After seven seasons of portraying the brilliant yet emotionally complex Dr. Shaun Murphy on The Good Doctor, actor Freddie Highmore is finally opening up about which moments were the hardest for him to bring to life on screen.
While fans often assume the fast-paced surgical scenes would be the most challenging, Highmore recently revealed that it was actually the deeply emotional confrontations that pushed him to his limits as an actor.
In interviews reflecting on his journey throughout the series, Highmore admitted that some of Shaun’s biggest breakdowns in Season 1 were especially difficult to film — particularly the moment when Shaun lashes out at Dr. Glassman in a heated confrontation.
“I think because they come at such a climactic moment in the story,” he explained, noting that emotional scenes tied to Shaun’s personal growth were always the most memorable — and the most exhausting — to perform.
Another standout challenge came during the episode in which Shaun attempts to defend himself professionally but ends up getting fired after struggling to communicate his thoughts effectively. According to Highmore, filming those scenes required an intense level of preparation in order to authentically portray how someone on the autism spectrum might process stress, fear, and rejection in real time.
The actor has long emphasized that playing Shaun Murphy required more preparation than any previous role in his television career. In order to make the character believable, Highmore worked closely with autism consultants, studied documentaries, and spoke directly with individuals connected to the autism community.
“It was important for all of us that the portrayal of the condition was authentic,” he shared in a past interview, highlighting the responsibility he felt in representing a character that millions of viewers could relate to on a personal level.
Even many of the quieter scenes proved to be surprisingly difficult. Rather than relying on dramatic outbursts, Highmore often had to communicate Shaun’s emotions through subtle physical gestures — trembling hands, darting eyes, or complete stillness — all while maintaining the character’s unique behavioral patterns.
As the series came to an end, Highmore said he remains proud not only of the medical storylines but also of the emotional honesty behind Shaun’s most vulnerable moments — even when they were the hardest scenes to film.
For fans, those very moments may be exactly what made Shaun Murphy unforgettable.