Big Bang Theory's Kaley Cuoco Confirms What We Suspected About Jim Parsons

Kaley Cuoco got her start in Hollywood as a child, first in commercials and then as a TV actor. Over the years, she has had central roles in everything from "8 Simple Rules" to "The Flight Attendant" and "Harley Quinn." Of course, Cuoco has become arguably most associated with her lead role in the long-running CBS sitcom "The Big Bang Theory," in which she plays Penny, a woman who lives opposite and becomes intertwined in the lives of her fellow series leads, Leonard Hofstadter (Johnny Galecki) and Sheldon Cooper (Jim Parsons).

Relative to Cuoco's practically lifelong acting career, Parsons had something of a late start — he was cast in his first few notable roles all in his 30s, including a Quiznos commercial in 2003 that effectively introduced him to TV audiences. That said, he began to portray Sheldon Cooper on "The Big Bang Theory" just four years after his notorious Quiznos commercial, quickly cementing himself as a TV mainstay and a household name.

With all this in mind, Variety published a profile of Cuoco in February of 2021 that includes various quotes from the actor about the time she spent filming the 12 seasons that comprise "The Big Bang Theory." Among a number of other insights, Cuoco shared her perspective in the interview on what it was like to work opposite Parsons, and her characterization of her talented co-star confirms everything we always suspected.

While speaking with Variety, Kaley Cuoco described Jim Parsons as the obvious breakout star on "The Big Bang Theory."

"The stuff he did on that show was an out of body experience," she said. She then went on to praise Parsons' dynamic with Johnny Galecki as a particular joy to witness on set. While Parsons was cast to play the sitcom's most eccentric central character and Galecki was meant to serve as his voice of reason, Cuoco argued that their dynamic, rather, became the show's unusual element, while she counterbalanced their performances with a more grounded perspective. "That's what 'Big Bang' was to me — I was almost the straight person in a weird way," Cuoco said.

In short, Cuoco credits what sounds like a considerable portion of the success of "The Big Bang Theory" to Parsons' acting ability. While we always suspected that Parsons' natural comedic gifts might just be the special ingredient that made "The Big Bang Theory" such a cultural phenomenon, it's fun to hear it confirmed by one of the actor's longest-tenured co-stars. 

Of course, Cuoco is no slouch in the acting department herself. After all, "The Flight Attendant," which is Cuoco's most recent project, currently holds a 97% critics score on Rotten Tomatoes and will soon return for a second season. As for Parsons, his filmography has so far remained relatively sparse since the conclusion of "The Big Bang Theory," save for his work narrating its spin-off series, "Young Sheldon" (via IMDb). 

Nevertheless, given his natural affinity for acting as related in glowing terms by Cuoco, a Parsons renaissance may very well be on the horizon.