Big Bang Theory Creator Nearly Passed on Casting Iconic Performer

A key component in the success of CBS' The Big Bang Theory was Jim Parsons' performance of Sheldon, for which he earned Golden Globe and Emmy awards, though series co-creator Chuck Lorre was apprehensive about the performer taking on the role. However, rather than Lorre's apprehension being based on Parsons giving a lackluster audition, the exec thought Parsons was too good and too expertly embodied that character to the point that he thought he wouldn't be able to repeat the impressive performance on a weekly basis. As we all know, Lorre was clearly incorrect in this instance, with Parsons going on to play the character over the course of 12 seasons.

"We saw -- oh God, I don't know, 100 people?" series co-creator Bill Prady shared with People. "And when Jim Parsons came in, he was Sheldon on a level -- you know, there were people who came in and you went, 'Okay, well, he's kind of okay,' 'Oh, he's pretty good,' 'Maybe he's the guy.' And Jim came in and he was just -- from that audition, he was the Sheldon that you saw on television."

He added, "He created that character at that audition. And he left the room and I turned and I went, 'That's the guy! That's the guy! That's the guy!' And Chuck turned and he said, 'Nah, he's gonna break your heart. He'll never give you that performance again.'"

Having also developed projects like Two and a Half Men and Mike and Molly, Lorre has learned to trust his instincts with sitcoms, as Prady recalled this might be the only instance that Lorre's hunch proved wrong.

"I have to say, in the story of my relationship with Chuck, the number of times that I'm right and Chuck is wrong may be... I'm gonna go with one," the co-creator admitted. "This may be the only example of where I actually was right. And Jim Parsons came back in the next day and gave us that exact same performance again. It was like, 'This is Sheldon.'"

Parsons proved so entertaining in the role of Sheldon, the character got his own spin-off with Young Sheldon. Additionally, when the performer felt his time had come with the character, the series came to an end as opposed to attempting to continue forward without such an integral component.

Stay tuned for details on the future of The Big Bang Theory franchise.

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