With the highly anticipated return of BBC’s Sherlock coming in January, the idea of anyone besides Martin Freeman playing Dr. John Watson to Benedict Cumberbatch’s Sherlock Holmes seems laughable. But the star of The Hobbit, who has been the perfect partner for the consulting detective, nearly missed out on the role.
During his audition, Freeman was reportedly “grumpy” according to series co-creator Mark Gatiss. The actor had a good reason: his wallet had been stolen on his way to the audition. Without knowing this though, Gatiss and the Sherlock creative team thought Freeman wasn’t interested in the role of Dr. Watson. When Freeman learned this via his agent, he was quick to correct the error.
“And I said, ‘Oh… I am really interested. Please call them and let them know that I am interested.’ I wasn’t being blasé about it at all. I just wasn’t on my best day.”
Thankfully the actor got a second chance and was even paired with Cumberbatch to read for the part again.
“It instantly worked, it seemed to me,” Freeman said about working with Cumberbatch. “I thought he was a fantastic actor and there was something about our rhythms, similarities and differences that meant that it just happened.”
Sherlock returns to BBC One on New Year’s Day at 9 p.m. Freeman and Cumberbatch are also both currently starring in The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug, which is in theaters now.
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