Actor Freddie Highmore shares that The Good Doctor Season 3 has received a positive response from the autism community as they see themselves in the mirror. By Team Viva

• How was your experience directing the episodes of Season 2? Will we see more episodes directed by you?

Yes, I will direct again in Season 3. I am very excited for it. I am grateful to David Shore that he gave me the opportunity to get involved in the show not only from an acting perspective but writing and directing too. However, I am more inclined towards directing and would love to take my interest forward with this series. I had directed Bates Motel before this, it’s a perfect place to learn and to start developing directing skills. They offer a supportive environment and an understanding crew. I loved directing in that familial environment.

• You’re dating in this season which has become the talk of the town. What would you say to your fans who seem to have an opinion on who you should be dating?

It will be wrong on my part to partner with anyone at the end of this hopeful, long exploration  journey of love. But this dramatises the central question for Shaun. Will he find love this season?

One of the wonderful things about David Shore’s writing is that he has always managed to dig into the nuances of the characters. The idea that Season 2 ended with Shaun asking Carly on a date and then saying yes to some one else, is a good indication as to where things will go in Season 3. We see Shaun learning to explore what love and dating could be, which is exciting for the audience to watch.  It is something everyone will be able to relate to.

• It is said that in Season 3 Shaun won’t be able to save everyone. Will he go through more extreme situations? Did you get pushed for this?

I wouldn’t say it that I was pushed for it. David Shore always has a very strong understanding of what he wants to do. And he is ultimately trying to support that vision in the best possible way. Yes, there was more emotional turmoil for Shaun this season. Things went to the next level in terms of responsibility. The residents have their first surgery this year and everyone at the beginning of Season 2 is battling it out for who will be the first person to get that opportunity.

• Does this season represent a brand new start for Shaun. And if so, will it be more dramatic?

The stakes are higher as in Shaun has more to lose now than he did at the beginning. He was trying to find his place at the hospital but if we go back in time, had someone fired Shaun early, it would have been easier to imagine him moving to a different path or ending up in a different hospital. Whereas now, he has so many people around. He had a connection with Claire from the very beginning and he has his friend in Lea now. I feel like Shaun and Dr Park are getting closer in this season. Shaun finally finds his place.

• There are so many amazing veteran actors on the show that you get to work with. Would you like to share what you learned from them?

It’s a very collaborative and loving environment on set. Everyone feels that they can give an input into every scene and feel creative about themselves. We enjoy on the sets but at the same time maintain a professional working environment too. Though this is the third season of the show but we still maintain that standard of every scene and episode because all of us are aware of the need to maintain the quality.

It was wonderful that I got the opportunity to spend so many seasons with Richard Schiff. He is a brilliant actor and a wonderful person. He is always excited to try something different. He never comes to sets with pre-conceived ideas of how something should be and is always open to new ideas. He is constantly pushing himself, it’s a joy to work with him.

• What was the biggest challenge you faced as an actor for this season?

I watched a documentary way back before shooting the pilot called Autism and Lust. There is so much of the narrative around autism, focussing on the real struggles that people with the disorder go through. Same was the case with my character Shaun. The focus of the documentary is the fact that people with autism are often categorised as emotionless. The idea of showing someone with autism was the most wonderful feeling. I try to dig into a nuanced level of what Shaun is dealing with and what he feels as he tries to navigate falling in love for the first time. How he is taking those little steps of going on a date or being physically closer to someone. This new pool of sensation has been interesting.

• You were nominated for the Golden Globes with Best Performance in the series. What does it mean to you?

The awards were undoubtedly amazing. It was such a great honour to receive recognition and being a foreigner myself, it mattered a lot. Of course, when people see my face, they recall Shaun but there are so many more elements that go into creating one particular character.

• You’re filming the season at Vancouver. Is the place beginning to feel like a second home for you?

It certainly is, especially because of Bates Motel, the show that I was on before the Good Doctor. So this is my eighth year in a row filming something in Vancouver. I have spent most of my life working in Vancouver, which is a funny thing to acknowledge. I love the city and whenever this wonderful journey comes to an end, I’m sure my connection with the place will remain special.

• You said that you have fans worldwide for this show. Do you remember a fan reaction that stayed with you?

Without going into personal stories, I would like to share about the most meaningful response that we’ve received are from people within the autism community, either people who see themselves reflected in Shaun and some big or small way or people who have family members who are on the spectrum or children and seeing to what extent Shaun can offer a certain amount of hope or even just someone to identify with and point to and say, “Shaun is a little bit like me.”  Those have been the most rewarding interactions.

• You started your career as a child actor. We see that a lot of  young actors are not successful when they mature. What reasons would you credit to your success?

I am lucky that I have a very supportive family. While pursuing my education during childhood, acting was not the focus of my life. I was fortunate enough to make a transition from young actor to an old one. I am glad that I did Bates Motel because there was never a moment  where I needed to change myself from child to adult in the span of five years of  that show. It felt like the transition was not a conscious effort. I went into the show as a young guy and left as an adult.

(The show is live on SonyLIV.)