Freddie Highmore has spent years captivating audiences with his emotionally layered performances, but it wasn’t until The Good Doctor entered its later seasons that the industry finally took formal notice. After years of delivering quietly brilliant work as Dr. Shaun Murphy, Highmore earned a long-overdue Golden Globe nomination — a moment that felt both triumphant and inevitable.
The question isn’t why Freddie Highmore finally got nominated. The real question is: what took so long? Since its premiere in 2017, The Good Doctor has stood out from the crowded field of medical dramas, largely thanks to Highmore’s lead performance. As Dr. Shaun Murphy — a young surgical resident with autism and savant syndrome — Highmore brings a rare combination of technical precision and emotional depth. He doesn’t play Shaun for sympathy or spectacle. Instead, he portrays him with honesty, dignity, and nuance.
The character of Shaun is not defined by his diagnosis. He is defined by his passion for medicine, his brutal honesty, and his relentless pursuit of understanding the world and his place in it. Highmore’s performance avoids caricature and cliché, which is exactly why it resonates. Freddie Highmore is no stranger to praise. From his early roles in Finding Neverland and Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, to his unforgettable turn as Norman Bates in Bates Motel, Highmore has always been a critical darling. He even won a People’s Choice Award and earned a Critics’ Choice nomination for The Good Doctor early in the show’s run. But the Golden Globes — often seen as a predictor of the Emmys and Oscars — had curiously left him off the ballot, year after year. That changed when, in a twist of poetic justice, Highmore was finally nominated after Season 6 of The Good Doctor, a season that pushed both the character and the actor into deeper, more challenging emotional terrain.
By Season 6, Shaun is no longer just the gifted outsider trying to prove himself. He’s now a respected surgeon, a mentor, and, perhaps most impactfully, a husband. His marriage to Lea (Paige Spara) added new layers to his character — exposing his vulnerabilities, his growth, and his capacity for profound emotional connection. The season also tackled some of the show’s most gut-wrenching storylines to date, including pregnancy complications, moral dilemmas in the operating room, and Shaun’s own struggles with fatherhood and fear. Highmore handled each arc with such control and authenticity that viewers couldn’t help but feel everything Shaun felt — the anxiety, the joy, the heartbreak, and the hope.
It’s important to note that Highmore does more than act on The Good Doctor. He also serves as a producer and has directed several episodes. His fingerprints are all over the series’ tone, pacing, and integrity. As both artist and storyteller, Highmore has helped shape Shaun into a character that challenges perceptions of autism, dismantles stereotypes, and redefines what it means to be a TV “hero.” He doesn’t save lives with charm or bravado, but with intellect, honesty, and a stubborn refusal to quit.
Freddie Highmore’s Golden Globe nomination isn’t just about one good season or one great performance. It’s about years of consistency, depth, and commitment to a role that’s as complex as it is culturally significant. In an industry that often rewards the loudest, flashiest roles, Highmore’s subtlety stood out because it was earned. He made the internal visible. He let silence speak. And he reminded audiences that strength comes in many forms — sometimes quiet, sometimes awkward, but always real.
The announcement of Highmore’s nomination was met with an outpouring of support on social media. Fans, co-stars, and even critics expressed delight — many noting that it was “about time.” Some pointed to specific episodes in Season 6 as being awards-worthy (“The Shaun Show,” “A Blip,” and “Quiet and Loud” were frequent mentions), while others praised Highmore’s years-long dedication to portraying Shaun with care and compassion. Many fans shared personal stories, crediting The Good Doctor and Highmore’s performance with helping them understand autism, feel seen, or find comfort in difficult moments. For Highmore, who has always deflected praise and emphasized the collaborative nature of the show, the nomination is undoubtedly a team victory. But it’s also a recognition of his own extraordinary talent.
As the show prepares for its final season, the Golden Globe nod feels like a full-circle moment. It acknowledges the impact Highmore has had — not just on The Good Doctor, but on the television landscape as a whole. His legacy isn’t just tied to awards, but to the doors he’s opened for stories about neurodivergent individuals. He’s raised the bar for how these roles should be written, cast, and portrayed. And he’s done it all with humility and heart.
Whether or not he wins the Globe, Highmore has already achieved something far more enduring: he’s made a difference. Freddie Highmore’s Golden Globe nomination for The Good Doctor was long overdue, but ultimately, perfectly timed. It recognizes years of subtle brilliance, emotional complexity, and narrative integrity. More importantly, it celebrates a performance that has challenged norms, touched lives, and elevated what we expect from television drama. In the end, Highmore didn’t need awards to prove his worth. But for fans who’ve watched his quiet genius for years, the recognition feels not just deserved — it feels right.
