Summary

  • Jim Parsons initially faced opposition from Chuck Lorre but proved him wrong by delivering an incredible performance as Sheldon Cooper.
  • Filming a kissing scene with Kaley Cuoco was awkward but their strong on-screen relationship made it easier for them to get it right.
  • Parsons and Mayim Bialik's first kiss was uncomfortable due to Parsons being sick, but they managed to deliver a memorable scene despite the challenges.

Although it ended in 2019, The Big Bang Theory is still one of the most popular sitcoms of all time. There’s no doubt that most of this show’s success is due to its incredible cast. Jim Parsons, for instance, did such a great job portraying Sheldon Cooper, that it’s hard to believe that Chuck Lorre initially didn’t want to hire him for the role.

Ultimately, Parsons ended up proving Chuck Lorre wrong, giving fans the best version of Sheldon Cooper they could imagine. Despite his successful twelve-year run, Parsons has admitted that playing this iconic character was not always easy. In fact, he admitted that filming a kissing scene with one of his TBBT co-stars was one of the most awkward moments of his career.

Jim Parsons Says That Kissing Kaley Cuoco in The Big Bang Theory Was “Awkward to a Degree”

Unlike his friends, Sheldon Cooper was never much of a ladies’ man. Because of this, Jim Parsons didn’t have to kiss a lot of people during his twelve-year run on The Big Bang Theory. However, he did get to kiss two of his co-stars. The most shocking kiss came in season 9 when Sheldon and Penny (Kaley Cuoco) kiss in front of Leonard (Johnny Galecki).

Filming this scene was no easy feat because producers wanted Parsons and Cuoco to do it in only one take to truly surprise the live audience. So, they had to ensure their one and only kiss was perfect. Surprisingly, Parsons and Cuoco’s relationship behind the scenes made it easier for them to get it right.

"It was really fun—and, very honestly, really easy,” Parsons told Glamour of kissing his The Big Bang Theory co-star.” Very early on working on this show, I began working a lot with Kaley on a lot of different scenes because Penny and Sheldon had a lot of scenes together, and it was a very easy relationship to be a part of on-camera.”

So, when they were told they would have to kiss in front of the cameras, they just kept doing what they always did. “The first time we rehearsed [the kiss], it was literally just like an extension of the verbal dance we've been doing for eight and a half years,” the actor explained.

However, Parsons admitted that he felt awkward about kissing Cuoco.

“It's always awkward to a degree, but this was shockingly easy. We had so much fun. And it was so much fun to do it live in front of the audience. I kept thinking, 'When a moment like that is going on, they're going to know it's coming and start laughing before we do it.' You have one shot to do it right in front of an audience like that, and they didn't at all. It was dead silence, and the vibe in the room was, 'What is happening?!' It was exactly what it should have been and then BAM, we were making out!"

Despite the initial awkwardness, the two actors did such a great job that Sheldon and Penny’s kiss is still one of the fans’ favorite moments of the show.

Jim Parsons’s First Kiss with Mayim Bialik Was A Complete Nightmare For Both Actors

Jim Parsons And Mayim Bialik Were Uncomfortable With A Big Bang Theory Guest Actor Who Made A Scene Harder Than It Needed To Be
Sheldon and Amy in The Big Bang Theory 
via CBS

While his kiss with Kaley Cuoco was rather awkward, Jim Parsons has admitted that his first kiss with Mayim Bialik was the worst of his career. While Sheldon and Amy’s first kiss became one of the most memorable scenes on the show, filming this intimate scene was incredibly uncomfortable for both actors.

"I was sick with something, like a bad respiratory cold,” Parsons admitted on Jessica Radloff's oral history book The Big Bang Theory: The Definitive, Inside Story of the Epic Hit Series (via People). “And it was ironic because I always took care of myself, and here I am sick during one of the very rare times I have to kiss her."

The worst part was that they didn’t kiss once but “several times because I knew we'd have to do several takes,” Parsons revealed. “I was like, ‘This is unbelievable!’ I felt bad about it, I really did."

But he wasn’t the only one who suffered while filming this scene. Mayim Bialik was forced to gargle peroxide in between takes while filming this kissing scene. However, the actress admitted that the scene turned out "so great" despite the "really hard night" of filming. Plus, the strict routine she had to follow while filming worked, so she didn’t even get sick!

Does Jim Parsons Still Get Along With His Big Bang Theory Co-Stars Kaley Cuoco And Mayim Bialik?

The Big Bang Theory's cast at the People's Choice Awards
Melissa Rauch, Johnny Galecki, Kaley Cuoco, Simon Helberg, Jim Parsons, Mayim Bialik, and Kunal Nayyar
Via: Instar

During his time on The Big Bang Theory, Jim Parsons formed a close bond with his co-stars, especially Kaley Cuoco and Mayim Bialik. But are they still close today?

It’s no secret that Parsons and Cuoco had a massive fallout after the actor announced he was quitting the show after its twelfth season. But the two quickly made amends and continue being good friends to this day. Most recently, Parsons had the sweetest reaction to Cuoco’s pregnancy announcement, proving that the two are still close.

The actor is still close to his other co-star. During their time on TBBT, Parsons fought to ensure that Bialik’s character wasn’t written out of the show. And the two are still good friends nowadays. Last year, the two even worked together once again in the series Call Me Kat, which Parsons produced and Bialik starred in.