TORONTO, September 14, 2026 – The action thriller The Surgeon held its world premiere at the 51st Toronto International Film Festival on September 12. Stars Michelle Yeoh and Martin Freeman, writer-director Roshan Sethi and members of the creative team appeared on the red carpet. Freeman spoke with CCTVmedium at the event about why he joined the film and what it was like working with Yeoh and Sethi.
Freeman said he was first drawn to Roshan Sethi’s script and writing. At the same time, the chance to work with Michelle Yeoh was also an important reason he decided to take part in the project. In the interview, he praised Yeoh as “fantastic” and said making the film with her was a strong collaborative experience.
Before filming began, Freeman met with Sethi to discuss the script. After that conversation, he said he had a positive impression of Sethi’s creative approach and personality.
Freeman said that when actors decide whether to join a project, the script and role are important, but the feeling that comes from speaking with the director also matters. Before production actually begins, it is difficult to know what the atmosphere on set will be like, so whether mutual trust can be established often becomes an important factor in the decision.
The Surgeon is written and directed by Roshan Sethi. Yeoh plays surgeon Eliza, while Freeman shares many key scenes with her. The film brings medical elements into the action-thriller genre, with the story following Eliza as she uses her professional knowledge to face a dangerous situation.
The film made its world premiere at TIFF. In the interview, Freeman summed up his reasons for joining The Surgeon as several factors: the script itself, the opportunity to work with Yeoh, and the trust built after meeting Sethi.
The Surgeon’s Toronto premiere marked the first time the film was presented to audiences globally.（LJI by Yuanyuan）
