They couldn’t dress as Marvel superheroes
Halloween parties and San Diego Comic-Con are always highly-anticipated events for the guys of “The Big Bang Theory.” Both give them a chance to embody their favorite pop culture icons through over-the-top costumes, the bulk of which are DC superheroes. From The Flash and Aquaman to the Green Lantern and Batman, their DC portrayals run the gamut. But why do they never dress as Marvel superheroes?
Both “The Big Bang Theory” and DC are entities of Warner Bros., which means that the studio already had the rights to DC imagery. Though no executives, showrunners, or cast members have ever spoken on the topic, securing licensing from Marvel characters would’ve likely been timely and costly, if it was able to be achieved at all. Due to its long and complicated history, getting licensing rights for Marvel properties is often tricky. For example, Walt Disney World is unable to build an Avengers Campus like its California counterpart because an agreement was previously struck with Universal Studios Orlando, which features Marvel Super Hero Island.
What’s great is that the writers used the strong DC presence to build backstory. In response to a fan question asking why Sheldon loves The Flash, Steve Molaro responded, “Sheldon likes The Flash because, when he was growing up, he was bullied and picked on a lot. And The Flash is a superhero who’s really good at running away.” Still, this didn’t prevent Marvel from being mentioned, with Stan Lee even making a cameo appearance in Season 3, Episode 16 (“The Excelsior Acquisition”).
The cast (especially Jim Parsons) had to learn science jargon
From quantum mechanics to super asymmetry, the conversations had by the characters of “The Big Bang Theory” often revolve around science. However, the actors were largely clueless as to the meaning of the words in the script. Still, they had to make it sound believable. This was especially difficult for Jim Parsons, with Sheldon having the largest amount of jargon-packed monologues. An anxious person, Parsons recalled in “The Big Bang Theory: The Definitive, Inside Story of the Epic Hit Series” by Jessica Radloff that he gave up drinking for the first nine years of filming to give his full focus to perfecting his intricate lines.
“It’s not that anything got out of hand, but I knew that there was work ahead, and I wanted to be ready for it,” said Parsons. Cuoco added, “I can’t imagine the stress I’m sure the show put on him, because there was so much riding on his shoulders and so much to memorize. It was such a specific character that I can kind of see why he needed to put drinking aside. The show was 12 years of intense focus for him. That’s a lot to take on.”
Later in the series, when Sheldon begins dating Amy Farrah Fowler (Mayim Bialik), Parsons had less scientific dialogue to memorize, much to his relief. He said: “I had relationship stuff to talk about, and while Sheldon might do it awkwardly, it wasn’t always a science hoop to jump through verbally.”
They were tasked with staying humble
Aside from Johnny Galecki (“Roseanne”) and Kaley Cuoco (“8 Simple Rules”), the rest of the original core cast members of “The Big Bang Theory” were virtually unknown in Hollywood. Therefore, when the show quickly took off and fans were clamoring to see them at their very first San Diego Comic-Con appearance, it was a mind blowing taste of fame that briefly went to the head of Kunal Nayyar (Raj Koothrappali). Co-creators Chuck Lorre and Bill Prady made it their mission to ensure that everyone stayed humble, calling Nayyar into their office for an important conversation.
In “The Big Bang Theory: The Definitive, Inside Story of the Epic Hit Series,” Lorre said: “The point of the meeting was to say, ‘Breathe, slow down, don’t make any big decisions right now.’ And to remind him that the ensemble was everything. I said, ‘Listen, God willing, this is a long journey, and the journey is one that should be made as an ensemble, not as here’s my solo career. Don’t leave the band and go off on your solo career so quickly!'”
The cast also helped keep each other grounded by escaping the hustle and bustle of Hollywood together. They enjoyed regular getaways at San Ysidro Ranch, located in the foothills of Montecito. Jim Parsons said, “We were able to do things like that as a group and not cause a lot of attention and just enjoy each other’s company.” They also bonded over their shared love of ping pong, which they played on set during breaks.
They had to promote the show
The cast of “The Big Bang Theory” had to promote their project via talk shows, junkets, conventions, and more, a requirement of any actor on a popular television show. Oftentimes, especially when they were asked to travel internationally, these press tours were a ton of fun and didn’t feel like work. Johnny Galecki, Simon Helberg, and Kunal Nayyar have particularly fond memories of their promotional trip to Brazil.
In “The Big Bang Theory: The Definitive, Inside Story of the Epic Hit Series,” Nayyar said: “They figured out which hotel we were in, and hundreds of people showed up. We went out on our balcony and waved at everyone and said a few words. It was like being the Queen of England. I couldn’t believe it, but I loved it because it was just an outpouring of affection and love these characters evoked in them. I found it very heartwarming.”
Still, as nice as it was to feel love from fans of the show, doing press wasn’t always so enjoyable. Galecki admitted in the same book that he often felt nervous speaking in front of people as himself and not having the fictional shield of Leonard Hofstadter to hide behind. He said, “I wouldn’t sleep for two weeks before I had to do ‘Letterman.’ I always loved it after, because he’s such a hero of mine, but that was especially nerve-wracking.”
They had to perform in front of a live studio audience
Though many TV sitcoms have stopped using laugh tracks, roars of laughter can be heard during certain scenes on “The Big Bang Theory” because it was filmed in front of a live studio audience. On one hand, having a crowd present was helpful because instant feedback was received if something wasn’t working. However, having fans present for certain iconic moments — such as when Sheldon smacks Amy’s behind as punishment for pretending to be sick — added stress. Originally, the scene was supposed to take place off-camera. In “The Big Bang Theory: The Definitive, Inside Story of the Epic Hit Series,” Bialik said, “I was very relieved because doing that in front of people is so awkward. I think my mom might have been there, as well as my dad.”
At the very last minute, it was decided that the entire scene should take place on-camera, in front of the audience. Parsons said in a discussion with The Paley Center for Media, “It was, I would say, one of the hardest things I’ve ever had to do because I found it tremendously amusing.” He was also somewhat annoyed because, ever the perfectionist, he had no time to practice his facial expressions throughout the week. Director Mark Cendrowski told Jessica Radloff, “Jim and Mayim could not believe they were doing this, but they were so funny together. And the audience went nuts.”
They didn’t discuss their love lives
When Kaley Cuoco and Johnny Galecki began dating in 2008, the two made a self-imposed rule to keep their status private from the public — at least, for a little while. They explained in “The Big Bang Theory: The Definitive, Inside Story of the Epic Hit Series” that they didn’t want to ruin viewers’ image of Leonard and Penny, who weren’t an official item at that point. Given the fact that the rapidfire dissemination of news on social media wasn’t what it is today, they were able to fly under the radar. However, after some time, their self-imposed rule — which was followed more closely by Galecki — began to take a toll.
“I think one of the things that created a chasm between us was my strict policies of privacy, and Kaley being very, very open about her life,” Galecki said. “I was very uncomfortable with being public about it, and I think that hurt Kaley’s feelings a little bit, and I can understand that. It certainly wasn’t because I was embarrassed of her or our relationship, but I wanted to be protective of the audience’s acceptance of Penny and Leonard, without distraction from the tabloids.” They ended things after two years with nothing but mutual respect for one another, and remained friends throughout their time filming “The Big Bang Theory” and beyond. Galecki even attended Cuoco’s wedding to Karl Cook in 2018.
