Martin Freeman‘s son Joe is set to follow in his actor father’s footsteps as he prepares to tread the boards in a production of Everybody’s Talking About Jamie in Tunbridge Wells.
With Martin, 51, starring in the likes of the The Office, The Hobbit and Fargo and his mother, Amanda Abbington, 48, appearing in Sherlock and West End hit The Unfriend, it is probably no surprise that Joe Freeman is starting a career in show business.
The 17-year-old is currently a cast member in a version of the gender-fluid musical specially adapted for a teen cast in the Kent town, and is apparently set to follow in their footsteps professionally.
Inspired by the 2011 British television documentary Jamie: Drag Queen at 16, Everybody’s Talking About Jamie follows the real-life story of a 16-year-old British schoolboy called Jamie Campbell who lives on a council estate in Sheffield.
Jamie is seen overcoming prejudice and bullying to follow his dream of becoming a drag queen.
Stepping into the limelight: Martin Freeman’s son Joe, 17, is set to follow in his actor father’s footsteps as he prepares to appear in a production of Everybody’s Talking About Jamie
The teen has set his sights on attending the end-of-year prom wearing a frock, eyeliner and lipstick.
His mother buys him some red heels and a dress of his choice from a shop run by a former drag queen.
But while Jamie may have support from one parent, his father cruelly rejects his effeminate son while a classroom bully taunts him for his wishes, and the school itself stands in the way.
Screen star Martin shares his two children – Joe and his sister Grace, 14 – with ex-partner Amanda.
The former couple co-parent their offspring following their split in 2016 after 16 years together.
While Martin may be happy his son is taking after him, he previously admitted to struggling with the prospect of his children flying the nest.
The star acknowledged it is ‘totally natural’ for the teenagers to want to spend time without him but it’s difficult not to get upset about it.
Asked about his kids flying the nest, he told the Radio Times: ‘Me and their mum [Amanda] don’t live together so there are times where they’re inevitably going to not be with you, or when they say, “Maybe not this weekend.”
In his blood? With Martin, 51, starring in the likes of the The Office, The Hobbit and Fargo, it is probably no surprise that Joe Freeman is starting a career in show business (L-R: Joe, Martin’s current partner Rachel Mariam, Martin, and Martin’s daughter Grace)
On stage: Joe is currently a cast member in a version of the gender-fluid musical Everybody’s Talking About Jamie specially adapted for a teen cast in Kent
‘It’s hard not to feel hurt when they start doing things that don’t involve you, even though you understand it and welcome it because it’s totally natural.’
Martin admitted parenthood left him ‘surprised’ at how ‘amazingly quick’ he can be to get angry so has always tried to be ‘better’.
He said: ‘I found I was amazingly quick to anger. I always knew it, but it was like a rocket – nothing to call social services about, but I knew I could and should be better. That surprised me and taught me to try to not be that.’
Martin – who is now dating actress Rachel Mariam – dislikes the “constant doom” around parenting because he thinks it is a far more enjoyable experience than people make out.
He said: ‘One of my least favourite things is people going, “Oh, you just wait! Oh, you’re in trouble now…”
‘This constant doom, as if they hadn’t enjoyed any part of their parenting. Let us enjoy it!’
Former partner: Joe’s actress mother Amanda Abbington, 48, has appeared in Sherlock and West End hit The Unfriend. She and Martin split in late 2016 after a 16-year romance (pictured in 2015)
Martin and Amanda previously worked together on Sherlock and the actress – who is now in a relationship with Jonathan Goodwin – spoke in the past of how they kept their split secret six months before the news became public.
She told The Sunday Times magazine: ‘When we broke up nobody knew, we didn’t tell anybody except for a few key people because they had to know, because of the logistics of hotels and stuff.
‘It took six months for it to get out and a lot of that was while we were working on Sherlock… We were professional and we were going to get on and make a show and be civil to each other.
‘We still get on really well, we still really both admire each other as actors… he’s a great guy, but we just couldn’t live with each other any more.’
Co-stars: Sherlock’s Martin and Amanda starred as on-screen couple Dr. John Watson and Mary Watson in the BBC series (pictured in 2016’s season after their split)