He may only be 25, but Freddie Highmore already has one of the most impressive CVs in Hollywood.
The London-born actor received international acclaim after starring alongside Johnny Depp and Kate Winslet in Finding Neverland, which then led to Freddie, at age 13, being cast in the title role of the remake of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. Most recently, he was the star of the TV horror drama Bates Motel, before landing the role of Dr Shaun Murphy in The Good Doctor
With parents in the industry – his mum Sue Latimer is Daniel Radcliffe’s agent and dad Edward is an actor – they tried to dissuade Freddie from acting.
‘My parents’ influence was more encouraging me not to do acting. I went to university an took time away from acting, before going back with Bates Motel,’ Freddie explains. ‘I did that so it was more of an active choice for me to pursue acting as an adult, as opposed to it being something I ended up doing because I did it as a kid.’
To prepare for the role of Shaun, a surgeon with autism and Savant syndrome, Freddie studied hard, which he claims is the secret to his big success!
‘We felt a great deal of pressure and responsibility with the character,’ says Freddie. ‘We wanted to portray Shaun authentically, but at the same time, it’s necessary to recognise that Shaun should not be held up as a representative for all people who have autism.’
