After 10 seasons of ‘The Big Bang Theory,’ CBS is releasing the spinoff series ‘Young Sheldon’, and Jim Parsons has given some details of the much-anticipated new show.
Jim Parsons, a.k.a. Sheldon Cooper appeared on ‘Watch What Happens Live with Andy Cohen’ on Monday, 8 May, to talk about CBS’ upcoming series.
“It’s like an origin story,” the actor told Cohen. “I was trying to come up with an idea for a show, and we had this idea about my little nephew, who is really smart, down in Texas.”
“My family is pretty average – no offense to them, but they’re very normal, and he’s very smart. One thing led to another and I thought, ‘This could be Sheldon,” he added. The 44-year-old actor recalled that he brought the idea to ‘The Big Bang Theory’ co-creator Chuck Lorre, who approved the idea. “He was like, ‘Yes, let’s do this,’” Parsons said.
Actress Diane Lane, who also appeared on Cohen’s show on Monday night, gave her comment on the idea, saying “That sounds adorable! I can’t wait to check it out.” Parsons replied, “It could be [adorable],” and clarified right away, “It is, it is! I don’t mean it like that.”
‘Young Sheldon’ follows the childhood of the Sheldon Cooper
Yes, I know, the series’ name is pretty obvious. Anyway, the spin-off will follow ‘The Big Bang Theory’s half-hour, single-camera format, focusing on the day-by-day of nine-year-old Sheldon Cooper, attending school in Texas. Mini Sheldon will be played by Iain Armitage, from ‘Big Little Lies,’ while Parsons will play full grown up Sheldon, narrating the show.
Zoe Perry will portray the role of Mary Cooper, Sheldon’s Mom – a character firstly played on ‘The Big Bang Theory’ by her own mother, Laurie Metcalf. The Scandal actress said in an interview with Entertainment Weekly that she went through a “typical” audition process, “except that there was this other crazy layer to it. I went in and auditioned for the casting directors and for [executive producers] Chuck Lorre and Steve Molaro. Then, the rest is my lucky history.”
Perry explained that she looked at her mother for inspiration to play the character. “I did run one of the scenes with her because I was curious to hear her accent doing it. Although I actually didn’t have read the lines because then that would’ve just stuck in my head. But I made her talk a little bit and I rewatched some of her stuff.”
‘Young Sheldon’ is set to premiere this fall on CBS Network.