The Big Bang Theory featured plenty of guest stars during its run, with most of those guest stars usually falling into one of two categories — either they’re an alum from a beloved science fiction franchise, or they’re an actual scientist. Sheldon (Jim Parsons) forms a rivalry with Wil Wheaton, and one of the funniest moments in the show’s history involves the late Star Wars alums James Earl Jonesand Carrie Fisher.
On the other hand, it was fun to see scientific icons like Bill Nye or Neil deGrasse Tyson showing that they had comedic chops to match their intellect. But the best guest star performance might come from none other than Billy Bob Thornton. Thornton’s appearance was completely unexpected: unlike other guest stars, it wasn’t announced ahead of time, and it let the Landman star play completely against type in what is one of his best performances.
Billy Bob Thornton Plays an Awkward Doctor on ‘The Big Bang Theory’
Billy Bob Thornton made his first and only appearance in The Big Bang Theory as Dr. Oliver Lorvis in the Season 8 episode, “The Misinterpretation Agitation.” During this period in the show’s run, Penny (Kaley Cuoco) had taken on work as a pharmaceutical sales representative, and Lorvis was one of her clients. However, he mistakes her flirty behavior as a genuine advance and decides to try and romance her, despite the fact that Penny and Leonard (Johnny Galecki) were married. Naturally, Leonard tries to get rid of Lorvis, but that’s easier said than done.
What makes Thornton’s performance as Lorvis work is that he feels truly awkward; he didn’t pick up on the social cues and seemed truly excited to be around Penny. This might have been creepy with another character (let’s be honest, Howard (Simon Helberg) did far worse in The Big Bang Theory’s early seasons), but Thornton knows how to play it clueless instead of creepy. It also shows that he can play outside his usual type, as his roles in shows like Landman and Fargohave him playing a grim, grizzled, humorless figure.
It Turns Out That Billy Bob Thornton Was a Huge Fan of ‘The Big Bang Theory’
If Billy Bob Thornton’s cameo in The Big Bang Theory wasn’t big enough of a surprise, the way he made it onto the show was. Showrunner Steve Molaro revealed to Entertainment Weekly that he learned that Thornton was a huge fan of the show, and that convinced the other producers to approach him for a role: “A few months ago, we had seen an interview with Billy Bob talking about shows he likes. He was saying how much he liked Big Bang Theory, and watches it all the time, and gets so into it [that] he started talking to the characters on the screen…We thought that was so cool, and we thought he’s so great.” It also turned out that Thornton was such a great guest that Molaro would have invited him back in a heartbeat:
“All of us just fell in love with him. It was a magical week…After we finished taping, we had a table read the next morning. Everyone was a little sad that Billy was gone. It was that much fun having him around.”
Perhaps the most unexpected part of Thornton’s set visit is that he connected with Kaley Cuoco, as they had both worked with the late John Ritter. Ritter and Thornton were longtime friends, having worked together on the short-lived sitcom Hearts Afire and the Academy Award-winning Sling Blade, which helped make Thornton a star. Cuoco’s first major role was in 8 Simple Rules for Dating My Teenage Daughter (later shortened to 8 Simple Rules), where she played the aforementioned “teenage daughter” of Ritter’s Paul Hennessy. It’s a rather touching moment that also serves as the complete opposite of their characters’ interactions in “The Misinterpretation Agitation,” as one scene literally has Penny shoving Dr. Lorvis out of a door.
Billy Bob Thornton’s Appearance in ‘The Big Bang Theory’ Was Unexpected — but That’s Why It Works
The biggest reason why Billy Bob Thornton’s appearance on The Big Bang Theoryworks is because it was completely unexpected. This was back when social media started to become a major forum for fans to share their thoughts on movies and TV shows. Spoilers could run rampant, but the fact that Thornton’s appearance was kept under wraps until “The Misinterpretation Agitation” aired is a minor miracle. Thornton also isn’t the type of guest that usually shows up on The Big Bang Theory, since his appearances in science fiction projects are very rare. But convincingly, Dr. Lorvis ends up bonding with Leonard and his friends due to the fact that he’s apparently a urologist for certain celebrities. He mentions that he met Star Trek creator Gene Roddenberry and Spider-Man himself, Tobey Maguire, and his basement is full of vintage video games and props from sci-fi and fantasy films. Out of all the guest stars during The Big Bang Theory’s run, Billy Bob Thornton is the best.
