the condition.

"I only get one life, and I will not let fibromyalgia take the joy from living it," Morgan is reported to have said per United We Care.

And he is not alone.

Celebrities such as Lady Gaga and Kyle Richards have also shared their experiences with fibromyalgia.

"I get so irritated with people who don’t believe fibromyalgia is real," Lady Gaga told Vogue in 2018. "For me, and I think for many others, it’s really a cyclone of anxiety, depression, PTSD, trauma, and panic disorder, all of which sends the nervous system into overdrive, and then you have nerve pain as a result."