Freddie Highmore has come a long way since starring in the drama-thriller series, Bates Motel, from 2013-2017. Highmore—a 28-year-old English actor—first gained fame as a child actor. In 1999, he made his debut in the comedy Women Talking Dirty, and a few years later played a young King Arthur in the TNT miniseries The Mists of Avalon.
Highmore became a household name in the early 2000s as he starred in hits including Finding Neverland, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, August Rush, and The Spiderwick Chronicles. Highmore won a Critics’ Choice Movie Award for Best Young Performer for his role as Peter in Finding Neverland, and was nominated for various other accolades. And he won the same Critics’ Choice award—as well as the Satellite Award for Outstanding New Talent—for his acclaimed portrayal of Charlie Bucket.
Bates Motel is what launched Highmore from children’s movies into an adult acting career. From 2013-2017, he portrayed Norman Bates in the A&E series, alongside Vera Farmiga as Norma Bates. The show is a prequel to the classic Alfred Hitchcock movie, Psycho. Highmore was praises by critics for his portrayal of Norman, a role that won him People’s Choice, Saturn, Satellite, and Critics’ choice awards. Highmore also took a stab at writing and directing during his time on the series.
What Freddie Highmore Has Done Since Bates Motel Ended
Highmore played a number of other roles during his time as Norman Bates, including Victor Ferguson in the British period drama miniseries Close to the Enemy—which aired in late 2016—and Jack the driver in the 2016 British-Irish drama film, The Journey. The same year, he played Charlie, a promising young chef, in the American comedy-drama film Almost Friends. Highmore’s first role after Bates Motel came to an end was that of a French cyclist who is secretly a woman in the sports doping rockumentary television film, Tour de Pharmacy, also starring Andy Samberg and Orlando Bloom.
In 2017, Highmore began playing Shaun Murphy in the new medical drama series, The Good Doctor, based on the 2013 South Korean series of the same name, which was adapted by Daniel Dae Kim of Lost fame. In the show, which first aired in September 2017 and was just renewed for a fourth season, Highmore plays a young autistic surgical resident at a fictional hospital. Highmore has been lauded by critics for his portrayal of the title character, for which he’s received various Golden Globe, Teen Choice, Gold Derby, People’s Choice, and Critics’ Choice awards. Highmore has also written and directed some of the series’ episodes. Highmore’s success with Bates Motel is certainly what led him to this role, which is in turn further establishing his career.