The Big Bang Theory: 10 Things To Know About Jim Parsons & Mayim Bialik’s Friendship

Actors often act like best friends while their shows are on the air, but not all of them continue their friendships after the show is over. After The Big Bang Theory finished in 2019, fans were unsure whether the tight-knit cast would continue to be as close as they seemed to be during the show’s run.

One particular question was whether Mayim Bialik and Jim Parsons were still close, after spending years together with their characters Amy and Sheldon. Mayim confirmed that the two were friends in a Wired video in 2020, but the evidence of her deep relationship with Jim Parsons has been around for a lot longer than that.

Jim Parsons Nominated Mayim Bialik For The Ice Bucket Challenge

Who could forget the Ice Bucket Challenge, a viral trend that sought to raise money and awareness for Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis, also known as Lou Gehrig’s disease? Celebrities and everyday people alike participated in the challenge, dumping a bucket of ice on themselves or their friends and providing donations to the ALS Association.

Parsons nominated Bialik before dumping a bucket of ice water on himself and then doing the same to her. The two are both laughing and joking as they complete the challenge, and while Bialik may have hated Parsons at the moment, it’s clear that the pair are on good terms.

Both Remember Their Less-Than-Romantic First Kiss

A critical moment on Amy and Sheldon’s relationship timeline was their first kiss, which shocked fans after Sheldon’s long-held aversion to physical affection. Bialik and Parsons both look back on the moment fondly, though they jokingly argue about the real-world context of the moment.

“[He] had the flu,” Bialik said in an interview with The Spec. Parsons doubted how sick he could have been, but did remember Bialik using Listerine—hydrogen peroxide, joked Bialik—between takes. Parsons assured the interviewer and Bialik that he wouldn’t have kissed her if he were really that sick, but Bialik disagreed. All debates aside, however, they seemed to look back on the iconic moment fondly.

Jim Thinks Mayim Is Lovably Annoying

Bialik and Parsons both went on The Ellen Degeneres Show to promote their new show, Call Me Kat. As Bialik explained her surprise at having been thought of for the lead role in the sitcom, she called herself “very annoying.” Parsons responded back, “The annoying quality you bring is what America responds to.”

At Comic-Con 2011, the pair also addressed Mayim’s ‘annoying’ qualities, when Bialik explained that Parsons called her “truly the nerdiest person on our cast.” Parsons rebuts that he thinks she is the smartest person on the cast. But even accepting her as nerdy, after spending 12 years on a show that celebrates nerddom, that can hardly be called an insult.

They Support Each Other On Social Media

It’s easy to say good things about a cast member when asked in an interview or at a convention, but it’s another thing altogether to do it unprompted. This is precisely what Jim Parsons did when he celebrated Mayim Bialik’s Critic’s Choice Award. He posted an image of the two hugging and shared loving words.

This is far from the only positive interaction they’ve had on social media, particularly when awards season comes around, but is one of the sweetest.

They Are Playful About Their Characters’ Intimacy

Sheldon and Amy were incredibly awkward when it came to intimacy, but Parsons and Bialik are not. Some of Amy and Sheldon’s biggest relationship moments had to do with them negotiating their physical relationship, and it seems there were some negotiations behind the scenes as well. In the clip above, the pair joke around about the idea of Amy and Sheldon consummating their relationship, with Jim putting his hand on Mayim’s leg, and joking that “We can’t wait to rehearse.”

Parsons told The Spec that he liked the show letting Sheldon grow, stating, “this relationship (with Amy) was a big part of keeping a 12-year-long character interesting.” He has spoken numerous times about how happy he was for Bialik’s addition to the show, and Bialik feels the same.

They Say They Love Each Other

Sheldon Cooper was one of Jim Parsons’s best roles, but that doesn’t mean he’s anything like the character. Parsons is frequently emotional when speaking about his co-star, including saying that he loves her.

Bialik does the same, telling Yahoo, “The first time I read those lines [her character’s wedding vows], I got emotional for real. Because it is my job to embody this character and to feel what she feels. She is me and I am her, I suppose. I love Jim Parsons as my co-worker and friend. Although it’s sometimes hard to keep a straight face saying such lovey-dovey things, there’s no one I would rather say them to than Jim.”

Bialik Studied Him For Her Big Bang Theory Role

When Mayim Bialik began her tenure on The Big Bang Theory, she was supposed to be playing a ‘female Sheldon Cooper.’ In order to do this, she studied Jim Parsons’s character, but she also followed him in real life.

According to an interview with Bialik by Entertainment Weekly, “Big Bang Theory was a finely oiled machine when I got there, which was fantastic because there was less pressure on me. They all already knew what they were doing. Essentially, I imitated Jim Parsons for the first couple of years, and that seemed to work.”

Parsons is Bialik’s Man Crush Monday

There were many things that made Amy and Sheldon’s relationship relatable to fans, but a large part of it was the comfort that Bialik and Parsons had in showing each other affection offset. As one particularly notable example, Bialik took to Instagram to make Sheldon Cooper (and Jim Parsons, by extension) her Man Crush Monday.

She uses social media to honor her fellow actor and his character in a way that feels very true to a strong friendship. The love between the two actors is obvious in how they interact with each other and how they represent each other to the world.

Bialik Attended Jim Parsons’s Wedding

Jim Parsons married his boyfriend of many years in 2017, and Mayim Bialik attended and posted about the event on Instagram. She was one of few castmates to attend, making it clear that she came as a friend, not just a show-wife.

Her post also showed off how close she and Parsons are, saying “Todd and [Jim], you are so loved.” Although the couple no doubt have many close friends and family members, Bialik is certainly among them.

They Work Together On Call Me Kat

Jim Parsons and Mayim Bialik are currently co-producing the show Call Me Kat, which Bialik stars in. According to Toronto Sun, she was originally shocked that Parsons would want her for the role, explaining that she assumed he had brought the idea to her for her opinion on whether it was funny, not for her to act in.

But Parsons clearly saw the best in her and wanted to continue working closely with her after the end of their time on The Big Bang Theory. The show highlights Bialik’s comedic skills and is a chance for Parsons to show the world everything he sees in his former co-star and forever friend.