After The Good Doctor premiered on ABC in fall 2017, it quickly turned into the surprise hit of the season. With 11.8 million viewers tuning in to the series premiere, the show became the network’s most watched Monday drama debut in 21 years.
There was particular praise for lead actor Freddie Highmore’s thoughtful portrayal of Shaun Murphy, the savant surgical resident with autism. There’s even buzz that Highmore may be among the nominees for the Emmy for Best Drama Actor when nominations are announced on Thursday, July 12. Highmore is a leading man now, but the actor has come a long way.
Alfred Thomas “Freddie” Highmore was born in Camden Town, London, on February 14,1992. He was the first child of Sue Latimer, a talent agent whose client list includes Harry Potter star Daniel Radcliffe. Highmore himself started acting at age 7, but as his career grew, he managed to keep himself grounded. He attended a regular primary school growing up, even while acting, and the 26-year-old still lives in London.
As he told The Evening Standard, “I think the distance from [Hollywood] as well with school and university allows you to see the illusions or see through them more so than if that’s your reality,” he said. “But I think it also just helps you grow as an actor, too. If your only experiences are growing up on sets, then it gets to a point where you don’t have anything to draw on in terms of real-life experience to portray these characters.”
Here’s what else you need to know about Highmore’s ascent from child star to leading man.
The seven-year-old played the older son of Helena Bonham Carter’s character, Cora. This movie was also a family affair, as Highmore’s brother Bertie played the role of his younger brother in the film
In 2001, Highmore had another chance to act opposite a family member. In Jack and the Beanstalk: The Real Story, Highmore and his real-life father, actor Edward Highmore, played father and son.
Highmore played Peter Llewelyn Davies, the inspiration behind Peter Pan, in the historical drama film Finding Neverland. The film also starred Johnny Depp and Kate Winslet, and Highmore received nominations for the Saturn Award for Best Performance by a Younger Actor and Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Supporting Role. He won the Critics’ Choice Movie Award for Best Young Performer.
The young actor also made quite an impression on his cast mates. Depp told Entertainment Weekly, “When there were scenes with Freddie, Kate and I just stood back and let him go. It’s unbelievably compelling.” Winslet agreed, telling the magazine, “He has the most terrifying instincts, they’re just bang-on. And he has no idea that he has that.”
Released in 2005, 13-year-old Highmore played the movie’s main role of Charlie Bucket. When director Tim Burton had trouble finding an actor for the main role of Charlie, Highmore’s Finding Neverland co-star Johnny Depp, who played Wonka, reportedly recommended him for the role. In this film Highmore was also reconnected with his Women Talking Dirty co-star, Helena Bonham Carter.
Charlie and the Chocolate Factory was a hit, grossing $450 million worldwide, and Highmore again won the Critics’ Choice Movie Award for Best Young Performer, as well as the Satellite Award for Outstanding New Talent.
Bates Motel co-star Vera Farmiga congratulated Highmore on his previous double wins when they announced the nominees for the Best Young Actor award in 2015.
