By DENIELLE LEONG
alltherage@thestar.com.my

FORMER child star Freddie Highmore is back on the acting scene, but don’t expect to see him on the silver screen any time soon. Instead, you can find the British actor, now 21, on television as he stars in the brand new series Bates Motel.

The show is a contemporary prequel of the 1960 horror classic Psycho, which is about the lives of Norma Bates and her 17-year-old son Norman, played by Highmore.

Already renewed for a second season following strong ratings and favourable reviews, the show also stars Vera Farmiga (The Departed, Up In The Air, Source Code) as Norma.

Having grown up playing roles in movies like Finding Neverland and Charlie And The Chocolate Factory, portraying a psychopath is unfamiliar territory for Highmore, though it is a challenge he relishes.

“It would be boring if I kept doing the same thing, so it’s great to have the opportunity to play something else,” he said.

“Playing Norman is quite a challenge, but I’ve gained some inspiration from watching Anthony Perkins’ iconic performance (in Psycho).”

In the original film, Norman was a serial killer who suffered from dissociative identity disorder. Bates Motel will highlight the earlier years of the man as he begins to discover his other self.

Rest assured, Highmore knows enough about acting to do justice to the role. He’s been in the business for over a decade, starting with minor television roles when he was just seven, before moving on to the big screen.

You could probably say playing Charlie in Charlie And The Chocolate Factory was the “golden ticket” in his movie career, though the transition to adult roles is often the trickiest part for child actors.

But Highmore, who is currently studying in the University of Cambridge, doesn’t quite see what’s the problem. “It’s just that you get older, so you start playing older characters.

“As I grow older, I become more confident with voicing my opinions. I try to contribute ideas on set and get more involved, rather than just sitting around.”

Catch Freddie Highmore in Bates Motel every Wednesday at 10.50pm on Universal HD (HyppTV Ch 612).