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Cape Town - Some Twitter users need to brush up on their world knowledge.
In response to Nelson Mandela's death on Thursday, many tweeted tributes to the icon, but used pictures of Morgan Freeman, who played Madiba in the rugby movie Invictus, instead.
The 76-year-old star, who is still alive, began trending on Twitter as a result of the error, with some accounts popping up to honour the late icon and used Freeman as the profile pic:
A Tumblr page also sprung up called 'Who is Nelson Mandela?' and posts screenshots of tweets where people clearly have no idea who the world-renowned peace icon is, with some thinking he is a beer or a wrestler, and one user tweeting, "Can someone please tell me who Nelson Mandela is because I've seen two pictures of Morgan Freeman so far and I just don't know what it means."
Many responded to the mix-up with disdain and frustration at the people's ignorance.
One Twitter user, who was chastised by many for wanting the Freeman pics to go away on Twitter, wrote:
Freeman's response to Mandela's passing
The real Freeman, who played Mandela in the rugby movie Invictus, responded in an article posted on Time's website about how Madiba changed his life.
"How many of us could have done what he did upon his release? How many of us could have sworn off vengeance and preached reconciliation? How many of us could have turned the final chapters of our own life into a new beginning for our nation’s people?" wrote Freeman.
"Madiba, as his friends called him, and I became friends back in the 1990s when, during a press conference, he was asked whom he would want to portray him in a film. To my everlasting honor, he mentioned me, and thus began our 20-year relationship."
"I got to walk with him, talk with him, hold his hand and get to know one of the greatest men who ever lived."
"In his determination to break from the chains of the past, he allowed us all to join him as the masters of our fate and the captains of our souls."
In response to Nelson Mandela's death on Thursday, many tweeted tributes to the icon, but used pictures of Morgan Freeman, who played Madiba in the rugby movie Invictus, instead.
The 76-year-old star, who is still alive, began trending on Twitter as a result of the error, with some accounts popping up to honour the late icon and used Freeman as the profile pic:
These Americans do realise that Morgan Freeman is not Nelson Mandela? pic.twitter.com/FkYFi05lgw
— Jared Carneson (@jaredcarneson) December 6, 2013???? idk about Matthew sometimes he got Nelson Mandela mixed up with Morgan freeman pic.twitter.com/ZAAZArPbGn
— Jasmine Harris (@SmileyHarris1) December 6, 2013Damn, RIP Nelson Mandela. That dude was like a god pic.twitter.com/GMVMIJB0T5
— ARIZONA 8-0 (@JaeFromAZ) December 5, 2013A Tumblr page also sprung up called 'Who is Nelson Mandela?' and posts screenshots of tweets where people clearly have no idea who the world-renowned peace icon is, with some thinking he is a beer or a wrestler, and one user tweeting, "Can someone please tell me who Nelson Mandela is because I've seen two pictures of Morgan Freeman so far and I just don't know what it means."
Many responded to the mix-up with disdain and frustration at the people's ignorance.
One Twitter user, who was chastised by many for wanting the Freeman pics to go away on Twitter, wrote:
I
honestly believe some of you think Nelson Mandela and Morgan Freeman
are the same person. And that's why you can't comprehend my tweet.
— Spoiled Little Brat (@spoiledbratprbz) December 5, 2013Freeman's response to Mandela's passing
The real Freeman, who played Mandela in the rugby movie Invictus, responded in an article posted on Time's website about how Madiba changed his life.
"How many of us could have done what he did upon his release? How many of us could have sworn off vengeance and preached reconciliation? How many of us could have turned the final chapters of our own life into a new beginning for our nation’s people?" wrote Freeman.
"Madiba, as his friends called him, and I became friends back in the 1990s when, during a press conference, he was asked whom he would want to portray him in a film. To my everlasting honor, he mentioned me, and thus began our 20-year relationship."
"I got to walk with him, talk with him, hold his hand and get to know one of the greatest men who ever lived."
"In his determination to break from the chains of the past, he allowed us all to join him as the masters of our fate and the captains of our souls."
