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Freddie Highmore has the kind of screen presence where you feel like he is pulling you into the story without even trying to move a finger. He has been doing that ever since he was a child actor, and honestly, he still does it better than most actors his age.
If you are wondering which Freddie Highmore projects deserve a place on your watchlist, I am here to answer just that! And I can assure you that these five picks are the perfect place to start because they show how wide and crazy his range really is.
5 Freddie Highmore movies and TV shows that deserve a spot on your watchlist
1) Bates Motel (TV Show)
Psycho? Monster: The Ed Gein Story? Um, nah. Timeline-wise, let's take a step back because this is one project in Highmore's resume that shows just how exceptional his capability as an actor really is.
With Bates Motel, Highmore has the pleasure of diving right into Norman Bates’ early years, expanding on the theme of being a mama's boy.
Bates Motel depicts how a sweet and shy teenager slowly slips into an extremely dark mental world. What makes it so fascinating is how human Freddie Highmore makes Norman feel, how he makes a monster feel human. All we see is a kid who wants to be normal, who really wants to make his mother proud. But then you also see how everything around him keeps pulling him into darkness, the kind that is so out of his control.
The show plants you right into the middle of the Bates family mess. After the death of Norma’s husband, she drags Norman to a coastal town where they try to start over by running a motel. At first, nothing feels too strange, but the more the story unfolds, the more you understand why Norman’s mind starts cracking.
Freddie Highmore plays those shifts so naturally that you barely notice when Norman and his psyche start to shift. At times, he is soft and lost, and the next second, you feel a chill run down your spine just from the way he looks at someone. It is honestly wild, and if you love this kind of content to consume, Bates Hotel would definitely be right up your alley.
The supporting cast is great, too, but the heart of the show is the intense yet creepy and uncomfortable bond between Norman and his mother. Every scene between the two feels heavy and confusing in the best as well as the worst way.
Bates Motel does not just explore a famous and iconic character from psychological horror cinema. He takes it further and expands on the various layers of the character. We see his fears, hopes, and confusion all in long form, and Freddie Highmore is the one who keeps the entire thing grounded.
2) The Good Doctor (TV Show)
The Good Doctor shows a completely different side of Freddie Highmore, and that is exactly why it deserves a spot on any watchlist. Instead of playing a dangerous a unpredictable killer, here, he plays Shaun Murphy, a young surgeon with autism and intellectual abilities, who works at a high-pressure hospital.
What makes Shaun Murphy so special is how gently Freddie Highmore handles the personality of a character. He keeps Shaun honest, soft, and focused, which makes every episode feel special.
The show takes Shaun from a small-town past filled with loss to a fast-paced medical environment where people underestimate him before he even gets a chance to speak.
Watching Freddie Highmore balance Shaun’s vulnerability with his insane medical talent is honestly one of the best parts of the medical show. Highmore brilliantly showcases how Shaun processes emotions differently, how he approaches relationships carefully, and how he tries so hard to fit in while staying true to who he is. It is the kind of performance that makes you root for him without even noticing.
The Good Doctor incorporates hospital stress with personal stories really well. You get surgeries, friendships, heartbreaks, and career changes, all while understanding how Shaun grows through every challenge. Freddie Highmore was also a producer on the show, which testifies to how connected he was to the project.
If you want something warm, medical, and intense, this is the show that proves how much range Freddie Highmore has as an actor.
3) Close to the Enemy (TV Show)
Close to the Enemy is one of those shows where Freddie Highmore does not take over every scene, yet he stands out every time he appears. The story is set right after World War II, in a London that is trying to rebuild itself while carrying the weight of everything that has happened.
In this series, a British intelligence officer is pressured to convince a captured German scientist to work for the British government. While all the tension builds between these characters, Freddie Highmore plays the character Victor Ferguson, a volatile young man who struggles significantly with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) after his intense experiences fighting in the Second World War.
Even though he is not the main lead, he adds depth and youth to a world filled with distrust and political pressure.
The show has scenes filled with pressure, guilt, and moral dilemmas. It is very different from the high-energy storytelling people might expect. Instead, it lets the characters think before speaking, and makes every conversation carry weight.
This is why Freddie Highmore fits into it so well. He has this subtle acting style that makes even the smallest scene feel important. If you want a slower, more atmospheric series where you see a different side of him, this one deserves a place on your list.
4) August Rush (Film)
Okay, if you're a music buff, then August Rush is a must-watch! No, it's not a biopic of a famous musical artist, but it does have all the right chords and the right scales to put you in a feel-good mood.
This is where Freddie Highmore (as a child actor) turns into a young musical prodigy who believes he can find his parents simply by following the music he hears everywhere. And it's true, is it not? Music is indeed everywhere.
The way he plays Evan Taylor (aka August Rush!) is so full of innocence and wonder that you find no other choice but to connect with him. He has this belief that the world is bigger and more magical than common folks might think, and his confidence in sound and rhythm makes the story feel alive with music.
The film starts off with the story of two strangers who meet through music, then lose each other, and then lose their child without being aware of his existence. That child then grows up in an orphanage, surrounded by noise but never losing the feeling that his parents will somehow, someday find him. (Spoiler alert: they do, and it is beautiful!)
Evan has the kind of hope that hits you right in the chest. He listens to every sound like there is a secret message waiting only for him. He sees and hears music in things most people ignore. And when he finally gets the chance to express his talent, you can sense how free he feels.
The journey takes Evan through busy streets, street performance life, and eventually into the world of real music education. The whole time, Freddie Highmore plays him as a humble, curious, and full-of-heart.
Even when the story gets stressful, he never lets go of the softness of the character that keeps the movie warm. If you love films with music and a little bit of magic, August Rush is a perfect Freddie Highmore pick to add to your watchlist!
5) The Spiderwick Chronicles (Film)
The Spiderwick Chronicles is a fun and fast fantasy film where Freddie Highmore plays the double role of twins named Jared and Simon. This is where you really see his versatility because he makes both of these characters feel completely different from each other.
Jared is stubborn, while Simon is calm, and Freddie Highmore switches between them so smoothly that you forget one actor is performing both roles.
The starts off with a family moving into an old home that holds a strange field guide with information about magical creatures. Once Jared gets his hands on it, everything starts to spiral at home.
Goblins come out of nowhere, creatures that start attacking, and the family gets sucked into a secret world they never expected. Freddie Highmore carries the whole adventure with so much energy that the story never slows down. Even in the most chaotic scenes, he keeps the characters grounded.
The cool part about this movie is how it highlights family problems through fantasy elements. One minute, the twins are arguing about trust, and the next minute, they are fighting off something from the woods. Highmore gives both brothers such distinct personalities that their reactions make every scene more fun to watch.
If you want something magical and something that is filled with creative world-building, The Spiderwick Chronicles shows just how strong Freddie Highmore was even at a young age.
Freddie Highmore has grown from being a talented child actor to a mature and thoughtful actor who chooses roles that challenge him and his abilities. These aforementioned five projects demonstrate his range as a performer.
From dark psychological stories to medical dramas to magical adventures, if you want a watchlist that offers you variety and keeps you hooked from start to finish, these picks are the perfect way to appreciate everything Freddie Highmore has to bring to your screens!
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