Why The Good Doctor is Freddie Highmore’s best role yet

There was only a three-day turnaround for actor Freddie Highmore to “check out” of Bates Motel and hightail it to the hospital for The Good Doctor.

“It was pretty quick – I finished shooting my final scenes on Bates Motel and then, three days later, I was sitting down with [The Good Doctor creator] David Shore,” Freddie (left) tells TV WEEK.

David is known for his Midas touch – he created hit drama House, after all. And when he explained the premise of The Good Doctor to Freddie, it seemed like a no-brainer.

“It tells the story of Dr Shaun Murphy, a brilliant young surgeon with autism and savant syndrome,” the actor says.

“He is such a fascinating and intricate character, and an important one. All of that excited me.”

After five seasons playing Norman Bates in acclaimed series Bates Motel, Freddie was ready for a change. The Good Doctor proved the perfect fit.

“I had such a great time on Bates Motel,” Freddie, 25, says. “But this was something very different and it seemed like the right step.”

It certainly offers the actor a challenge, with The Good Doctor committed to exploring autism, not exploiting it.

“There’s a huge amount of responsibility and research that comes with it,” Freddie says. “I wanted to make sure Shaun was portrayed as authentically as possible in regards to his autism.

“I watched a lot of documentaries, read pieces of literature and then worked closely with the consultant we had on set.”

With little dialogue and an emphasis on behavioural patterns, the role of Shaun is no mean feat. But it’s clear Freddie has fully committed.

“I kept reminding myself that Shaun shouldn’t represent everyone in the world who has autism or is on the spectrum,” he explains.

“It was important to construct an individual who has autism and also savant syndrome, but isn’t defined by those two conditions.”

The fact Freddie brought such sophistication to the role is hardly surprising. He’s been one to watch since his breakout role in Finding Neverland in 2004.

“It’s funny how time flies, as they say, because Neverland doesn’t feel like that long ago,” Freddie muses. “But it’s 13 years now, which is over half my life.”

The child star quickly became hot property in Hollywood. He teamed up with Neverland co-star Johnny again in Charlie And The Chocolate Factory in 2005, then two years later shared the screen with the late Robin Williams in August Rush.

“You learn a huge amount just from being around people like Robin and Johnny – not only in terms of acting, but also how to behave on a film set,” Freddie says.

“No matter how much they succeeded – and Johnny and Robin were at the top of their game – they never felt like they were better than anyone else.”

It’s a trait Freddie has applied to his own life. He maintains a strict sense of normality, despite his growing profile.

After finishing his studies at the University of Cambridge, in England, Freddie spent a year abroad. He lived in Madrid in Spain and worked in a law office.

“I think it’s important, if you want to be an actor, to have as broad a range of life experiences as possible,” he explains.

“That’s what you’ll end up drawing on – the people you’ve met; the things you’ve seen. So to live in Madrid and just work a regular job was really essential.”

It’s put him in good stead for whatever happens next. And while rumours are already swirling that his performance in The Good Doctor might earn him an Emmy nod, Freddie isn’t fussed.

In fact, he’s already prepared a back-up plan in case his acting career doesn’t pan out.

“Well, I’ve never been to Australia,” Freddie says. “So if it all came to an end next week, I’d go there, take a break and see what happened next. [Laughs] Australia seems like a good place to reassess and reboot one’s life.”

Somehow, we have a feeling Freddie needn’t worry about his future in the slightest.