'The Good Doctor' star Freddie Highmore pulls double duty as director

LOS ANGELES (KABC) -- Actor Freddie Highmore is still front and center as the star of the drama series "The Good Doctor." And if playing Dr. Shawn Murphy wasn't enough to keep him busy, Highmore also took on the challenge of directing the Feb. 18 episode.

"I really enjoyed it. I got to direct on my old show so this was the second go at it," said Highmore. "It was a wonderful experience. The cast and the crew are so wonderful they carry you along and want you to succeed."

Highmore is proud of the way "The Good Doctor" has been able to realistically explore how people with autism navigate both professional and personal relationships.

"The positive reaction from either the people who have autism themselves or who are involved in the community in other ways, that's been the most inspiring thing about doing the show really," said Highmore. "Of course Shawn can't represent everyone on the spectrum, we're telling his individual story. But when it resonates personally with people it means an incredible amount."

"The Good Doctor" airs Mondays at 10 p.m. on ABC.