‘The Big Bang Theory’ Cast in Real Life: All About the Roommates’ ‘Very Strange Relationship’ On Set

Genius physicists should be able to handle any kind of social situation thrown at them, right? Well, not Leonard and Sheldon of The Big Bang Theory cast, who can spew anything related to quantum physics but can’t have a simple conversation with a woman. But when a gorgeous woman in the form of Penny moves across the hall to the best friends, their luck shifts. Catch up with the cast of The Big Bang Theory and see where the stars have been since they left our televisions in 2019.

Johnny Galecki

Character Played: Leonard Hofstadter

Born: April 30, 1975, in Bree, Flanders, Belgium to American parents

Best Known For: The TV series Roseanne (1992-2018), as well as the movies National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation (1989) and I Know What You Did Last Summer (1997)

Thoughts on The Big Bang Theory: “It’s such an incredibly unique experience that only the seven of us can really understand having… this is different in its own way. There is no one else but this circle of seven that can even pretend to relate.”

Jim Parsons

Character Played: Sheldon Cooper

Born: March 24, 1973, in Houston, Texas

Best Known For: The TV series Young Sheldon (2017-2024), as well as the movies The Normal Heart (2014), Home (2015) and Hidden Figures (2016)

Thoughts on The Big Bang Theory: “I know all of us are so fond of the characters we play. And I think that’s one of the major keys to this show working — that affection on the part of everybody working on it for these characters and I think that engenders affection hopefully from the audience.”

Kaley Cuoco

Character Played: Penny

Born: November 30, 1985, in Camarillo, California

Best Known For: TV series’ 8 Simple Rules (2002-2005), Charmed (2005-2006), Harley Quinn (2019-Present), The Flight Attendant (2020-2022) Also known for the movies Virtuosity (1995) and The Wedding Ringer (2015)

Thoughts on The Big Bang Theory: “I’ve never been so excited about a show before… We’re all very close, but we’ve definitely formed a very strange relationship, all five of us. It’s so quirky and just nuts.”

Simon Helberg

Character Played: Howard Wolowitz

Born: December 9, 1980, in Los Angeles, California

Best Known For: The movies A Serious Man (2009), We’ll Never Have Paris (2014) and Florence Foster Jenkins (2016)

Thoughts on The Big Bang Theory: “I auditioned for the second version of the pilot. They had already shot a pilot of The Big Bang Theory with Jim (Parsons) and Johnny (Galecki) and a few other people. My character wasn’t in it. They then rewrote it and restructured it and added my character.”

Kunal Nayyar

Character Played: Raj Koothrappali

Born: April 30, 1981, in London, England

Best Known For: The movies Ice Age: Continental Drift (2012), Trolls (2016) and Spaceman (2024)

Thoughts on The Big Bang Theory: “I think there’s a formality that comes with being a guest star as opposed to Big Bang, which felt like we were working in our living room, if that makes sense. I spent more time with the Big Bang than I did at home with my own family.”

Melissa Rauch

Character Played: Bernadette Rostenkowski

Born: June 23, 1980, in Marlboro, New Jersey

Best Known For: The movies The Bronze (2015), Ice Age: Collision Course (2016) and Batman and Harley Quinn (2017)

Thoughts on The Big Bang Theory: “Over the years, she’s sort of found her big-girl voice,” she said. “When we originally met her, she didn’t really like kids. She didn’t know how she would interact with them. And it’s been really cool to follow that journey.”

Mayim Bialik

Character Played: Amy Farrah Fowler

Born: December 12, 1975, in San Diego, California

Best Known For: The TV series Blossom (1990-1995) and Call Me Kat (2021-2023). Also known for the movies Beaches (1988) and Pumpkinhead (1988)

Thoughts on The Big Bang Theory: “I had never seen ‘The Big Bang Theory’, I thought it was a game show,” she explained. “I didn’t know what it was, and I was literally dipping a toe back into the industry and it ended up completely changing my life, which is kind of how starting my career was.”