
Kunal Nayyar recently spoke about how much he related to his character. He said there were many similarities between him and Raj, like being a huge Star Wars fan and loving comic books. “I am obsessed with Star Wars, I am a big comic book nerd,” he said. Kunal admitted that actors often bring parts of their real selves into the roles they play, and that’s what made Raj feel so real. “We bring aspects of our personality to all the characters we play,” he explained.
He also talked about how difficult it was to keep a straight face while filming, especially around Simon Helberg. “I was the worst in the beginning on the show…I broke all the time. It really pissed everyone off,” he joked. Simon’s comedic timing would make him laugh even with simple lines like “Friday works for me.” Even though it frustrated the cast at times, Kunal looks back at those moments with fondness and said the set was full of love and fun throughout the 12 years.
Since the show ended, Kunal has explored more serious roles. He played a villain on NCIS and received praise for his role in Criminal: UK, which earned him a BAFTA nomination. Outside of acting, he also created an app called IQ121 to help families safely store important memories and documents.
When asked about a possible Big Bang Theory reboot, he said he’d be open to it but felt it might still be too soon. “I would be game,” he said, adding with a laugh, “hopefully I still look good enough in a T-shirt or sweater vest.” He shared that even though there isn’t a cast group chat, he still stays in touch with his co-stars individually, and that bond remains strong