MCM: Martin Freeman – Frock Flicks

Martin Freeman

Martin Freeman is one of my favorite actors to have come out of the last 25 years or so. He’s well known for roles in a wide variety of genres, but I first encountered him as the shy film standi-in John in Love Actually (2002). He then went on to play a number of great characters like Arthur Dent in The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy (2005) and, of course, playing Bilbo Baggins in The Hobbit trilogy. But what has he gotten up to in terms of historical roles? Let’s take a look!

The Last King (2003)

The Last King (2003) — Martin Freeman has a fairly small but pivotal role in this miniseries, as the powerful Lord Shaftesbury, who leads the movement to ban Charles II’s brother James from inheriting the crown if Charles dies without a legitimate heir, on account of him being Catholic.

Nightwatching (2007) aka Rembrandt’s J’Accuse(2008)

Nightwatching (2007) — This film goes by two different names with two different years of release in IMDB, but regardless, it appears to be the same film in which Martin Freeman plays Rembrandt and follows him as he creates The Night Watch. The costumes look pretty good, even if the giant ruffs look ridiculous… which they probably did in real life, too.

The Old Curiosity Shop (2007)

The Old Curiosity Shop (2007) — One of Dickens’ less well-known stories, probably because it’s a total bummer. Martin Freeman plays Mr. Codlin, a puppeteer.

The Hobbit (2013)

The Hobbit (2011) — As with other actors that we’ve featured on Man Candy Monday who have appeared in the Lord of the Rings trilogy or The Hobbit trilogy, I’m including Bilbo on this list because inevitably there would be someone who would be outraged we left him off. Also, the Hobbits’ costumes are very historically inflected with silhouettes from the 18th and 19th (human) centuries, so might as well throw it in.

The Eichmann Show (2015)

The Eichmann Show (2015) — Set in 1961, the TV film follows the story of how a blacklisted director and a producer collaborate to broadcast the trial of Nazi collaborator Adolf Eichmann. Martin Freeman plays producer Milton Fruchtman.

Midnight of my Life (2015)

Midnight of My Life (2015) — Martin Freeman plays English musician Steve Marriott in this brief look at the last decade of his life and career.

Sherlock: The Abominable Bride (2016)

Sherlock: The Abominable Bride (2016) — The 2016 Christmas special of the wildly popular modernized show Sherlock actually takes place in Victorian England, during the time period that the original Sherlock Holmes stories were set in. Martin Freeman plays John Watson, stalwart companion to Benedict Cumberbatch’s Sherlock.

Angelyne (2022)

Angelyne (2020) — I figured I’d include this one because I included the Steve Marriott short, even though they’re both set in the 1980s. Emmy Rossum plays the cultural phenom Angelyne and Martin Freeman plays the financial backer of her ad campaign.

The Queen of Bones (2024)

The Queen of Bones (2024) — A historical horror thriller (say that five times fast) about a widower and his children who begin to investigate the mysterious death of their mother. Set in 1931 in Oregon, which is an interesting choice.

Agatha Christie’s Seven Dials (2026)

Martin Freeman in Agatha Christie's Seven Dials (2026) — I covered this one earlier this year and compared it against the earlier 1981 adaptation, which I preferred. Martin Freeman plays Superintendent Battle, who is sent to investigate the murders at Chimneys.

Do you have a favorite role played by Martin Freeman? Share it with us in the comments!

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Tags: 1670s 1880s 1920s 1930s 1940s 1960s adapted from books Agatha Christie's Seven Dials (2026) BBC inspired by a true story Martin Freeman men in wigs murder mystery Nightwatching (2007) playing fast & loose with history Sherlock Holmes The Last King (2003) The Old Curiosity Shop (2007) Victorian World War II

1 thought on “MCM: Martin Freeman”

Roxana says:

August 17, 2026 at 7:37 am

Don’t get me wrong, I adore Martin Freeman, but I can’t think if an actor less like Agatha Christie’s Battle.

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