Joe Manganiello's Big Bang Theory Role Was More Personal Than Most Fans Realize
During its run from 2007 to 2019, "The Big Bang Theory" had an impressive run of fan-favorite celebrity cameos, ranging from Neil deGrasse Tyson to Stan Lee to Buzz Aldrin. One especially star-studded episode was Season 12's "The D&D Vortex." In the episode, Sheldon (Jim Parsons) discovers that his frenemy Wil Wheaton hosts a "Dungeons & Dragons" group with his famous friends, including William Shatner, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Kevin Smith, and Joe Manganiello. When Penny (Kaley Cuoco), Amy (Mayim Bialik), and Bernadette (Melissa Rauch) catch wind of Manganiello's involvement, they decide that "D&D" might not be so boring after all.
In a behind-the-scenes interview with Smith and Manganiello, the former acknowledged the reputation of "D&D" for having a nerdy fanbase. "If you had to guess which one of us truly plays 'D&D' on the regular, of course, you'd be like, 'Him,'" said Smith, gesturing at himself. Manganiello pushed back, explaining the buff physique that made him a star in "Magic Mike" and "True Blood" is a direct result of his lifelong 'D&D' fandom. "I was the 8-year-old kid or the 10-year-old kid playing a barbarian who just went to a weight room for the next 30 years to try to become the barbarian," he responded.
Of the celebrities enlisted for the "Big Bang Theory" episode, only Wheaton and Manganiello admitted to playing the famed role-playing game. Manganiello's intense interest goes deeper than his "Big Bang Theory" appearance.
Manganiello has his own celebrity D&D group
Forget the Chateau Marmont or Nobu; the most exclusive celebrity hangout is Joe Manganiello's basement, which is decorated to look like a dungeon. There, the actor hosts "D&D" nights for a rotating group of celebrity players, including Rage Against the Machine guitarist Tom Morello, "Game of Thrones" co-creators D.B. Weiss and David Benioff, Vince Vaughn, and James Gunn.
"It's similar to what a high-stakes poker game might be," Morello told Variety. "It's a game where friends gather that's taken deadly seriously and is a lot of fun. But it's serious. It's very serious! We're on an adventure that I think about a lot during the week."
In addition to his role as Dungeon Master, Manganiello also has a "D&D"-themed clothing line (a shirt from which he wears on "The Big Bang Theory") and serves as a consultant for Wizards of the Coast, the "D&D" publisher that's a subsidiary of Hasbro. As part of that role, he is developing a television adaptation of the "D&D"-affiliated "Dragonlance" universe.
Manganiello's "D&D" fandom even surpasses most of the "Big Bang Theory" cast. "I can't even spell it," Johnny Galecki said in the same behind-the-scenes interview. Jim Parsons added, "I find it utterly befuddling." Only Mayim Bialik And Kevin Sussman play "D&D." Perhaps one day (if they haven't already), they'll join the rarified group of celebs who adventure in Manganiello's basement.