Now that the character is regarded as one of his career-defining roles, it’s hard to imagine anyone other than Jim Parsons playing Sheldon Cooper on “The Big Bang Theory.” After all, the actor portrayed the socially awkward physicist — known for using words like “Bazinga” and “coitus” in everyday conversations — from the pilot episode until “The Big Bang Theory’s” bittersweet series finale, and he also narrated the “Young Sheldon” spin-off. Parsons’ beloved nerd has become the poster boy of this sitcom universe, but what drew the actor to the role in the first place?
While speaking to the Chronicle, Parsons revealed that he wanted to play Sheldon on “The Big Bang Theory” because he was a fan of the character’s speaking style and mannerisms. “I felt very strongly about the structure of it and the way they laid out the character and the way he talked,” the actor recalled. “It was a one-in-a-million match.”
The Sheldon character required Parsons to use sophisticated words, effortlessly discuss scientific theories, and occasionally bust out some Klingon — and he spoke it all in a matter-of-fact tone (though he was known to become more animated on occasion).
