The Big Bang Theory first premiered in 2007 and ever since that day the sitcom has made a special place in the heart of its audience. And there is no denying the fact that a fabulous cast is a pillar on which a successful and magnificent show stands. As members of the cast, the core group of The Big Bang Theory remained close friends not just on camera but off it as well. So, we have gathered images of how the cast looks and works in their real-life when they are not on camera.
Jim Parson As Sheldon Cooper- Then
Jim Parson has pleased the audience with his role as Sheldon Cooper, a theoretical physicist in The Big Bang Theory. In the show he works at CalTech alongside Leonard. Sheldon possesses qualities that are related to being a genius, such as inflated ego, social ineptitude, and an inability to relate emotionally with other people. Even though he is an intelligent man, he lacks emotional maturity and is unable to acknowledge the simplest sarcastic jokes made by the people around him. He associated their sadness over problems with evident confusion.
Jim Parson As Sheldon Cooper- Now
Fortunately for him, Sheldon proved to be a big break for Parson because of his outstanding performance on the show. He has been showered with various awards for his performance including four Primetime Emmy Awards for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series and the Golden Globe Award for Best Actor in a Television Series Musical or Comedy. In 2018, his annual salary was estimated to be $26.5 million by Forbes and he was honored with the title of the world’s highest-paid television actor.
Johnny Galecki as Leonard Hofstadter-Then
Johnny Galecki played the role of Leonard Hofstadter, an experimental physicist who shared an apartment with Sheldon Cooper. Even though Leonard feels comfortable with his nerd colleagues, he is a little unwilling to let other people know about his recreational activities because he doesn’t want to be seen as a geek and wishes to be more social. Leonard is also the most well-adjusted and sensible person among the social group he hangouts with. Identical to his friends’ behavior, he is also a man-child that can’t grow up.
Johnny Galecki as Leonard Hofstadter-Now
Even though Johnny got stardom after his role in the Big Bang Theory still he was known to his audiences since the early 90s when he was on Roseanne. He has been recognized for several award nominations based on his performance in The Big Bang Theory including one for a Primetime Emmy. He has been banking $900,000 for each episode of future seasons he shoots, which he lowered from $1 million per episode to ensure that Mayim Bialik and Melissa Rauch could receive equal pay.
Simon Helberg as Howard Wolowitz – Then
Simon Helberg aka Howard Wolowitzin in the Big Bang theory often looked down upon by his intelligent friend Sheldon because he ‘only’ holds a Master's degree in engineering from MIT but Howard somehow manages to gage his expertise into becoming an astronaut for NASA. In the first three seasons, Howard was often trying to score a date with a variety of women but failed every time. But finally, it changes in season 3 when Penny introduces him to her coworker Bernadette who was working at the Cheesecake Factory.
Simon Helberg as Howard Wolowitz – Now
Simon who was introduced as a nerdy mama’s boy in the first episode has now managed to fit in several film appearances besides his work on The Big Bang Theory. He has won the Critics' Choice Television Award for Best Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series for his work as Howard in The Big Bang Theory. His other works include CosméMcMoon in the film Florence Foster Jenkins for which he earned a Golden Globe Award nomination for Best Supporting Actor in a Motion Picture.
Sara Gilbert as Leslie Winkle – Then
Leslie Winkle, played by Sara Gilbert, was an experimental physicist at the California Institute of Technology and worked at the same laboratory as Leonard. Leonard asks her out in Season 1 because he feared that Penny won’t go out with him. However, Leslie’s clashes with Sheldon made the relationship difficult to maintain. She came across as an arrogant, supercilious and a manipulative woman. Her take on “friends with benefits” relationship showed that she could only be happy if she was the one in control.
Sara Gilbert as Leslie Winkle – Now
Even after several years on The Big Bang Theory, she is often recognized for playing Darlene Connor on Roseanne, a role she reprised in a revival that was released in 2018. Besides, Sara will also serve as an executive producer on the new production. She is also the co-host of CBS’s The Talk and is married to Linda Perry with whom she is raising three children. Apart from her work in TV shows, she has worked in movies as well. She appeared in Poison Ivy in 1992 and Riding In Cars With Boys in 2001.
Sara Rue as Stephanie Barnett – Then
In her introduction, Stephanie was introduced as another woman Howard was trying to hit on. She is portrayed as a sassy surgical resident at Fremont Memorial who has no interest in Howard. However, she has a soft corner for his friend Leonard. Howard did not take it well in the beginning, Leonard and Stephanie turned it into a serious relationship until Leonard started to feel that she has actually moved into his room step by step. Leonard calls off the relationship by dumping her over a text message.
Sara Rue as Stephanie Barnett – Now
Sara Rue is an American actress who is well known for her performance as Carmen Ferrara on ‘Popular’ and as Claude Casey on ‘Less Than Perfect’. She also hosted The CW reality series ‘Shedding for the Wedding.’ Besides, she played the recurring role of Brenda in the comedy ‘Rules of Engagement’ and a regular role as Kim on the sitcom ‘Malibu Country’. Additionally, she is also popular for her role as Caliban in the second season of ‘A Series of Unfortunate Events’.
Margo Harshman as Alex Jensen – Then
Alex is a doctoral student who is placed with Sheldon as a research assistant, but Sheldon being a prodigy usually gave her busy work rather than actually letting her help him. When she meets with Sheldon’s gang, she develops a crush on Leonard and tries to ask Leonard out but Leonard remains loyal to Penny and refuses Alex. Her character also seems to have skills in flattery which is reflected when she uses it to persuade Sheldon to hire her, even though he had just insisted that flattery does not work on him.
Margo Harshman as Alex Jensen – Now
Before playing the role of Alex on The Big Bang Theory, Margo Harshman played the role of Louis Steven’s friend, Tawny Dean in the Disney Channel show, Even Stevens. She has been consistent in her performance in several shows after winding up her role in The Big Bang Theory. Her most remarkable role since then has been Delilah Fielding on NCIS which was aired in 2013. She also appeared as Diana Armstrong in the show Love on the Vines which aired in 2017.
Wil Wheaton as Wil Wheaton – Then
As a star kid, Wil Wheaton was the best suitable person to perform the role of an exaggerated version of himself on The Big Bang Theory. He was introduced as a celebrity Sheldon was excited to meet but when he disappointed Sheldon by turning out to be less than kind, he became another one of Sheldon’s enemies for the time being at least. Later in season 5, Wil befriends Sheldon and eventually becomes friends with the main characters of the show.
Wil Wheaton – Now
Wil Wheaton began his acting career as a child with ‘Stand By Me.’ Following this role, he took up Wesley Crusher on ‘Star Trek: The Next Generation.’ Since the beginning of his career, he has been a consistent actor and a voice-over artist. Besides his work in The Big Bang Theory, he also hosts his own YouTube series, ‘TableTop.’ His voice acting roles include Aqualad in Teen Titans, Cosmic Boy on the Legion of Super Heroes and Mike Morningstar/Darkstar in the Ben 10 universe. He has also narrated numerous audiobooks.
Laurie Metcalf as Mary Cooper – Then
The role of Sheldon’s mother, Mary Cooper, is played by Laurie Metcalf who is portrayed as a kind, lovable and caring individual who can be unwittingly bigoted at times, something which Leonard sometimes points out to her. She is a really good mother who is the only one who has ever been able to control Sheldon. Leonard describes her as Sheldon’s “Kryptonite.” Sheldon describes Mary as being a "kind, loving, religiously fanatical, right-wing Texan, with a slightly out of scale head and a mild Dr. Pepper addiction."
Laurie Metcalf – Now
Laurie Metcalf has had a meticulous career over the years, since her role as Roseanne’s sister Jackie on the sitcom, Roseanne. She has also acted on several shows including Desperate Housewives, Getting On, and The McCarthy’s which is her recent show. Besides, she has also voiced Andy’s mom in all three of the Toy Story movies, in addition to her role in several other films. She has also won a Tony award for her work on Broadway.
Christine Baranski as Dr. Beverly Hofstadter – Then
Christine Baranski’s character Dr. Beverly Hofstadter is introduced as Leonard’s mother who is a psychiatrist by profession which is aptly presented in her behavior. She is depicted as cold, bitter, and monotone which is the reason why Leonard doesn’t share a close relationship with her. She usually considers Leonard a psychiatric experiment before she sees him as a son which is something that offends Leonard and he has been constantly working for her approval his entire life.
Christine Baranski – Now
Christine Baranski is an immensely talented actor and singer who is known for her work on stage and screen. Besides working in musicals like ‘Mama Mia’, she has also worked in Broadway productions such as ‘The Real Thing.’ However, she is most known for her performances on the hit television series ‘The Good Wife.’ Her performance on the show was so exceptional that she went on to land a leading role in the series spinoff, ‘The Good Fight.’
Brian George as Dr. V.M Koothrappali – Then
Brian George’s character Dr. V.M Koothrappali was first introduced in season one as Raj’s father. In the series’ plot, Raj’s parents are living and working in New Delhi, so the audience gets to see them only over a video call, and usually, they are seen together. Finally, in season 8, the audience gets to meet the senior Dr. Koothrappali who is a well-known gynecologist rather than a Ph.D. In all the season, George has had one appearance per year.
Brian George- Now
Brian George is an Israeli-British actor who was born to parents who had emigrated from India and was raised in London. He is most known for his role of Pakistani restaurateur Babu Bhatt in Seinfeld besides his role of Dr. Koothrappali in The Big Bang Theory. In addition to these, other roles he had played include the voice of Chutney in Father of the Pride, and spiritual guide Guru Pathik in Avatar: The Last Airbender. He has also recently appeared as Arjun Avasarala in the series The Expanse, a role he began playing in 2015.
Kate Micucci as Lucy – Then
Lucy is a simple and awkward young lady when she meets Raj at a singles-only Valentine’s Day party held in the comic book store. Just like Raj she also feels socially anxious around people she does not know but she somehow tries to force herself into situations that she feels uncomfortable with. Her romance with Raj begins in season 6, but later she breaks up with him at the end of the season when she realizes that he has become too overbearing for her.
Kate Micucci as Lucy – Now
Kate Micucci is an American actress, comedian, and singer-songwriter, who has been in Scrubs and Raising Hope. She is also half of the musical comedy duo Garfunkel and Oates with actress Rikki Lindhome. Besides, she has also done immense voiceover work for animated features and television shows including Clayface in Lego Batman movie. Recently, she has been voicing Sara Murphy in Milo Murphy’s Law.
Carol Ann Susi as Debbie Wolowitz – Then
Debbie Wolowitz was the mother of Howard Wolowitz who often calls her “Ma.” She is portrayed as a loud, over-controlling, and overprotective mother who loves and cares for her son and his friends. The hilarious fact about her is that the viewers never see her face but only hear her loud and obnoxious New Jersey-accented voice which is provided by Carol Ann Susi. However, viewers can catch a few glimpses of her in Season 5 where the overhead view of the rooftop Wolowitz wedding ceremony shows her sitting off to the side in a pink dress.
Carol Ann Susi as Debbie Wolowitz – Now
Unfortunately, Carol Ann Susi passed away aged 62 from lung cancer in 2014. Even though she was not a prominent character on screen, still she was an adorable and eminent part of The Big Bang Theory throughout the years. The show memorialized her by having the character pass away as well, which provided actors an opportunity to pour their real grief into their work. After her sad demise, the producers wrote on the vanity card, “Mrs. Wolowitz, every time you spoke, we laughed. You’re in our hearts forever.”
Mayim Bialik as Amy Farrah Fowler – Then
Amy was first introduced in season 3 when Raj and Howard believe her to be a possible match for Sheldon through an online dating service. Similar to him, she has previously avoided relationships and her fragile grasp on social situations made. She has also made a five-year plan to become Mrs. Cooper. In season 9 they take a break but later reunite and resume their relationship and eventually move in together. In the Season 10 finale, Sheldon proposes to her for marriage and both of them live happily ever after.
Mayim Bialik as Amy Farrah Fowler – Now
Mayim has been acting since she was just 12 years old. Besides her work in The Big Bang Theory, she is also known for the title character of the NBC sitcom Blossom. For her work as Amy, she won the Critics' Choice Television Award for Best Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series in 2015 and 2016. Interestingly, she is the only cast member to hold a Ph.D. in the real-life as well as on-screen in the show which provided her a chance to bring her scientific expertise into her role.
Kaley Cuoco as Penny Hofstadter – Then
Penny is one of the girls that has been on The Big Bang Theory since its pilot which was aired in 2007. She is portrayed as an aspiring actor who works at The Cheesecake Factory to finance her dreams. She lives across the hall from Sheldon and almost immediately becomes a love interest of Leonard who doesn’t expect her to reciprocate his feelings. Surprisingly, they started dating briefly and end up getting married in season 9.
Kaley Cuoco as Penny Hofstadter – Now
Kaley Cuoco began her acting career as a teenager when she was cast as Bridget Hennessy, John Ritter’s daughter in the sitcom, 8 Simple Rules for Dating My Teenage Daughter. Kaley is among the best-paid female actress on television right now, even though Sofia Vergara tops the list. Towards the end of The Big Bang Theory, she was paid with a $900,000 per episode paycheck.
Aarti Mann as Priya Koothrappali – Then
Priya Koothrappali is Raj’s younger sister who is studying law and first appeared in season four. Initially, she had little interest in dating and turned down Leonard’s advances but eventually, she changes her mind. Leonard and Priya start dating and try to keep that a secret from Raj but later he finds out the truth. Priya was uncomfortable about Penny’s presence around Leonard because of their past romance and eventually asked him to stop communicating with Penny. In the end, when Priya’s parents find out about the relationship, they made her move back to India.
Aarti Mann as Priya Koothrappali – Now
She has two professional names, Aarti Mann and Aarti Majmudar. Since her work on The Big Bang Theory, she is consistently seen on various TV shows. Some of her on-screen characters include Maria Monrow in Suits, Agent Laura Kenney in an episode of Scandal and Holly Harner in Grey’s Anatomy. She also shot for movies like ‘Sharon 1.2.3’ ‘Love Sonia’, both of which came out in the year 2018. Mann started her acting career in mid-2000s but only played minor roles in the beginning.
Kunal Nayyar as Rajesh Koothrappali – Then
Dr. Rajesh Koothrapalli is often called by his nickname Raj and is an astrophysicist by profession. Viewers often see him hanging out at Leonard’s and Sheldon’s apartment. Belonging to New Delhi, he has an Indian English accent but ironically, he hates Indian food and culture. In the first six seasons, he is portrayed as a guy who has severe social anxiety and is not able to speak with any woman, a problem which he discovered fades away when he is drunk. Eventually, he managed to recover from his anxiety.
Kunal Nayyar as Rajesh Koothrappali – Now
Similar to other actors on the cast, Kunal is also best known for his work on The Big Bang Theory. Besides Simon Helberg, he also commanded a salary of $750,000 per episode towards the end. Apart from his work in The Big Bang Theory, Kunal played the role of Tony in a movie, ‘Dr. Cabbie’ which released in 2014. He has also given voiceover work as Guy Diamond in Trolls. Kunal was listed as the world’s third-highest-paid TV actor in 2015 and 2018 by Forbes with earnings of US$20 million and US$23.5 million, respectively.
Kevin Sussman as Stuart Bloom – Then
Stuart Bloom is the owner of The Comic Center of Pasadena, which the guys regularly visit and is their friend. He is not a core member of the group but often appears during their misadventures, though the character struggles even more than they do to fit in. Stuart is often depressed which is mostly the result of some mishap or another. Stuart starts connecting first with his lonely counterpart Raj at the beginning of Season 6, substituting for Howard when Howard has gone to space. He often seeks approval from Sheldon and his gang.
Kevin Sussman as Stuart Bloom – Now
Unlike his other costars, Kevin has been working on-screen for quite a long time before The Big Bang Theory. His prior work includes his role in Ugly Betty and ‘A.I. Artificial Intelligence’. Apart from his work on The Big Bang Theory, Sussman reprised his role as Steve in the Netflix series, ‘Wet Hot American Summer: First Day of Camp in 2015.’ In 2011 and 2012, he worked with The Big Bang Theory co-star John Ross Bowie to create two television comedies which include ‘The Ever After Part’ and ‘The Second Coming of Rob’.
John Ross Bowie as Barry Kripke – Then
Barry Kripke, a Caltech plasma-physicist-turned-string-theorist is a colleague of Leonard and Sheldon, who has a speech impediment where he pronounces “R” and “L” as “W.” He is fond of mocking and provoking people and is a friend to Leonard, Howard, Rajesh and Amy. However, he shares an on-and-off platonic relationship with Sheldon. He is also someone who is fully aware of his limitations and shortcomings and even admits that he is “creepy, pathetic and can't get girls”.
John Ross Bowie- Now
John Bowie, an American actor, and comedian has had a prominent career on-screen even before his appearance on The Big Bang Theory. He has been working as a performer and writer before he started his career in film acting. He starred as the father of Jimmy DiMeo in ‘Speechless’ and has made several guest performances in several shows including Reno 911! Curb Your Enthusiasm, Glee, and Good Luck Charlie. Besides, he is a regular sketch comedy performer at the Upright Citizens Brigade Theater (UCBT) in New York and Los Angeles.
Laura Spencer as Emily Sweeney – Then
Emily Sweeney is a dermatologist who found Raj through an online dating app and contacted him. She is a redhead with a quirky sense of humor and likes horror movies. Emily finds herself in a love triangle with Raj and another woman he is dating, Lucy, but Emily is unperturbed. Raj and Emily enjoy watching horror movies together and she entertains Raj with horrifying jokes. Eventually, they get into a somewhat serious relationship but eventually, Raj finds that he is struggling with commitment.
Laura Spencer as Emily Sweeney – Now
Laura Spencer is famous for acting Jane Bennet in the 2012 web series ‘The Lizzie Bennet Diaries’ which is an adaptation of ‘Pride and Prejudice’ and Jessica Warren in season 9 to 12 of ‘Bones’. She has also filmed a shot filmed, ‘Vitality’ in which she had played the role of Christine.
Melissa Rauch as Bernadette Wolowitz – Then
Bernadette first appeared on the show in season three when Penny offers to set her up with Howard. Initially, the couple toiled to find common ground in their relationship, until Bernadette realized that Howard’s mother was similar to her own. Bernadette became a prominent character and was Penny’s first regular companion on the show. Howard and Bernadette start dating in season three and eventually get married in the season finale of season 5 and give birth to a baby girl in season ten.
Melissa Rauch as Bernadette Wolowitz – Now
Mellisa Rauch was nominated for the Critics' Choice Television Award for Best Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series in 2013. Melissa also worked as a regular contributor on the VH1 series ‘Best Week Ever’ from 2004 to 2008. Her other roles include playing Tina on the American remake of Kath & Kim and Summer on the HBO fantasy horror drama True Blood. She has also co-written and co-produced the 2015 sports comedy-drama film The Bronze and provided the voice of DC character Harley Quinn in the 2017 animated film Batman and Harley Quinn.
