IT'S BEEN A JOURNEY
The Good Doctor's star relishes the opportunities his series provides
If you spot Freddie Highmore out and about, please don't ask him for medical advice.
Speaking in an interview from his Vancouver apartment during a break in shooting ABC'S The Good Doctor, I ask him if friends and family have started to seek him out when they have health concerns. “They don't, and I think that's wise,” he says with a trace of a laugh. “I don't think I'd be very helpful. I definitely don't raise my hand if a doctor is needed.”
But going into his sixth season playing Dr. Shaun Murphy on the hit medical drama, Highmore, 30, has picked up some tips from portraying the autistic surgeon with savant syndrome.
“I'd say the medical jargon is something that I've got used to wrapping my tongue around,” the British actor says in a video call. “I guess I've learned a bit how to suture, but not enough to trust myself in any way. There's probably some shortcuts in there that would probably be more harmful.”
But then the Golden Globe nominee, who caught his big break opposite Johnny Depp and Kate Winslet in Finding Neverland (2004), has a light bulb moment. “If you could do a medical degree alongside making a show, that would be quite something,” he says with a grin.
After a tension-filled season première that found Shaun and Lea's (Paige Spara) wedding interrupted by a violent attack that puts the staff at St. Bonaventure at risk, next week's episode will find the attending surgeon's colleague Dr. Lim (Christina Chang) struggling to get to the bottom of what really happened in the operating room during her life-saving surgery.
This season will also see Shaun take charge of a pair of first-year residents, Dr. Powell (Savannah Welch) and Dr. Perez (Brandon Larracuente).
“Shaun is definitely going to struggle with that,” Highmore says.
“It's new for him. He has to reinvent himself a bit and try and teach people rather than impulsively act and follow his brilliant mind. He has to try and share that with others. It's going to be a really interesting dynamic having Shaun and Dr. Park (Will Yun Lee) be that more senior presence.”
Adapted from a South Korean series by David Shore (House), The Good Doctor's newer episodes will shift the focus of Shaun and Lea's
Of course, he has autism and there are fundamental things about him that don't change. But he's definitely grown as a person.
relationship as the couple moves on to the next stage of their life together.
“I think there will be a big decision for them about starting a family.
“They had difficulties with that in the past and that's going to be a challenge for them,” Highmore allows. “I think now that they're married, the stakes are higher. Those kinds of decisions are bigger than what's for dinner or where they're going for vacation.”
Highmore, who is also a producer on the show, says Shaun's lauded portrayal of a man dealing with autism will continue to evolve and sew new roots for a character that initially struggled to find his place among higher-ups who were skeptical of his condition.
“His constant evolution has been a really exciting part of the role. Shaun in season 6 is different to the Shaun we met at the beginning of the series,” he says.
“Of course, he has autism and there are fundamental things about him that don't change. But he's definitely grown as a person.”
After spending five seasons as Psycho killer Norman Bates on Bates Motel, it has been gratifying to slip into a role where he has the chance at a happy ending.
“Looking back on his journey — we just had our 100th episode — it's nice to see how far he's come. He's got married and he's having conversations about wanting to start a family. It's amazing to play a character with such growth.”
But what about his own journey? Highmore is one of those rare child stars who was able to navigate early stardom before graduating to more grown-up roles. What would he think of the road he travelled?
“I think he'd feel — as I do now — that he was lucky to get the opportunities and be on this journey,” Highmore says thoughtfully. “But I think he'd probably be surprised by the amount of time I've spent in Canada.
“I think he'd be like, `Wow, this is your 11th season in a row in Vancouver between Bates Motel and The Good Doctor?' He'd be surprised to learn that I spent most of my adult life here.”