Why Jim Parsons Was 'Miserable' At The Height Of The Big Bang Theory's Popularity

"The Big Bang Theory" was one of the biggest TV hits of this century, but star Jim Parsons now says he was "miserable" at the height of the show's popularity.

Parsons — who won four Emmys for playing genius physicist Sheldon Cooper on the CBS sitcom — admits in a new interview with All Out With Jon Dean that the show's success didn't bring him happiness: "I look back now and realize that there were many ways, at some of the best moments of my life, I was miserable. I was not happy. I was stressed."

The actor went on to explain that he was overwhelmed by the pressure he put on himself at that time: "I felt that there was so many plates I was supposed to be keeping in the air, and that the success and the good things of life that were happening were only due to this overworking discipline."

Despite the fame and fortune that his "Big Bang" role brought him, Parsons now says: "I wouldn't do that again for any amount of money, just because it was stressful and miserable at times. I made myself miserable." He added that his own "obsessive behavior" kept him from enjoying his success: "I had a list of things basically in my head that I had to get done in order to be comfortable and know that I could do my job right, which I don't think was true." And because of that, he had to sacrifice time with friends and family: "I missed tons of life."   

"The Big Bang Theory" debuted on CBS in 2007, with Jim Parsons and Johnny Galecki starring as geeky scientists Sheldon and Leonard, who got a new neighbor in waitress and aspiring actress Penny, played by Kaley Cuoco. The show became a massive hit, eventually topping the Nielsen charts as the most-watched show on television and running for a total of 12 seasons. Parsons won four Emmys for best lead actor in a comedy series for his role as Sheldon, along with a Golden Globe, and was also one of the highest-paid actors in TV history, earning $1 million per episode by the time "Big Bang" signed off in 2019.

Parsons has remained a part of the "Big Bang" franchise since then, too, serving as narrator and executive producer on the CBS prequel "Young Sheldon," which starred Iain Armitage as Sheldon during his years as a boy genius growing up in Texas. Parsons also reprised his role of Sheldon on screen in the "Young Sheldon" series finale in 2024, along with Mayim Bialik as her "Big Bang" character Amy Farrah Fowler. Plus, a new "Big Bang" spin-off, "Stuart Fails to Save the Universe," debuts later this month on HBO Max, led by Kevin Sussman as "Big Bang" comic book store owner Stuart — and fans are speculating that Parsons may return as Sheldon on that series as well.