Jim Parsons reflects on reprising Big Bang Theory role for spin-off Young Sheldon’s finale, calling it both ‘very weird’ and ‘very beautiful’
The Big Bang Theory recorded the 279th and final episode of the CBS show’s 12 seasons in April 2019.
So it’s been almost five years since actor Jim Parsons last appeared in front of the camera as Sheldon Cooper.
But in recent days, he reprized his breakthrough role as a physicist at Caltech for the finale of the spinoff series Young Sheldon, which he said turned out to be both “really weird” and “really beautiful.”
“Big Bang Theory was always a live audience show and Young Sheldon is a single-camera show,” he explained. Today host Craig Melvin on Friday, as reported by Deadline. “And I got to do it with Mayim (Bialik) – we both played Sheldon and Amy in the series. And to do it in that situation, it was just different enough that it wasn’t creepy.”
He further described it as ‘Like, “What are we doing here again?!” Instead, it was really sweet.”
Jim Parsons opened up about the experience of reprising his role as Sheldon Cooper for the series finale of Young Sheldon, for what was his first physical appearance on the Big Bang Theory spinoff.
Parsons, 51, added, “It felt like the nicest little coda to the whole experience, and I was grateful that they asked us to do it.”
Young Sheldon, starring Iain Armitage as boy genius Sheldon Cooper, ends its seven-season run when its final episode airs May 16 on CBS.
Big Bang Theory alum Mayim Bialik joined Parsons in reprising her role from the parent series as Amy Farrah Fowler.
Although Parsons has narrated Young Sheldon since its premiere in September 2017, the cameos he and Bialik make mark the first time characters from the original show have physically appeared in the spinoff.
In fact, it was Parsons who first came up with the idea for the prequel series, and he subsequently passed it on to the producers of The Big Bang Theory in November 2016.
Set from 1989 to the mid-1990s, Young Sheldon followed the main character, Sheldon Cooper, as he grew up with his family in East Texas.
Iain Armitage played the young version of Sheldon, alongside Zoe Perry, Lance Barber, Montana Jordan, Annie Potts, Raegan Revord, Matt Hobby, Wyatt McClure and Emily Osment.
In November 2023, CBS announced that it would conclude the seventh and final season with an hour-long series finale that would air on May 16.
Iain Armitage was eight years old when he started working on The Bog Bang Theory spin-off, Young Sheldon, which ran for seven seasons on CBS; he was seen in March 2022 with co-stars Annie Potts, Zoe Perry, Lance Barber, Raegan Revord and Montana Jordan
Although Parsons has narrated Young Sheldon since its premiere in September 2017, the cameos he and Bialik make for the Young Sheldon finale mark the first time the characters have actually appeared in the spinoff; the two Sheldon stars will be seen in August 2017
Parsons won the Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series four times during his series The Big Bang Theory
Big Bang Theory alum Mayim Bialik also reprises her role as Amy Farrah Fowler for the Young Sheldon series finale
Fans of the two shows will be happy to hear that CBS greenlit a Young Sheldon spin-off, with Montana Jordan and Emily Osment reprising their roles as Georgie Cooper and Mandy McAllister, respectively.
The series follows Georgie (Jordan) and Mandy (Osment) as they raise their young family in Texas while dealing with the challenges of adulthood, parenthood and marriage.
Parsons won the Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actor In A Comedy Series four times during his run on The Big Bang Theory, which saw its popularity and ratings increase for the most part until season eleven, when it finally earned the number one spot.
As for Young Sheldon, it ranked in the top 10 in ratings for five of its first six seasons, with season seven still pending.