Jim Parsons
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James Joseph Parsons (born March 24, 1973) is an American actor. From 2007 to 2019, Parsons played Sheldon Cooper in the CBS
sitcom A sitcom (short for situation comedy or situational comedy) is a genre of comedy produced for radio and television, that centers on a recurring cast of character (arts), characters as they navigate humorous situations within a consistent settin ...
''
The Big Bang Theory ''The Big Bang Theory'' is an American television sitcom created by Chuck Lorre and Bill Prady for CBS. It aired from September 24, 2007, to May 16, 2019, running for 12 seasons and 279 episodes. The show originally centered on five charact ...
''. He has received various awards, including four
Primetime Emmy Award The Primetime Emmy Awards, or Primetime Emmys, are part of the extensive range of Emmy Awards for artistic and technical merit for the American television industry. Owned and operated by the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences (ATAS), the P ...
s for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series and the Golden Globe Award for Best Actor in a Television Series Musical or Comedy. From 2015 to 2018, ''
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'' named him the world's highest-paid television actor. Parsons made his Broadway debut portraying Tommy Boatwright in the Larry Kramer play '' The Normal Heart'' (2011). He has since acted in the Broadway plays '' Harvey'' (2012), '' An Act of God'' (2015), '' The Boys in the Band'' (2018), '' Mother Play'' (2024), and '' Our Town'' (2024). In film, Parsons has voiced the lead character in ''
Home A home, or domicile, is a space used as a permanent or semi-permanent residence for one or more human occupants, and sometimes various companion animals. Homes provide sheltered spaces, for instance rooms, where domestic activity can be p ...
'' (2015) and played supporting roles in '' Hidden Figures'' (2016), '' A Kid Like Jake'' (2018), '' Extremely Wicked, Shockingly Evil and Vile'' (2019), '' The Boys in the Band'' (2020), and '' Spoiler Alert'' (2022). On television he was Emmy-nominated for playing Tommy Boatwright in the
HBO Home Box Office (HBO) is an American pay television service, which is the flagship property of namesake parent-subsidiary Home Box Office, Inc., itself a unit owned by Warner Bros. Discovery. The overall Home Box Office business unit is based a ...
film '' The Normal Heart'' (2011) and Henry Willson in the
Netflix Netflix is an American subscription video on-demand over-the-top streaming service. The service primarily distributes original and acquired films and television shows from various genres, and it is available internationally in multiple lang ...
series '' Hollywood'' (2020).


Early life and education

Parsons was born at St. Joseph Hospital in
Houston, Texas Houston ( ) is the List of cities in Texas by population, most populous city in the U.S. state of Texas and in the Southern United States. Located in Southeast Texas near Galveston Bay and the Gulf of Mexico, it is the county seat, seat of ...
, and was raised in one of its northern suburbs, Spring. He is the son of Milton Joseph "Mickey/Jack" Parsons Jr. and teacher Judy Ann (née McKnight). His sister, Julie Ann Parsons, is also a teacher."Who Do You Think You Are? TV episode; Sep 2013 After playing the role of the Kola-Kola bird in a school production of '' The Elephant's Child'' at age six, Parsons was determined to become an actor. He attended Klein Oak High School in Spring. Parsons points to a role in '' Noises Off'' during his junior year as the first time "I fully connected with the role I was playing and started to truly understand what it meant to be honest on stage." The young Parsons was heavily influenced by sitcoms, particularly '' Three's Company'', '' Family Ties'', and '' The Cosby Show''. After graduating from high school, Parsons earned a BA degree in Theater from the
University of Houston The University of Houston (; ) is a Public university, public research university in Houston, Texas, United States. It was established in 1927 as Houston Junior College, a coeducational institution and one of multiple junior colleges formed in ...
. He was prolific during this time, appearing in 17 plays in three years. He was a founding member of Infernal Bridegroom Productions and regularly appeared at the Stages Repertory Theatre. Parsons enrolled in graduate school at the
University of San Diego The University of San Diego (USD) is a Private university, private Catholic Church, Catholic research university in San Diego, California, United States. Chartered in 1949 as the independent San Diego College for Women and San Diego University ...
in 1999. He was one of seven students accepted into a special two-year course in classical theater, taught in partnership with the Old Globe Theater. Program director Rick Seer recalled having reservations about admitting Parsons, saying, "Jim is a very specific personality. He's thoroughly original, which is one reason he's been so successful. But we worried, 'Does that adapt itself to classical theater? Does that adapt itself to the kind of training that we're doing?' But we decided that he was so talented that we would give him a try and see how it worked out." Parsons enjoyed his schooling so much, he told an interviewer that he would have pursued a doctorate in acting if possible: "School was so safe!.....You frequently would surprise yourself by what you were capable of, and you were not surprised by some things." Parsons graduated with an M.F.A. degree in acting from Old Globe Theatre/University of San Diego in 2001 and moved to New York. Parsons traced his family's history on TLC's '' Who Do You Think You Are?'' in September 2013, and discovered French heritage from his father's side. The French architect Louis-François Trouard (1729–1804) is his sixth great-grandfather.


Career


2003–2006: Early roles

In New York, Parsons worked in
Off-Broadway An off-Broadway theatre is any professional theatre venue in New York City with a seating capacity between 100 and 499, inclusive. These theatres are smaller than Broadway theatres, but larger than off-off-Broadway theatres, which seat fewer tha ...
productions and made several television appearances. In a 2003 Quiznos commercial, Parsons played a man who had been raised by wolves and continued to nurse from his wolf "mother". He had a recurring role on the television show ''
Judging Amy ''Judging Amy'' is an American legal drama television series that was telecast from September 19, 1999, through May 3, 2005, on CBS. This television series starred Amy Brenneman and Tyne Daly. Its main character (Brenneman) is a judge who serves ...
'' and appeared on the television series '' Ed''. Parsons also had minor roles in several movies, including '' Garden State'' and '' School for Scoundrels''.


2007–2019: ''The Big Bang Theory'' and theatre roles

Parsons has estimated that he auditioned for between 15 and 30 television pilots, but on many of the occasions when he was cast, the show failed to find a television network willing to purchase it. The exception came with ''
The Big Bang Theory ''The Big Bang Theory'' is an American television sitcom created by Chuck Lorre and Bill Prady for CBS. It aired from September 24, 2007, to May 16, 2019, running for 12 seasons and 279 episodes. The show originally centered on five charact ...
''. After reading the pilot script, Parsons felt that the role of Sheldon Cooper would be a very good fit for him. Although he did not feel any sort of relationship with the character, he was enchanted by the dialogue structure, the way the writers "brilliantly use those words that most of us don't recognize to create that rhythm, and the rhythm got me. It was the chance to dance through that dialogue and in a lot of ways still is." In his audition, Parsons impressed series creator
Chuck Lorre Charles Michael Lorre ( ; né Levine; born October 18, 1952) is an American television producer, writer, director, and composer. Nicknamed the "King of Sitcoms", Lorre has created/co-created and produced many sitcoms including '' Cybill'' (199 ...
, who insisted on a second audition to see if Parsons could replicate the performance. Parsons was cast as Sheldon Cooper, a physicist with social apathy who frequently belittles his friends. The role required Parsons to "rattle off line after line of tightly composed, rhythmic dialogue, as well as then do something with his face or body during the silence that follows." Parsons credits his University of San Diego training with giving him the tools to break down Sheldon's lines. Television critic Andrew Dansby compares Parsons's physical comedy to that of
Buster Keaton Joseph Frank "Buster" Keaton (October 4, 1895 – February 1, 1966) was an American actor, comedian and filmmaker. He is best known for his silent films during the 1920s, in which he performed physical comedy and inventive stunts. He frequently ...
and other silent film stars. Lorre praises Parsons' instincts, saying that "You can't teach that." Lorre describes Parsons' "great sense of control over every part of his body, the way he walks, holds his hands, cocks his head, the facial tics as 'inspired'." Reviewer Lewis Beale describes Parsons' performance as "so spot-on, it seems as if the character and the actor are the same person." Parsons admits that the work is "more effort than I ever thought a sitcom would take, and that's really the fun of it." In August 2009, Parsons won the Television Critics Association award for individual achievement in comedy, beating
Alec Baldwin Alexander Rae Baldwin III (born April 3, 1958) is an American actor and film producer. He is known for his leading and supporting roles in a variety of genres, from comedy to drama. He has received List of awards and nominations received by A ...
,
Tina Fey Elizabeth Stamatina "Tina" Fey (; born May 18, 1970) is an American actress, comedian, writer, and producer. Known for her comedic roles in sketch comedy, television and film, Fey has received List of awards and nominations received by Tina Fe ...
, Steve Carell, and Neil Patrick Harris. Parsons was nominated for
Primetime Emmy Award The Primetime Emmy Awards, or Primetime Emmys, are part of the extensive range of Emmy Awards for artistic and technical merit for the American television industry. Owned and operated by the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences (ATAS), the P ...
s in 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013 and 2014 for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series, winning in 2010, 2011, 2013 and 2014. In September 2010, Parsons and co-stars Johnny Galecki and Kaley Cuoco signed new contracts, guaranteeing each of them $200,000 per episode for the fourth season of ''The Big Bang Theory'', with substantial raises for each of the next three seasons. The three were also promised a percentage of the show's earnings. In January 2011, Parsons won the Golden Globe award for Best Actor in a Television Series – Comedy. From August 2013, Parsons, Cuoco and Galecki each earned $325,000 per episode. In August 2014, Parsons, Galecki and Cuoco once again signed new contracts, guaranteeing each of them $1 million per episode for the eighth, ninth, and tenth seasons of ''The Big Bang Theory'', as well as quadrupling their percentage of the show's earnings to over 1% each. In 2011, Parsons appeared with
Jack Black Thomas Jacob "Jack" Black (born August 28, 1969) is an American actor, comedian, and musician. He is known for roles in family and comedy films, in addition to his voice work in animated films. His awards include a Children's and Family Emmy ...
, Owen Wilson, Steve Martin, and Rashida Jones in the comedy film '' The Big Year''. It was released in October. That same year, he appeared as the human alter ego of Walter, the newest Muppet introduced in '' The Muppets''. On May 18, 2012, Parsons began appearing on Broadway as Elwood P. Dowd in a revival of '' Harvey''. He reprised the role in '' The Normal Heart'' (2014), and he received his seventh Emmy nomination, this time in the category of Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Miniseries or Movie. Parsons received a star on the
Hollywood Walk of Fame The Hollywood Walk of Fame is a landmark which consists of 2,813 five-pointed terrazzo-and-brass stars embedded in the sidewalks along 15 blocks of Hollywood Boulevard and three blocks of Vine Street in the Hollywood, Los Angeles, Hollywood dist ...
on March 11, 2015. He voiced Oh, one of the lead roles in the
DreamWorks Animation DreamWorks Animation LLC (DWA, also known as DreamWorks Animation Studios or simply DreamWorks) is an American animation studio, owned by Comcast's NBCUniversal as part of Universal Pictures, a division of Universal Studios, Inc, Universal Stud ...
comedy film ''
Home A home, or domicile, is a space used as a permanent or semi-permanent residence for one or more human occupants, and sometimes various companion animals. Homes provide sheltered spaces, for instance rooms, where domestic activity can be p ...
'' (2015), alongside
Rihanna Robyn Rihanna Fenty ( ; born February 20, 1988) is a Barbadian singer, businesswoman, and actress. One of the List of music artists by net worth, wealthiest musicians in the world, List of awards and nominations received by Rihanna, her vario ...
. Parsons and Todd Spiewak founded That's Wonderful Productions in 2015 with the intention of raising distinct voices and producing work with an underlying sense of purpose and social consciousness. Their work includes '' Special'', '' Equal'', '' Call Me Kat'' and '' A Kid Like Jake''. Parsons and Spiewak are also Executive Producers of '' Young Sheldon''. On January 29, 2015, it was announced that Parsons would star as God in the Broadway production of '' An Act of God'', a new play by David Javerbaum and directed by Joe Mantello. The play began previews at
Studio 54 Studio 54 is a Broadway theatre, Broadway theater and former nightclub at 254 West 54th Street (Manhattan), 54th Street in the Midtown Manhattan neighborhood of New York City, New York, U.S. Opened as the Gallo Opera House in 1927, it served ...
on May 5, 2015 and closed August 2, 2015, to positive reviews. In 2016, Jim Parsons played a supporting role as STG (special task group) head engineer Paul Stafford in the biographical drama film '' Hidden Figures''. The film was directed by Theodore Melfi, who had previously worked with Parsons in commercials for
Intel Intel Corporation is an American multinational corporation and technology company headquartered in Santa Clara, California, and Delaware General Corporation Law, incorporated in Delaware. Intel designs, manufactures, and sells computer compo ...
. In 2017, Parsons started hosting his own SiriusXM talk show, ''Jim Parsons Is Too Stupid for Politics''. The show ran for six weeks. In August 2018, Parsons announced his refusal of a contract worth $50 million for seasons 13 and 14 of ''The Big Bang Theory''. The producers simultaneously announced that, after 279 episodes, the most of any multi-camera series in TV history, the show would come to an "epic, creative close" in May 2019. Parsons was expected to remain in his role as narrator of the prequel series, '' Young Sheldon''. In 2018, Parsons was one of the actors who voiced the audiobook '' A Day in the Life of Marlon Bundo''. Parsons starred as party host Michael in the 50th anniversary Broadway production of '' The Boys in the Band'', which won the 2019 Tony Award for Best Revival of a Play, reprising his performance (with the whole Broadway anniversary cast) in the 2020 film adaptation.


2020–present: Return to theatre

In 2020, he portrayed Henry Willson in the Ryan Murphy limited series '' Hollywood'' on
Netflix Netflix is an American subscription video on-demand over-the-top streaming service. The service primarily distributes original and acquired films and television shows from various genres, and it is available internationally in multiple lang ...
. He also served as an executive producer. For his performance he was nominated for the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Limited or Anthology Series or Movie. In 2022 he portrayed Michael Ausiello in the romantic comedy '' Spoiler Alert'' distributed by Focus Features. He acted in the revival of
Terrence McNally Terrence McNally (November 3, 1938 – March 24, 2020) was an American playwright, librettist, and screenwriter. Described as "the bard of American theater" and "one of the greatest contemporary playwrights the theater world has yet produced," M ...
's '' A Man of No Importance'' at the Classic Stage Company. He starred in Paula Vogel's new play '' Mother Play'' (2024) acting alongside Jessica Lange and Celia Keenan-Bolger. He is set to star as the Stage Manager in the revival of the Thorton Wilder play '' Our Town'' at the
Ethel Barrymore Theatre The Ethel Barrymore Theatre is a Broadway theatre, Broadway theater at 243 West 47th Street (Manhattan), 47th Street in the Theater District, Manhattan, Theater District of Midtown Manhattan in New York City, New York, U.S. Opened in 1928, it ...
.


Personal life

Parsons lives in the New York City neighborhood Gramercy Park while also maintaining a residence in Los Angeles. His father died in a car crash on April 29, 2001 when Parsons was 28. On May 23, 2012, an article in ''
The New York Times ''The New York Times'' (''NYT'') is an American daily newspaper based in New York City. ''The New York Times'' covers domestic, national, and international news, and publishes opinion pieces, investigative reports, and reviews. As one of ...
'' noted that Parsons is gay and had been in a relationship for the last ten years. His husband is art director Todd Spiewak. In October 2013, Parsons called their relationship "an act of love, coffee in the morning, going to work, washing the clothes, taking the dogs out—a regular life, boring love". Parsons and Spiewak wed in New York in May 2017. Parsons supported Democratic candidate
Hillary Clinton Hillary Diane Rodham Clinton ( Rodham; born October 26, 1947) is an American politician, lawyer and diplomat. She was the 67th United States secretary of state in the administration of Barack Obama from 2009 to 2013, a U.S. senator represent ...
in the run-up for the
2016 United States presidential election United States presidential election, Presidential elections were held in the United States on November 8, 2016. The Republican Party (United States), Republican ticket of businessman Donald Trump and Indiana Governor, Indiana governor Mike P ...
.


Acting credits


Film


Television


Theatre


Video games


Awards and nominations


See also

*
Character actor A character actor is an actor known for playing unusual, eccentric, or interesting character (arts), characters in supporting roles, rather than leading ones.28 April 2013, The New York Acting SchoolTen Best Character Actors of All Time Retrie ...
* LGBT culture in New York City *
List of LGBT people from New York City New York City has been described as the gay village, gay capital of the world and the central node of the LGBTQ+ political sociology, sociopolitical ecosystem. It is home to one of the world's largest and most prominent LGBTQ populations. LGBTQ ...


References


External links

* * *
CBS Biography

Movieline interviews ''Big Bang Theory''s Jim Parsons On Learning Lines, Emmy Nods and Cast Ping Pong Deathmatches

Fresh Air Interview: Jim Parsons On The Science Of Sheldon, 'Big Bang'
{{DEFAULTSORT:Parsons, Jim 1973 births 20th-century American LGBTQ people 20th-century American male actors 21st-century American LGBTQ people 21st-century American male actors Actors from Spring, Texas American gay actors American male film actors American male stage actors American male television actors American male voice actors Best Musical or Comedy Actor Golden Globe (television) winners LGBTQ film producers LGBTQ people from Texas LGBTQ television producers Living people Male actors from Houston Male actors from Manhattan Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture Screen Actors Guild Award winners Outstanding Performance by a Lead Actor in a Comedy Series Primetime Emmy Award winners People from Gramercy Park Theatre World Award winners University of Houston alumni University of San Diego alumni