Iain Armitage Turns 17! See the ‘Young Sheldon’ Star Grow Up in Hollywood

Iain Armitage’s First Broadway Show

Iain is a dedicated theater fan, so much so that his first job wasn’t acting, but a theater reviewer.

His first time seeing a show on Broadway was in May 2012 when he attended the musical, Leap of Faith, based on the 1992 movie starring Steve Martin, according to an Instagram post.

Iain has since attended many Broadway productions over the years, supporting friends and former costars like Jim Parsons and Shailene Woodley.

Iain Armitage’s First Time at the Tony Awards

Iain’s love for theater eventually took him to the Tony Awards in 2016, where he was a correspondent on the red carpet.

During theater’s biggest night, Iain interviewed celebrities like Glenn Close, Gloria Estefan, Chita Rivera and more.

Iain Armitage’s First TV Role

Before Young Sheldon, Iain made his acting debut in a January 2017 episode of Law & Order: Special Victims Unit.

In the episode “Chasing Theo,” he played Theo Lachere, a 6-year-old boy who gets kidnapped.

Shortly after, a photo of him and series star Mariska Hargitay on set was shared on Instagram to commemorate the exciting moment, adding that he was “honored” to be on Law & Order: SVU.

Iain Armitage’s First Appearance on ‘Big Little Lies’

A few weeks after appearing on Law & Order: SVU, Iain first portrayed Ziggy Chapman, the son of Jane (Shailene Woodley), on the HBO hit series Big Little Lies in February 2017. He would go on to star in both seasons of the drama.

In December 2024, he reunited with Shailene and saw her Broadway debut in the play Cult of Love.

“When I was 7 I got cast in Big Little Lies,” Iain captioned an Instagram post of him and his former on-screen mom. “Before we headed to LA to begin filming, I had a FaceTime call with Shailene and I asked her what it would all be like.”

He continued, “She assured me that it would be fun, ‘like playing’ and wow, she was so right. I’m certain that the joy we had on Big Little Lies is the reason I stayed with acting.”

Iain Armitage Presents at the Emmy Awards with Jim Parsons

While his work on Big Little Lies aired on HBO, Iain was cast as the titular character on the spinoff prequel in March 2017, per Deadline.

Jim Parsons played Sheldon Cooper on The Big Bang Theory, and Iain helped showcase the character’s roots on Young Sheldon.

A week before Iain’s debut on the series in September 2017, Iain and Jim presented together at the 69th Annual Primetime Emmy Awards.

Iain Armitage Stars on ‘Young Sheldon’

Iain starred on Young Sheldon for its entire seven-season run.

The series ended in May 2024, and in February of that year, a 15-year-old Iain told PEOPLE about spending a chunk of his childhood on the Young Sheldon set, since he first auditioned for the show when he was 8.

“It’s been half my life, which is kind of wild to think about, but just so fun, so wonderful, and I couldn’t have asked for a better way to grow up,” he said.

“Every single person I get to work with, I feel so honored to get to be working with,” Iain continued. “And get to be their costar or … get to be part of their work and part of their livelihood.”

Iain Armitage Tries Voice Acting

In 2020, Iain went from Young Sheldon to young Shaggy, voicing the kid version of Scooby-Doo’s best friend in the animated movie, Scoob!.

The following year, in 2021, he voiced Chase in PAW Patrol: The Movie, and in 2022, he played Wilbur in two episodes of Apple TV+’s Ghostwriter reboot season 3.

Iain Armitage Participates in the SAG-AFTRA Strike

Season 7 of Young Sheldon was delayed due to the 2023 SAG-AFTRA, which ended on Nov. 9, 2023, after 118 days.

During the months-long protest, Iain walked the SAG-AFTRA picket line in New York, even reuniting with his Young Sheldon costar Wallace Shawn.

When the strike was over, Iain celebrated Young Sheldon being able to resume filming, thanking the show’s crew on Instagram, per Screen Rant.

Iain Armitage’s First Solo Flight as Pilot

In recent years, Iain has taken his life to new heights — literally — by obtaining his student pilot’s license.

The actor marked his first solo flight with a heartfelt Instagram post in July 2024. “I’m grateful to everyone who helped me make this a possibility,” Iain wrote in the caption. “This was one of the very best days of my life!!”

A few months later, in October 2024, Iain told PEOPLE how he spent his 16th birthday flying his grandmother around in a plane.

“I hopefully will get my private [pilot’s license] when I’m 17. And I’ve been having a bunch of fun flying while I’m here in L.A.,” he said.

Iain Armitage Advocates for Arts Funding

In April 2025, Iain and The Creative Coalition visited Congress to advocate for arts funding.

In an Instagram post featuring Iain on the steps of the U.S. Capitol, the actor wrote, “We were invited into the offices of Congressional reps on both sides of the aisle and we got to explain why we believe that arts funding is vital in every congressional district.”

“There are plenty of emotional arguments for the value of arts,” he continued. “But there’s also the basic bottom line: every dollar spent on arts generates nine times that amount in return.”