Martin John Christopher Freeman
8 September 1971

Freeman was born in Aldershot, Hampshire, the youngest of five children. His parents, Philomena and Geoffrey Freeman (a naval officer) separated when Freeman was a child. When Freeman was 10 years old, his father died of a heart attack. Freeman attended the Salesian School, Chertsey before attending Brooklands Collegefor media studies. His older brother Tim became a musician with the group Frazier Chorus.

Freeman was raised as a Roman Catholic. Although his family was not strict in their religious practices, his religion had a profound influence on him. As a child, he was asthmatic, and had to undergo a hip operation for what he has described as a dodgy leg.

Freeman lives in Potters Bar in Hertfordshire with his partner, actress Amanda Abbington, whom he met on the set of Men Only in 2000. The couple have two children together: Joe (born 2006) and Grace (born 2008). They have appeared in other productions together, including Sherlock, Swinging with the Finkels, The Debt, The Robinsons, and The All Together.

In an edition of Who Do You Think You Are?aired August 2009, Freeman discovered that his grandfather, Leonard Freeman, was a medic who was killed a couple of days before the Dunkirk evacuation at the beginning of World War II. Leonard’s father, Richard, was born blind and had been a piano tuner and organist at St Andrew’s Church, West Tarring and later a music teacher in Kingston upon Hull.

Best known for portraying Tim Canterbury in the original UK version of sitcom mockumentaryThe Office, Dr. John Watson in the British crime drama Sherlock, Bilbo Baggins in Peter Jackson’s The Hobbit film trilogy, and Lester Nygaard in the dark comedy-crime drama TV series Fargo.

His other notable film roles include the romantic comedy Love Actually (2003), The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy (2005),  Nativity! (2009), and The World’s End (2013). He has won an Emmy Award, BAFTA Award and anEmpire Award, with nominations including two other Emmy Awards, two other BAFTA Awards, a Saturn Award, and a Golden Globe Award.

A talented and adorable couple.. Martin with his partner Amanda Abbington!

 

Film Roles

Martin as Bilbo Baggins in the Hobbit!
Fancy Dress (2001) as Pirate
Ali G Indahouse (2002) as Ricky C
Love Actually (2003) as John
Shaun of the Dead (2004) as Declan
Call Register (2004) as Kevin
The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy (2005) as Arthur Dent
Breaking and Entering (2006) as Arthur Dent
Confetti (2006) as Matt
Nightwatching (2007) as Rembrandt
The All Together (2007) as Chris Ashworth
Hot Fuzz (2007) as Met Sergeant
The Good Night (2007) as Gary Shaller
Dedication (2007) as Jeremy
Swinging with the Finkels (2009) as Alvin Finkel
Nativity! (2009) as Paul Maddens
Wild Target (2010) as Dixon
What’s Your Number? (2011) as Simon
The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey (2012) as Bilbo Baggins
The Voorman Problem (2013) as Dr. Williams
The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug (2013) as Bilbo Baggins
Saving Santa (2013) as Bernard
Svengali (2013) as Don
The World’s End (2013) as Oliver Chamberlain
The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies (2014) as Bilbo Baggins

By far one of my favorites! The Eichmann Show (2015) Martin as Milton Fruchtman

Television Roles

Talking Sherlock with Amanda and Benedict!

The Bill (1997) as Craig Parnell

This Life (1997) as Stuart
Picking up the Pieces (1998) as Brendan
Casualty (1998) as Ricky Beck
Exhaust (1999) as The Car Owner
Black Books (2000) as Doctor
Lock, Stock…(2000) as Jaap
Bruiser (2000) as various
World of Pub (2001) as various
Men Only (2001) as Jamie
The Office (2001 – 2003) as Tim Canterbury
Linda Green (2002) as Matt
Helen West (2002) as DC Stone
Charles II: The Power and the Passion (2003) as Lord Shaftesbury
Margery and Gladys (2003) as DS Stringer
The Debt (2003) as Terry Ross
Hardware (2003 – 2004) as Mike
Pride (2004) as Fleck
The Robinsons (2005) as Ed Robinson
The Old Curiosity Shop (2007) as Mr. Codlin
Comedy Showcase (2007) as Greg Wilson
Micro Men (2009) as Chris Curry
Boy Meet Girl (2009) as Danny Reed
Sherlock (2010 –       ) as John Watson

Another personal favorite! Fargo (2014) Martin as Lester Nygaard

 

Martin in the new series StartUp plays the FBI Agent!

Stage Roles

The Last Laugh (2007)
Clybourne Park (2010)

Martin as Richard III in (2014)!