Few movie actors shine brighter than Morgan Freeman in the pantheon of cherished movie stars who have weathered the test of time and relevance.

During his 50 years in the entertainment industry, the 86-year-old actor has seen and done it all, and it’s safe to say he’s amassed a fair number of admirers along the way.

In fact, Freeman appears to have accomplished the extremely unusual accomplishment of being practically universally adored. He has no scandals to his name, is recognized for his tremendous work ethic and stand-out performances in some of the finest films ever made, and, of course, he has a calming voice unlike any other.

The Shawshank Redemption star has played a variety of characters throughout the years, but one thing fans have observed is that he always wears his characteristic golden earrings.

If you’re a Morgan Freeman fan, you’re probably aware with the set of golden earrings he wears while he’s out and about.

And it turns out he has a specific purpose for not trading them in.

According to sources, Freeman began wearing them as a young man, and they’ve been with him through all the ups and downs of his long and illustrious career.

Though he is now one of the world’s most popular superstars, Freeman struggled to get a break in the beginning, at least in his industry.

Unlike most other male cinema stars today, Freeman did not begin his career as a youngster or even as a young man. Instead, the actor had to wait until he was over 50 years old to have his shot. The 1986 picture Street Smart would prove to be the springboard for his career, and the rest, as they say, is history.

Since then, Freeman has grown in popularity on the big screen. He won an Oscar for his performance in Million Dollar Baby in 2005, and he has had Academy Award nominations for his efforts in films such as Street Smart (1986), The Shawshank Redemption (1994), and Invictus (2014).

Overall, his late-blooming career has supposedly won Freeman a fortune of $250 million (£199 million) (according to Celebrity Net Worth). Despite this, the seasoned actor has always worn the same pair of gold earrings.

After considerable debate, he finally disclosed to followers why he chose to wear the hoops, writing on Instagram: “These earrings. I’m constantly questioned about them. The fact is that these are only valuable enough for someone to purchase me a coffin if I die in an unfamiliar area. That’s why sailors wore them, and why I wear them.”

Meanwhile, Freeman told Fox News in 2016 that he was inspired by Burt Lancaster’s golden earrings in the 1952 film The Crimson Pirate.

“That was sexy to me.” Then I discovered that sailors wore gold earrings to cover burial expenses if they died in distant locations. “I’m a sailor, so that’s perfect,” Freeman added.

That’s something I had no idea about! Did you, too?