One of Britain's most versatile character actors, Paul Freeman's dark, hypnotic good looks and talent for accents have often seen him cast as villains. He originally worked first in advertising and then he trained as a teacher, while he participated in amateur dramatics as a pastime. As a professional actor he gained extensive experience performing in repertory in England and Scotland and landed small roles at the Royal Court Theatre. He is also a founding member of the Joint Stock Theatre Company.
He acted at the National Theatre and began to get roles on British television. Films included Racket (1980) (starring Bob Hoskins) and Les chiens de guerre (1980) (starring Christopher Walken). His work was noticed by American director Steven Spielberg, who cast Freeman as French archaeologist Rene Belloq, Harrison Ford's charismatic but utterly selfish rival in the blockbuster Les aventuriers de l'arche perdue (1981). He had expected to appear in the next Indiana Jones movie, but Spielberg and George Lucas decided on a different story. Nevertheless, his portrayal of Belloq guaranteed him good work in the following years, during which he continued to showcase his command of dialects and chameleonlike ability to disappear into roles, such as the deliciously evil Professor Moriarty in the Michael Caine comedy, Élémentaire, mon cher... Lock Holmes (1988).
His notable television appearances have included Will Shakespeare (1978), Winston Churchill (1981), Falcon Crest (1981), Inspecteur Morse (1987), and Urgences (1994). He has also continued to work as a stage actor.
