The Big Bang Theory cast has been omnipresent in the zeitgeist of popular culture for well over a decade. Despite a little decline in ratings later in its 12-year run, this popular CBS comedy has drawn millions of viewers, a rarity in the age of online streaming, and is frequently likened to Friends, the juggernaut of the ’90s. It has received more than 50 Emmy Award nominations and 10 wins, making it the longest-running multi-cam comedy series in television history as of this writing.
The Big Bang Theory’s famed ensemble cast, which has been led by Jim Parsons, Johnny Galecki, Kaley Cuoco, and company since the show’s 2007 launch, is undoubtedly responsible for much of the show’s longevity of success. The actors have changed right before our eyes as their on-screen counterparts have over the course of the series. As the beloved comedy comes to an end in May 2019, let’s take a look back to see how much these fan-favorite actors have evolved since their early appearances on The Big Bang Theory.
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Jim Parsons (Sheldon Cooper)
Jim Parsons, who plays the socially awkward theoretical physicist Sheldon Cooper on The Big Bang Theory, hasn’t aged much at all, but when compared to his veteran cast members, his professional and personal lives have probably changed the most. He moved from being an unknown talent to one of the highest-paid performers in TV after his breakthrough performance earned him four Emmy Awards and a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame (source: Forbes). While dominating both the stage and the screen, Parsons openly revealed his sexual orientation to The New York Times in 2012, and five years later, he married his longtime companion, art director Todd Spiewak.
This A-lister should have no issue getting on-screen employment after leaving the Big Bang universe because he is an actor everyone enjoys working with. The multi-hyphenate will executive produce Special on Netflix and the TBBT spin-off series Young Sheldon, which he also narrates, according to Deadline. Parsons described the conclusion of the show as being both joyful and sad in an interview with Entertainment Weekly in 2019. “I guess at a personal level, it feels like the right time in my life,” she added. “I’m not sure what’s coming up for me,”
Mayim Bialik (Amy Farrah Fowler)
During season three of The Big Bang Theory, Mayim Bialik started portraying Amy Farrah Fowler, also known as Sheldon’s ideal mate. Bialik’s early 1990s role in Blossom made her famous, but it was future TBBT co-star Johnny Galecki with whom she shared her first on-screen kiss. Later, she took a brief hiatus from acting to complete her Ph.D. in Neuroscience at UCLA (source: National Geographic). Her academic expertise has occasionally proved useful on the CBS comedy set, and she was nominated for four Emmys for her performance.
Over the past ten years, Bialik has continued to wear several hats in addition to her acting gigs. She has also managed two challenging breakups while operating the well-known lifestyle blog Grok Nation, penning numerous parenting books, and raising her boys Frederick and Miles. But it appears that Bialik wants to take things slowly in the post-TBBT era.”Am I content? Of course not… I adore my job,” she gushed in a 2018 blog post about the show’s approaching end. “And now I start to figure out what comes next,” Bialik continued. What turns will my life take? Where will this profession lead? What do I desire?
Johnny Galecki (Leonard Hofstadter)
It’s simple to overlook the fact that Johnny Galecki was a kid actor before he portrayed Sheldon’s roommate and best buddy Leonard Hofstadter on The Big Bang Theory. He was formerly best known for his role as David Healy opposite Sara Gilbert, his real-life best friend, on Roseanne, but he has since evolved into one of the highest-paid TV performers. Galecki not only starred in the horror film Rings in 2017, but he also executive produced the ephemeral comedy series Living Biblically and returned to the Roseanne revival a year later. His burgeoning affair with the much younger actress-model Alaina Meyer became the subject of tabloid fodder in 2018 after he split from TBBT co-star Kaley Cuoco in 2009 (via E! News).
Galecki’s post-Big Bang plans are still unknown as of this writing. He doesn’t seem to be planning any new endeavors, preferring to take a well-earned hiatus from the spotlight. Galecki told People in 2018: “The only way the cast has talked about wrapping is that we’re all going to be really sad when that day comes. However, I believe that everyone is now very at ease with the idea that the 12 seasons are a fantastic time to see our families.
Kaley Cuoco (Penny)
When Kaley Cuoco, the youngest cast member of The Big Bang Theory, was cast as budding actress Penny (and Leonard’s love interest), she was just 21 years old. At the time, viewers might have recognized her from her roles on 8 Simple Rules and Charmed, but since then, her career has taken off and she is now one of the highest-paid TV actresses. After a high-profile relationship with her ex-husband Ryan Sweeting ended in failure, Cuoco fell in love and wed equestrian Karl Cook in June 2018.
After the conclusion of TBBT, Cuoco doesn’t seem to be slowing down. She will executive produce and star in the TV movie The Flight Attendant through her firm, Yes, Norman Productions, according to Deadline. In the DC Universe animated series Harley Quinn, the actress-producer will also provide the voice of the title character. Cuoco said, “I can’t really picture it,” while speaking about the famous sitcom’s demise, according to People. And I don’t really think my life will be the same without it; I believe it will always exist, run continuously, and have its supporters. It will always be a part of who I am.
Kunal Nayyar (Raj Koothrappali)
When he got his breakthrough role as The Big Bang Theory’s socially awkward astrophysicist Raj Koothrappali, Kunal Nayyar was a young college graduate. The actor has mostly adhered to voice acting in films like Ice Age: Continental Drift and Trolls, while collecting one of the highest TV paychecks. Outside of television, he has performed in The Spoils both off-Broadway and on the West End of London (via Broadway World), and he wrote the memoir Yes, My Accent Is Real in 2015. Personal life: In 2011, Nayyar wed fashion designer and model Neha Kapur.
According to Nayyar, “I grew up on this show — I was a kid out of graduate school,” he said to People in 2018. “I’m not even sure how to understand that,” He told Us Weekly that he ultimately hopes to switch up his on-screen opportunities after TBBT wraps up: “I think it would be lovely to do drama, just off the top of my head. It would be enjoyable to try something new. A visit to his parents in India will be the first thing on the agenda. That will be significant, Nayyar continued. “From there, we’ll see. I just focus on living each day as it comes.
Simon Helberg (Howard Wolowitz)
Soon after he wed actress Jocelyn Towne in 2007, Simon Helberg began his tenure as aerospace engineer Howard Wolowitz on The Big Bang Theory. The couple later welcomed son Wilder and daughter Adeline, according to Us Weekly. Before getting TBBT, the actor already had more than two dozen on-screen credits, but since then, his multifaceted career has exploded. His scene-stealing performance opposite Meryl Streep in 2016’s Florence Foster Jenkins earned him a Golden Globe nomination, and he tied with co-star Nayyar for third place among TV performers in terms of pay in 2018.
Helberg’s first project after TBBT will be a return to the stage in Witch (per Playbill), marking a deliberate break from his long-running role as Howard. Helberg already has a flourishing cinema career under his belt. “It’s like singing the same song for 12 years and then losing all ability to hear the melody. While practicing for another staged show in 2018, he told The Los Angeles Times, “It doesn’t even feel like acting really. He stated of his switch to live performance, “It feels nostalgic of why I wanted to be an actor. This involved portraying several characters and telling various stories.
Read Also: Big Bang Theory Fans Are Confused Over Mayim Bialik’s “Penny” Video on Instagram
Melissa Rauch (Bernadette Rostenkowski-Wolowitz)
Before appearing on The Big Bang Theory in season 3, Melissa Rauch had only a small number of on-screen appearances to her name. The little, high-pitched Bernadette Rostenkowski-Wolowitz, best known as Howard’s love interest, has since amassed a number of other acting, writing, and producing roles alongside her writer husband, Winston Rauch (born Beigel). The multi-talented actress had already established her star power in their 2015 film The Bronze before they welcomed their daughter, Sadie, in 2017 (per HuffPost). Variety claims that Rauch “[delivered] the best breakthrough comedic performance by an actress since Melissa McCarthy in Bridesmaids.”
Her other post-Big Bang appearances will include a guest starring role on Showtime’s Black Monday, in addition to her return to the big screen in 2019’s Ode To Joy and The Laundromat (via Deadline). When the show ends, she will surely miss her TV family, though. “A lot of us socialize. Rauch said to People in 2014, “We all get along, and it’s a lovely family vibe. It’s really a close-knit group.
Kevin Sussman (Stuart Bloom)
Perhaps Kevin Sussman‘s most well-known role is that of Stuart Bloom, owner of The Comic Centre, who he has played on The Big Bang Theory since season two. The actor did, however, play Walter on the ABC comedy series Ugly Betty, and he has starred in a number of cult classics, including Almost Famous, Wet Hot American Summer, and Burn After Reading. He was elevated to series regular in 2012 from his recurrent function on TBBT, claims TV Line.
Sussman said to City Press after officially divorcing his wife Alessandra Young in 2018: “You know there is a blend there between Kevin-isms and Stuart-isms.” The actor continued, “Stuart is a more extreme version of me,” noting that he, too, formerly worked in a comic book shop. Sussman went on to jokingly suggest a spin-off series focused on Stuart, but his post-Big Bang Theory career may go a more behind-the-scenes direction. Deadline claims that he previously co-created two comedy pilots with former TBBT co-star John Ross Bowie (who played Kripke): FOX’s The Ever After Part and CBS’ The Second Coming of Rob.
Read Also: Kaley Cuoco is “Beyond Excited” to Wear a Bathing Suit.
