Jeanette Adair Bradshaw: Morgan Freeman’s First Wife and Her Private Life Beyond Hollywood

Jeanette Adair Bradshaw remains a figure of interest primarily through her connection to Academy Award-winning actor Morgan Freeman. As Freeman’s first wife, she shared his formative years when success was uncertain, and dreams were taking shape. Unlike many connected to Hollywood stars, Bradshaw chose privacy over publicity, maintaining dignity throughout their marriage and in the decades following their separation.

While details remain limited, some sources describe Bradshaw as standing approximately 5’6″ (167 cm) with black hair and dark brown eyes. Her elegant presence complemented her graceful demeanor during her years in the public eye.

Early Life and Background

Born in the 1940s in the United States, Jeanette Adair Bradshaw grew up during a transformative period in American history. The post-World War II era brought economic expansion, the Civil Rights Movement, and cultural shifts that shaped her generation. While specific details about her childhood, education, and family background remain private, her later life demonstrates values rooted in family, independence, and personal integrity.

Meeting Morgan Freeman

Jeanette Adair Bradshaw and Morgan Freeman met in the early 1960s, with some sources suggesting they worked together at a travel agency. At the time, Freeman was pursuing his acting career while taking on regular employment to support himself. Their relationship developed over approximately five years before marriage, showing patience and commitment during a period when Freeman’s professional future remained uncertain.

The couple married on October 22, 1967, at a time when Freeman was still establishing himself in theater and television. Their wedding marked the beginning of a partnership that would last twelve years through Freeman’s early career struggles and eventual breakthrough.

Marriage and Family Life

1. Building a Blended Family

Jeanette Adair Bradshaw and Morgan Freeman’s marriage from 1967 to 1979 centered on creating a stable home while Freeman pursued his acting ambitions. Before their marriage, Bradshaw had a daughter named Deena from a previous relationship. Freeman adopted Deena shortly after their wedding, though he noted there were legal challenges at the time regarding adopting a daughter.

The couple also had a biological daughter together, Morgana Freeman, born in 1971. Morgana later attended Spelman College in Atlanta, where she earned a degree in economics. Freeman also had two sons from earlier relationships—Alfonso Freeman (born 1959) and Saifoulaye Freeman (born 1960)—though he was not actively involved in their upbringing during his marriage to Bradshaw.

2. Supporting Freeman’s Career

During their marriage, Bradshaw witnessed Freeman’s transformation from struggling actor to established performer. In 1971, Freeman joined the PBS children’s television series The Electric Company, playing characters like “Easy Reader” and “Vincent the Vegetable Vampire.” The show provided financial stability and recognition, though Freeman found the work exhausting and left in 1975.

Bradshaw’s support during these years provided emotional strength when Freeman’s career path remained unclear. In 1978, Freeman earned a Tony Award nomination for his role in “The Mighty Gents,” demonstrating his growing theatrical reputation.

Freeman later acknowledged struggling with alcohol during the 1970s, admitting to consuming significant amounts of whiskey weekly. These personal challenges added stress to their marriage during a period when his career was just beginning to gain momentum.

Bradshaw’s Acting Background

While primarily known through her marriage to Freeman, Jeanette Adair Bradshaw had her own interest in the performing arts. Limited information exists about her acting career, though some sources reference her involvement in theater. Balancing any professional ambitions with family responsibilities and supporting Freeman’s career required significant personal sacrifice.

Divorce and Mutual Respect

After twelve years together, Jeanette Adair Bradshaw and Morgan Freeman divorced on November 18, 1979. The specific reasons for their separation have never been publicly disclosed, reflecting their mutual commitment to privacy. Neither party has criticized the other publicly or shared personal details about their relationship’s end.

Their divorce stands out in Hollywood for its discretion. Both maintained respectful silence, avoiding the public disputes that often characterize celebrity separations. This approach demonstrates maturity and consideration for their shared family, particularly their daughters.

Life After Divorce

Following her divorce, Bradshaw made a clear decision to step away from public attention. While Freeman married costume designer Myrna Colley-Lee on June 16, 1984, Bradshaw remained out of the spotlight. She did not pursue fame through her connection to Freeman, nor did she seek media attention or endorsement opportunities.

Her commitment to private life has remained consistent for more than four decades. Bradshaw has avoided interviews, public appearances, and social media, focusing instead on family and personal interests. This choice reflects values that prioritize personal peace over public recognition.

Despite their separation, Bradshaw and Freeman maintained connections through their shared children. Both daughters built their own paths, with family relationships continuing across generations.

The Success of Their Daughters

1. Deena Freeman’s Hollywood Career

Deena Freeman established herself as a respected hair and makeup artist in Hollywood. Her work spans more than 60 film and television credits, including notable projects like Batman Begins, Oblivion, Million Dollar Baby, Bruce Almighty, and The Dark Knight. She received two Primetime Emmy Award nominations for outstanding hairstyling for her work on Ring of Fire and Gifted Hands: The Ben Carson Story.

Deena has frequently worked with her father on film sets, demonstrating their close professional and personal relationship. Her career success reflects the stable foundation provided during her upbringing.

2. Morgana Freeman’s Professional Path

Morgana Freeman has maintained a lower public profile than her sister. She graduated from Spelman College with a degree in economics and has occasionally appeared at public events with her father. Her professional life remains largely private, consistent with the family’s general preference for discretion.

Family Tragedy: The Loss of E’dena Hines

Deena Freeman had a daughter, E’dena Hines, born in 1982. E’dena was raised by Morgan Freeman and his second wife, Myrna Colley-Lee, though she remained connected to her biological mother and grandmother, Jeanette.

On August 16, 2015, E’dena Hines was murdered outside her Washington Heights apartment in New York City. Her boyfriend, Lamar Davenport, stabbed her 25 times while under the influence of drugs. Witnesses reported that Davenport appeared to be experiencing drug-induced psychosis during the attack.

Davenport was convicted of first-degree manslaughter in May 2018 and sentenced to 20 years in prison in January 2019. E’dena was an aspiring actress who had studied at NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts and appeared in the film Landing Up, released after her death.

Freeman released a statement following the tragedy: “The world will never know her artistry and talent, and how much she had to offer. Her friends and family were fortunate enough to have known what she meant as a person. Her star will continue to shine bright in our hearts, thoughts and prayers.”

Jeanette Adair Bradshaw attended her granddaughter’s funeral in 2015, one of her rare public appearances in recent decades. The loss deeply affected the entire family, bringing together both past and present connections.

Morgan Freeman’s Later Life

Freeman’s second marriage to Myrna Colley-Lee lasted from 1984 until their separation in December 2007, with divorce finalized in September 2010. Since then, Freeman has not remarried. He continues his successful acting career, maintaining relationships with all his children and grandchildren.

Freeman resides in Charleston, Mississippi, and maintains a home in New York City. Born on June 1, 1937, he remains active in the film industry, with a career spanning six decades. His work includes iconic films such as The Shawshank Redemption, Driving Miss Daisy, Million Dollar Baby (for which he won an Academy Award), Bruce Almighty, and the Now You See Me series.

Jeanette Adair Bradshaw’s life illustrates a path less common in celebrity culture: choosing personal dignity and family over fame. Her support during Morgan Freeman’s formative years contributed to the foundation that allowed his later success. She provided stability during uncertain times when Freeman was building his career from small theater roles and television work.

Her commitment to raising her daughters while supporting Freeman’s ambitions demonstrates strength that often goes unrecognized. The professional success of both Deena and Morgana reflects the stable family environment created during those early years.

Bradshaw’s decision to maintain complete privacy after divorce shows remarkable consistency in her values. For more than forty years, she has avoided capitalizing on her connection to one of Hollywood’s most respected actors. This choice speaks to character and independence.

Conclusion

Jeanette Adair Bradshaw’s story represents the experiences of many who support partners during their rise to success while choosing to remain outside the spotlight themselves. Her twelve-year marriage to Morgan Freeman from 1967 to 1979 coincided with his transition from struggling actor to established performer.

While she is best known as Morgan Freeman’s first wife, her life demonstrates that meaningful contributions do not require public recognition. Her choice to live privately, her role as mother to successful daughters, and her quiet strength through both joyful and tragic family moments create a legacy of dignity and integrity.

Bradshaw’s story reminds us that not all impactful lives are lived publicly. Her preference for privacy, maintained consistently for decades, reflects values that prioritize family, personal peace, and independence over fame or public attention.