Freddie Highmore has played a wide array of characters. Among them, playing Charlie in Charlie and the Chocolate Factory is definitely his most iconic role. 

In the modern spin-off of the famous Psycho horror franchise, the actor can be seen sharing an intimate moment in one of the show's pivotal moments.

The bold scene also has garnered substantial interest in Highmore's sexuality, with more than a few people questioning if he was gay.

Freddie Highmore In An Intimate Gay Scene 'Bates Motel'

In Bates Motel, Freddie Highmore plays the infamous serial killer Norman Bates, once portrayed with disturbing accuracy by Anthony Perkins in legendary director Alfred Hitchcock's 1960 Psycho.

Over the years, many actors have embodied the killer's character, each adding their element of evil and nuances to Bates. But none have outdone Highmore when it comes to exploring the "Psycho's" sexuality in Bates Motel.  

While the character's sexuality isn't explicitly defined in the show, Its last season makes some shocking revelations. 

Much to the fans' surprise, Highmore's Norman even shares a kiss with another man in Season 5. This is surprising because in all of Norman Bates's previous iterations, not once has he been revealed to be gay.

Moreover, throughout the five seasons of the hit A&E production, Bates is portrayed as a straight man who passionately talks about sleeping with women and aggressively rejects gay advances.

By the end of the season, audiences (spoiler alert) also found out that after killing his mom in the Season 4 finale, Norman started to dress up as the deceased mother to pick up men at gay bars.

This new aspect of the character suggested that the troubled antagonist had been gay for years while imagining himself to be Norma. The revelation was such a groundbreaker that it even overshadowed Rihanna's appearance in the show.

Is Freddie Highmore Gay in Real Life?

Charlie and the Chocolate Factory actor has been acting since a young age. But despite being in the scene for all these years, the 28-year-old prefers to keep personal life details under the wraps.

There are no reports of marriage or current dating status. But over the years, the popular artist has been romantically linked to a few famous actresses. (Update: Highmore revealed he was a married man.)

Freddie first dated Sarah Bolger back in 2006, which ended in 2009. They both starred in The Spiderwick Chronicles as siblings. 

There were also rumors that Freddie had dated Dakota Fanning, Emma Roberts, and Abigail Breslin—all of whom are well-known actresses. However, these relationships have not been confirmed.

Fans Oblivious To Freddie Highmore's Personal Life

Unlike his contemporaries, Freddie likes to stay out of the social media buzz. While the former child star does have an Instagram account, it remains devoid of any updates or posts.

If only the Good Doctor star posted some glimpses into his hitherto concealed private life, the kissing scene from Bates Motel would probably not transpire all this unwarranted discussion on the actor's sexual preferences. 

Regardless, Freddie prefers keeping personal details under the wraps, which is why he steers clear of social media. According to the actor, the decision to stay out of such platforms is conscious and an effective one that helps him maintain a clear difference between his private and professional life.

In an interview with Evening Standard, the celeb talked about not getting involved with Twitter fans. 

I just feel like it’s always helped me maintain a clear difference between your private life at home and then when you’re working and that side of things.I don’t have any of those, the Twitter or anything. Maybe I should just get some secret account somewhere and keep up to date with everything.”

Despite being thrown into the glamour and fame of Hollywood at an early age, the star hasn't let it all get to his head. In the same interview, Freddie said that he is thankful to family and friends for not letting him go down a cliched child actor route. 

While unafraid to portray any kind of role on-screen, the beloved child actor remains humble and understandably private about his personal life—be it his sexuality or his relationships.