Alex Carson
Most people recognize Jim Parson’s from CBS’s Big Bang Theory as the supremely intelligent yet stubbornly childish Sheldon Cooper. But if you think that he’s anything like his nerdy on-screen persona, then think again.
You might be surprised that Parsons has never seen an episode of Star Trek or Doctor Who – even though those are two of Sheldon’s favorites. Parson’s is far from the dorky, brooding goofball that he played on TV. His personal like is rich with intricacy, complexity, and even a bit of mystery.
More than just being a supporting cast member, Parsons was the glue that held everything together for the Big Bang Theory. So much so that when he called it quits after season 12, the show itself followed suit and bowed out. But why did he make that fateful decision to leave the show when he did?
Apparently, the circumstances surrounding his departure from the show were rather dark and intense. Find out the revealing truth about why Jim Parson’s fell out of love with the show that turned him into a household name by watching this whole video.
Facts Verse Presents: Why Jim Parsons Quit the Big Bang Theory
Before we unravel that particular mystery, we are going to take a closer look at the life of Jim Parsons and uncover some little known facts about one of television’s most recognizable faces. Find out why Jim’s never done American Horror Story despite being close buddy’s with Ryan Murphy – the horror series’ creator.
Discover the heartbreaking secret that Parson’s kept for years in fear that it would bring bad publicity to him and the show that he was so loyal too. But first, make sure you hit the like button and subscribe to our channel if you haven’t already. Tap the bell icon to turn on notifications so you never have to miss another one of our facts-filled videos.
Jim Parsons Appeared in 15 Pilots Before Starring on The Big Bang Theory
Sure, you might know him as Sheldon Cooper but Jim Parson’s fought really hard to land the role that now seems so synonymous with his name.
He wasn’t just instantaneously successful. In fact, he wouldn’t join the Big Bang cast until he was 33. Before that, he was working really hard to get his name out there.
Leading up to landing the Big Bang part that will change his life forever, he is apart of 15 failure pilots of shows that never got off the ground. In fact, the same year as the Sheldon audition, he tries out for several other shows and turns away.
That just goes to show you that perseverance pays off in the end.
Jim Misses Simon Helberg The Most
Sheldon Cooper wasn’t quite what you would call a social butterfly, but he still managed to befriend Leonard. The two were best friends in every sense of the term. Sheldon was also really cozy with Penny.
In the real world, Jim was actually friends with Kaley Cuoco and Johnny Galecki, the actors that played those two respective roles.
What might come as a surprise though is who Jim says that he will miss the most now that the show has come to a close. On-screen, Sheldon and Howard always seemed to be at odds with each other – Sheldon didn’t think that Howard was a legitimate scientist.
But off-camera, Simon Helberg and Jim Parson’s were quite close. They spent 12 years together and would have deep conversations on a regular basis in each other’s dressing rooms. Simply put, they confided in each other in a special way that Parsons says he is going to feel the absence of in a large way as time goes on.
Parson’s Has Severe Nerve Issues
Despite being one of the most famous TV actors of our day, he would have intense bouts of nervousness and anxiety before each taping.
Consistently he would deliver the goods – pumping our unparalleled performances that wowed audiences and stunned producers but he still always had the fear in the back of his mind that he would somehow forget all of his lines or otherwise do something equally embarrassing.
Even the biggest names on television get a touch of ‘stage fright’ sometimes – Jim Parson’s powered through his and we never even noticed.
His Acting Teachers Didn’t Think He Had What It Takes
Parsons received his training at the University of San Diego in their acting program. Despite Jim’s passion to perform, the University had their doubts that he could actually be a decent actor.
Rick Seer, the University’s actor recalls that Jim had what he called a “very specific personality”. He had worried that he might be too one-dimensional despite how uniquely original his persona was. The school was skeptical that he could translate his acting ability to things like classic theater.
But it looks those concerns didn’t hurt Parson’s career in the least bit. He went on to win 4 Primetime Emmy Awards and a Golden Globe Award for his role as Sheldon.
He Was Afraid To Discuss His Sexuality
When the show was just getting its start, Parson’s lived with the constant fear that if he were to openly discuss his sexuality – especially his orientation – that he might either bring unwanted publicity to himself or the show. He was loyal to the show and wanted to see it thrive, but he was also afraid of losing his job.
He told The Hollywood Reporter recently that it was hard for him to come out because when he was younger, the world was far less open. It wasn’t exactly as accepting as it is today to people with non-hetero-normative orientations. Being gay has changed. It’s much easier to be out in this day and age.
But that didn’t stop the fears of his younger years from creeping into his adult and professional life. Despite his fears, he pushed through. In fact, in 2017 he married his partner Todd Spiewak. The two had been an item since 2002.
In 2013, he and his hubby would receive the GLESN’s ‘Most Inspiring Couple’ award much to Parson’s surprise. He responded to the honor by saying that he never expected to be viewed as an inspiration just for being in love.
Why Hasn’t He Been On American Horror Story?
Ryan Murphy is the creator of American Horror Story. He and Jim are actually pretty decent friends. Murphy even cast Parson’s in several of his other works in recent years like the film Formal Hear and the Netflix series Hollywood.
When Jim called it quits on the Big Bang Theory, it was actually the Ryan Murphy produced Broadway show Boys in the Band that he was working on simultaneously.
Murphy is well known for recasting folks that he has previously worked with, so why hasn’t he signed Jim up for the show that is now in its 10th season?
In an interview with Colider, Jim explained that “Whether it was because of Big Bang or not…It had [just] never come up”
He went on to express gratitude for getting to work with the esteemed producer on his other projects and didn’t count out the possibility of popping up on the hell-raising show eventually, but it just had never been a thing that he and Murphy had discussed.
Parsons Learned To Play The Theremin For The Show
Jim is actually a fairly skilled piano player but there is no other instrument like the theremin. In case you’re not familiar, the Theremin is an instrument that you play without touching. It consists of an antenna and a synthesizer modulation box. The closer you move your hand towards the antenna, the higher the pitch the instrument puts out.
Since it’s played entirely out of muscle memory, it’s one of the more difficult instruments to learn. Despite this steep learning curve, he still figured out how to play it for the show, where Sheldon uses it as a way to distract himself while simultaneously annoying the living heck out of everyone.
BAZINGA!
The term is one of Sheldon’s trademark catchphrases. He often yells the exclamation when he successfully lands a prank or accomplishes a goal. The phrase became so popular that it began to find its way off of the show and into the real world.
The Bazinga Bee or – Euglossa Bazinga – is an endangered bee variety found in Brazil and Bazinga Reiki is a type of jellyfish. Both species of animals were named after Sheldon’s catchphrase.
Why Did Jim Call It Quits On The Big Bang Theory?
The Big Bang Theory enjoyed surprisingly decent ratings and viewership for all 12 seasons.
It was during season 11 however that Jim started feeling overwhelmed by everything that was on his plate. He was doing Big Bang and also working on Broadway, then there was a commercial project that he was also involved in. All these elements came to a head and Parsons soon found himself exhausted.
Then tragedy struck. Jim is an ardent animal lover. So, when one of his dogs got very ill, had a severe seizure, and had to be put to sleep, he was absolutely devastated. He found himself in a foggy haze of depression.
It’s Getting Worse
Then things got worse. When he was walking out for curtain call for Boys in the Band, he slipped and broke his foot. He said that it was one of the scariest moments of his life and that he felt as if he was sitting on the edge of a cliff for the following few days.
That summer was especially troubling for Jim. His dog had died was 14 and he had been with his partner Todd for 15 years at the time. So in many ways, the passing of his pet felt like an end of an era.
Reflecting on his father’s death at the young age of 52, Parsons realized that life can be short and that it is what you make of it. So it was through the dark lens of mortality, that Jim had a moment of clarity and knew that it was time to wrap up his work on the show after 12 long years.
There was no falling out, no contractual disputes…no, nothing like that. It was just his time to move on.
When he told the network of his intentions to continue on to a different chapter of his life, they made no attempt to keep the show going without him. They made the decision to cancel the show that was still performing well because they knew it wouldn’t be the same without him.
Jim, We think you made the right decision. It’s always a good idea to put your happiness first and not find yourself trapped in your work.
It’s actually kind of refreshing that the network didn’t try to keep milking the show after Jim left. Can you imagine what The Big Bang Theory would have been like without Sheldon? Would you have still watched it without him or would you change the channel?
Let us know what you think in the comments section
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