Freddie Highmore‘s recent trip to “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” was a cake walk compared to the time he had to hide in a closet to avoid a television host with a particular set of backstage rules. “The Good Doctor” actor revealed to Kimmel that he was once forced into a “dark broom closet” before a talk show appearance because the unnamed host was against seeing his or her guests before the on-air interview.
“I’m trying to avoid saying the name, but this host doesn’t like seeing guests beforehand,” Highmore said (via Entertainment Weekly). “So I was coming backstage with a couple of the producers and they looked up and they saw the host at the end of the corridor and they were really, really scared.”
“They grabbed me and they threw me into the next door that was right by the hallway and it was a broom closet. A dark broom closet,” Highmore continued. “I was there for about a minute and they were like these sort of secret service agents on their phones like, ‘Are we clear? Are we good? Have they gone? Can we bring him out?’ Terrified.”
“You were stuck into a closet?” Kimmel asked. Highmore replied, “And then just walked out as if nothing happened!”
Highmore told Kimmel that his backstage experience before their interview together was a “much more pleasant way of spending my evening” and added, “Thank you for being a decent human being.”
Kimmel tried to figure out which television host Highmore was referring to and cracked a joke: “Kathie Lee Gifford did that to you?” Highmore didn’t budge, although he did tease: “Close.”
Highmore remains clueless as to whether or not the host realizes he or she made him go to an absurd length just to avoid him or her. The actor never brought it up, explaining, “I thought it wasn’t a good moment to say, ‘Nice to see you. I was just put in a broom closet.’”
Highmore is best known for starring as a child actor in films such as “Finding Neverland” and “Charlie and the Chocolate Factory.” As a young adult, he starred as Norman Bates on AMC’s “Bates Motel” for five seasons. Highmore currently stars in the lead role on ABC’s medical drama “The Good Doctor,” which is currently in its sixth season.
