The Big Bang Theory star Melissa Rauch expressed gratitude to the show writers and creators for perfectly developing her character.
Season 3 of The Big Bang Theory introduced two additional characters, who would go on to become permanent fixtures in the sitcom, Melissa Rauch’s Bernadette and Mayim Bialik’s Amy Farrah Fowler. While both were initially cast in temporary roles, their roles were extended and became permanent.
Rauch, who was still on her way to stardom at the time, later expressed gratitude towards the writers of the show for her character’s development after she landed the opportunity that redefined her career for the future.
Melissa Rauch expressed gratitude to The Big Bang Theory writers for career-defining role
Landing the role of Bernadette Rostenkowski in The Big Bang Theory was like a dream come true for Melissa Rauch. The actress, who had starred in a number of shows and movies, was still making her way towards stardom.
The actress was overjoyed to join the cast of a show she had long been a fan of. “It was really a dream come true,” she told WGWG in an interview before adding, “I was a fan of the show before I even auditioned for it,” as per NickiSwift.
Further talking about her character’s evolution from a temporary role to a series regular, Rauch credited the show’s writers for skillfully giving Bernadette the growth and depth she needed.
“They really have done such a beautiful job with giving all the characters really so much growth and development,” the actress said while sharing her appreciation for how the writers handled the show’s characters.
Rauch also expressed satisfaction with the direction her character took. “I thought they handled it beautifully, and I’m very grateful that they’ve taken her character in that direction,” she further stated.
Introduced in Season 3 as Penny’s co-worker at the Cheesecake Factory, Bernadette was originally meant to be a temporary character. However, she later became a series regular, eventually marrying Howard and starting a family with him.
Melissa Rauch reflects on Bernadette’s unexpected journey to series regular on The Big Bang Theory
In an interview with Gold Derby, Melissa Rauch revealed that The Big Bang Theory creators originally did not have long-term plans for her character, as Bernadette was meant to be a one-off role.
“It was supposed to be just a one-time, one-shot episode,” she revealed while reflecting on her time on the show. However, the actress was later surprised to learn that her role was extended as a series regular, which led her to earn $500,000 per episode by the time the show ended, as per Parade.
I thought well it’s really nice to be here for this week… I thought that was going to be it and then I think later that week before we shot the episode I got a call that they had put me on hold for a couple more episodes and I was just over the moon.
Rauch also noted that, despite being cast in a temporary role, the cast and crew were incredibly welcoming toward her. Once she became a series regular, the actress drew inspiration from her own mother to evolve Bernadette’s character.
“My mother has this quiet fire that Bernadette has,” she told WGWG while revealing that Bernadette’s high-pitched voice was a shared trait between her character and her mother.
