He is known for his starring roles beginning as a child, in the films Finding Neverland (2004), Charlie and the Chocolate Factory (2005), Arthur and the Invisibles (2006), August Rush (2007), The Spiderwick Chronicles (2008), and Astro Boy (2009).

[8] Highmore worked at Gulf Bank in Kuwait as an intern in 2012 and at a law firm in Madrid during his year abroad while filming the first two seasons of Bates Motel, which made him briefly consider becoming a lawyer after graduation.

He made his film debut in Coky Giedroyc's comedy Women Talking Dirty (1999), playing the son of a woman who has recently become estranged from her commitment-phobic French lover.

[1] In 2001, Highmore played a young King Arthur in the TNT miniseries The Mists of Avalon, a take on the Arthurian legends that depicted the women of Camelot as the real power behind the throne.

He played the son of a French administrator who refuses to believe that his new friend, a tiger cub named Sangha, might be dangerous after having tasted blood.

That same year, Highmore made his breakthrough with a critically acclaimed performance as Peter Llewelyn Davies in Marc Forster's semi-biographical film Finding Neverland.

He next appeared as a young Max Skinner in Ridley Scott's comedy-drama film A Good Year, which was released in the UK on 27 October 2006.

[17] Also in 2010, he starred as Hally Ballard in the drama film Master Harold...and the Boys, based on the play of the same name by Athol Fugard.

[27] In August 2014, it was reported that NBC had purchased a comedy pilot script written and executive produced by Highmore and Bates Motel showrunner Kerry Ehrin.

[29] In 2016, Highmore starred in Stephen Poliakoff's BBC Two seven-part miniseries Close to the Enemy[30] and Nick Hamm's political comedy-drama film The Journey.

"I hope 'Alfresco', aside from being a play on my real name, Alfred, speaks more widely to a sense of refreshing, communal openness that is reflective of the stories we gravitate towards at the company," he said.

And that, I guess, shifted into not only wanting to develop my own ideas and projects that I was writing or directing or acting in, but also becoming a producer in a wider sense and helping other people tell their stories.

"[38] In August 2019, it was reported that Highmore will co-write and serve as an executive producer for Homesick, a dark comedy in development at the WarnerMedia-owned cable net, which will explore mental health, body image, toxic masculinity and what it means to defy "normal" gender expectations.