Jim Parsons’ Real-Life Tragedy Mirrored Sheldon's Story on The Big Bang Theory
Sheldon Cooper may be the only Big Bang Theory character with a prequel, but its heartbreak mirrors real life. Jim Parsons, who lost his father at 28, opens up about the trauma in a candid conversation with Tyler.
Sheldon is the only Big Bang Theory character who scored his own prequel, and fittingly, his backstory turned out to be rougher than the main show ever really went into. Offscreen, Jim Parsons has lived through a similar loss, and it quietly shaped both Young Sheldon and the choice that ended his run as TV's highest-paid actor.
The real-life tragedy Jim Parsons carries with him
Parsons lost his father in 2001. He was 28; his dad was 50. It was a car accident, sudden and awful, and it stuck with him. Years later, on the Season 3 premiere of E!'s Hollywood Medium With Tyler Henry in 2018, he opened up about it in a way he rarely does.
"He is having me talk about wanting anyone to let go of this idea that there could have been a medical response any faster."
Parsons, who you also know from Hidden Figures, said he had made peace with that part of it:
"The important thing is to know it was quick and that there was nothing that getting there for anybody could have done."
How it changed him
In 2022, while promoting Spoiler Alert (and after starring in The Boys in the Band), Parsons told The Washington Post that losing his dad changed the way he looks at life. He said he appreciates the perspective that comes when someone you love is suddenly gone. He also talked about being more at peace over time, looking back on 12 years of The Big Bang Theory as a creatively rich stretch with zero regrets, and genuinely loving where his life is now.
Why he walked away from Big Bang at the top
Here is the small behind-the-scenes wrinkle that always surprises people: his decision to leave The Big Bang Theory in 2018 was partly tied to his father. As Parsons inched toward the age his dad never reached, he reassessed what he wanted from his life and career. That choice meant walking away from an enormous paycheck — Forbes had him at roughly $26.5 million a year and the highest-paid actor on television — but he was at peace with it.
Young Sheldon mirrored the loss
Young Sheldon eventually went there. The show depicts George Cooper Sr.'s death from a heart attack in Season 7, Episode 12 — the episode right before the series finale. If you watched The Big Bang Theory closely, you knew it was coming; the older series had dropped references to Sheldon's father dying in earlier episodes like Season 11's The Sibling Realignment and Season 4's The Cruciferous Vegetable Amplification.
Young Sheldon stars Lance Barber as George Cooper Sr., Zoe Perry as Mary, and Iain Armitage as young Sheldon. It is a tough beat for the Coopers, but it also connects the prequel to the hints Big Bang sprinkled in for years.
Young Sheldon release timeline
- Season 1 — September 25, 2017
- Season 2 — September 24, 2018
- Season 3 — September 26, 2019
- Season 4 — November 5, 2020
- Season 5 — October 7, 2021
- Season 6 — September 29, 2022
- Season 7 — February 15, 2024
Where to watch
Young Sheldon is streaming on Apple TV. The Big Bang Theory is also available on Apple TV.