Who Is Freddie Highmore? The Brilliant Mind Behind The Good Doctor and His Surprising Spanish Connection

With audiences surpassing three million viewers per episode, The Good Doctor has become one of television’s most talked-about medical dramas. But beyond the stethoscope and scrubs, its lead actor Freddie Highmore remains something of a mystery to many fans. So, who exactly is the man who brings Dr. Shaun Murphy to life—and why does he speak Spanish perfectly?

Born Alfred Thomas Highmore on February 14, 1992, in London, Freddie grew up in a family immersed in the arts. His father, Edward Highmore, was a well-known British actor, while his mother, Sue Latimer, is a highly respected talent agent representing stars such as Daniel Radcliffe. With creativity running in his veins, Freddie began acting at the age of seven in the comedy Women Talking Dirty, sharing the screen with Helena Bonham Carter.

His talent shone early. By the time he was 12, he had already starred in Finding Neverland (2004) alongside Johnny Depp and Kate Winslet—a performance so powerful that he earned critical acclaim and was even pre-nominated for an Oscar. Depp was so impressed that he personally recommended Freddie to Tim Burton for Charlie and the Chocolate Factory (2005), where he played the sweet and imaginative Charlie Bucket.

From there, his career continued to flourish with roles in The Spiderwick Chronicles (2008) and the darkly complex Bates Motel, in which he portrayed a young Norman Bates. These performances showcased not only his range but also his remarkable emotional intelligence.

Yet, one of the most fascinating things about Freddie Highmore is not just his acting—it’s his intellect. Fluent in Spanish, Arabic, and French, Freddie graduated from the University of Cambridge with a double first in Spanish and Arabic. His perfect Spanish comes from having lived in Madrid for several months, where he worked as a translator for a law firm. During that time, he lived on Calle Fuencarral, frequented local bars to watch football, and jokingly told neighbors he had a Galician grandmother to fit in.

A passionate Arsenal fan, Freddie also loves playing the clarinet and video games in his downtime. Despite his fame, he avoids social media entirely, describing himself as a private person who prefers to let his work speak for itself.

As for his romantic life, Freddie has been linked in the past to actresses Sarah Bolger (The Tudors), Abigail Breslin (Little Miss Sunshine), and Dakota Fanning (The Twilight Saga). However, he keeps his personal relationships strictly out of the public eye—another sign of his grounded nature.