A director on The Big Bang Theory is opening up about the time the series intersected with real life. Fans of the beloved sitcom may remember that there came a time when series stars Johnny Galecki and Kaley Cuoco had to film Leonard and Penny's breakup scenes -- after the actors' real-life breakup. Anthony Rich talked about Cuoco sobbing ahead of filming the scene, as the script hit a little too close to home.

Years after Kaley Cuoco spoke about the awkward timing of her and Johnny Galecki's split, Rich added to the story during a recent episode of The Big Bang Theory Podcast. The first episode of The Big Bang Theory that he directed was "The Spaghetti Catalyst," and it deals with the immediate aftermath of Penny and Leonard's split. Keeping the sensitive timing of that shoot in mind, Rich got candid about how the moment on set became a bit too real for Cuoco:

While the series never showed the fight or the actual breakup, it was still hard for Kaley Cuoco to get through, which is understandable. Apparently, she and her co-star/ex-boyfriend had only broken up around four to six weeks earlier. Over the years, fans have heard about how other actors struggled with anxiety and more on Big Bang, but this sounds like one of the hardest things a star went through.

The good news is, both are professionals, and they managed to maintain a great working relationship and friendship after the split. Those with an HBO Max subscription can see the evidence for themselves, as the series went on for several more seasons. Of course, those subsequent episodes also throw other curveballs at Leonard and Penny, who eventually end up married and are expecting a child by the end of the series . To this day, Rich is in awe of how the two over the two stars' working dynamic:

It's true. Kaley Cuoco has gone on the record saying she's still very close with Johnny Galecki, and he's said the same. That gives me hope we'll see them together on the 2026 TV schedule once again, when the latest spinoff series, Stuart Fails to Save the Universe, premieres. The show has promised familiar faces will show up but, given the stars of The Big Bang Theory commanded a high price tag at the series' end, I'm assuming any appearance Cuoco and/or Galecki would have would be a one-off.

It's wild to think of a reality in which Kaley Cuoco and Johnny Galecki couldn't continue working together on The Big Bang Theory, and how real-life couples breaking up have forced shows to alter storylines as a result. One Tree Hill is one popular example, in which actors suffered behind-the-scenes as writers played off the drama of their real-life breakups. It's good to see that wasn't what happened with Big Bang and that both stars were able to move past it and remain friends.

All 12 seasons of The Big Bang Theory are available to stream over on HBO Max. Picking up a subscription would be a good idea in general, especially with Stuart Fails To Save The Universe premiering on the platform on July 23rd.

The Big Bang Theory was a show about science nerds, and apparently, maintaining that illusion was occasionally tough. Kunal Nayyar confirmed as much in a recent interview, in which he shared a hilarious story that makes me want to revisit "The Adhesive Duck Deficiency" with my HBO Max subscription.

As fans wait for the latest adventure in the TBBT world, Stuart Fails To Save The Universe, to hit the 2026 TV schedule, Nayyar appeared on The Big Bang Theory podcast to talk about his memories of the show. In doing that, he brought up a time in which they removed their shirts to eat brisket and ended up needing to be changed. As far as why, creator Chuck Lorre informed them they were "too fit" to look like nerds:

Anyone who thinks geeks can't be buff has never read an interview with Henry Cavill or heard Terry Crews express his interest in voicing various video game characters. That aside, I totally get where Chuck Lorre was coming from, as it's hard to characterize Leonard and his friends as meek and cowardly if they all look jacked and shredded.

"The Adhesive Duck Deficiency" is a Season 3 episode, and given the context of what Kunal Nayyar gave in the podcast, the scene is hilarious to watch. Leonard, Raj, and Howard are all wearing t-shirts, but also have t-shirts wrapped around their heads as well. My guess is they originally had taken off their shirts to wear on their heads, but then added shirts and decided to keep the shirts on their heads for comedy's sake.

Nayyar mentioned the moment gave him a confidence boost, almost as big as the confidence Raj has to wear his outlandish outfits. He explained the boost was short-lived, however, and noted that was the one time he was asked to put a shirt back on for the rest of The Big Bang Theory:

That could be the case, though, I feel like in the latter seasons of The Big Bang Theory, so much focus was put on their development beyond just being "lab nerds," for lack of a better term. This is especially true for Raj, who went from someone physically terrified to speak to women to having a few girlfriends throughout the series.

Life post-The Big Bang Theory sounds great for Kunal Nayyar, who has made various other appearances in acting and uses his money to secretly pay people's medical bills. That's really cool of him to do, so I'm rooting for his return in Stuart Fails To Save The Universe so he can help more people out with that payday.

The Big Bang Theory is available to stream on HBO Max. Throw the series on today to re-live the experience of one of modern television's most successful shows, and hold onto it for Stuart Fails To Save The Universe on July 23rd.

As The Big Bang Theory’s streaming spinoff continues coming together, the sitcom’s superstar cast members thankfully continue crossing paths in other universes. It was just yesterday that we learned Melissa Rauch and Simon Helberg are teaming up again on NBC’s Night Court, and on the very same day, a new ad hit the web with real-life friends Kaley Cuoco and Johnny Galecki, who moved from Hollywood to Tennessee years ago.

Unfortunately, that excellent and unexpected reunion between the Penny and Leonard portrayers was buoyed by the unfortunate news that Cuoco’s latest streaming effort has been canceled. Let’s address this more negative news first before diving into happier times.

Based On A True Story Canceled After Two Seasons

Well ahead of Kaley Cuoco’s twisty mystery The Flight Attendant getting the ax at Max, she branched her talents out to Peacock for the podcast-centric comedy thriller Based on a True Story, opposite The Mindy Project vet Chris Messina. The first season debuted in 2023 to enough widespread acclaim to spark a second-season renewal a few months later.

By and large, Season 2 was received in a similarly positive light by both critics and audiences, as Cuoco and Messina’s Ava and Nathan continued investigating whether or not a serial killer is in their immediate midst. And it had a particularly memorable ending that set up a potentially deadlier third season. But since Peacock hasn’t ever been up front with its viewership totals, it’s unclear how either season has performed in terms of total audience stats.

So only assumptions can be made about whether those numbers factored into the streaming service execs’ decision to cancel the show, as reported by Variety. The site also reported that Peacock also canceled Adam Pally and Steph Curry’s comedy Mr. Throwback.

Thankfully, this was far from the only career fire that Kaley Cuoco has been stoking. In March 2025, the actress and producer was reported to have signed on for another thriller series titled Vanished, where she’ll play a woman whose boyfriend goes missing during a train trip to Paris. And you can bet that situation doesn’t get any easier the more she realizes how little she actually knew about him.

From that bit of good news to the next we go, even if a mobile gaming commercial isn't the most obvious spot for a Big Bang Theory reunion.

Check Out Kaley Cuoco And Johnny Galecki's New Ad

What a fun ad! To the point where it's all the more surprising that Johnny Galecki stepped away from on-screen acting after The Big Bang Theory wrapped. Granted, he did it to shift his focus to family life, and seemingly not for any all-around disinterest in the work itself. I can imagine that it might be easier for him to agree to take on projects like this when filming on a severely limited time-frame and involves one of his closest former co-stars.

I gotta give it to publisher Dream Games and anyone else involved for this kind of marketing prowess with Royal Kingdom, at least when it comes to attracting players from older demographics who might have more disposable income to throw at mobile gaming. I dunno how many youngins will being going nutso over seeing Cuoco and Galecki sharing the screen again, but the more the merrier.

The company is on a bit of a tear with its advertising campaign this week. Beyond Big Bang, Royal Kingdom also gave Friends fans something to cheer for with an ad featuring Lisa Kudrow and Courteney Cox. As well as spots starring LeBron James, Jimmy Fallon, Kevin Hart, Shakira, Sofia Vergara and Amy Poehler.

Considering how many child stars have walked away from Hollywood, it is always so inspiring to see an actor who started early and continues to act to this day. Of course, some of them would walk away from the spotlight or experience a bit of a career hiccup before making an impressive return, either with more acting roles or in a new medium altogether. See for yourself by taking a look at these former child actors who went on to impress us as adults.

Mayim Bialik

After hitting it big as the title character of the hit '90s sitcom Blossom, Mayim Bialik lived a normal life that included earning a neuroscience degree and starting a family. She made her major industry return by joining the Big Bang Theory cast as neuroscientist Amy Farrah Fowler, which led her to lead another sitcom called Call Me Kat and host Jeopardy! for a short time.

Joseph Gordon-Levitt

After getting his start in movies like Angels in the Outfield and A River Runs Through It and playing an alien posing as a human teen on the great ‘90s TV show, 3rd Rock from the Sun, Joseph Gordon-Levitt never really went away from Hollywood. However, he did experience a moment of relative obscurity before roles in the likes of (500) Days of Summer, a few great Christopher Nolan movies, and his many collaborations with Rian Johnson put him on the A-List.

Jurnee Smollett

Jurnee Smollett made a grand impression in her youth with a recurring stint on Full House and as the title role of the acclaimed Black horror movie, 1997's Eve’s Bayou. Her career would take an astonishing turn toward A-list success in 2020 after her Emmy-nominated turn in HBO’s Lovecraft Country, which was followed by her role as Black Canary in DC’s Birds of Prey, her great performance in Amazon Prime’s The Burial, and more.

Jason Bateman

Following his debut appearance on Little House on the Prairie, his roles on sitcoms like Valerie (later called The Hogan Family after some major casting shake-ups), and his lead part in Teen Wolf Too made Jason Bateman an '80s heartthrob. Years later, playing Michael Bluth in the Arrested Development cast made him a comedy icon before his Emmy-nominated turn as Marty Byrde in Netflix's Ozark cast further proved his remarkable versatility.

Keke Palmer

Keke Palmer – who proved she was an acting powerhouse at 9 years old with her debut role in Barbershop 2: Back in Business before scoring her first lead role in 2006's Akeelah and the Bee – never needed a comeback moment because her notoriety never really stopped. However, it is clear that the multi-talented Emmy winner was never more popular before her scene-stealing performance in Jordan Peele’s 2022 alien invasion movie, Nope.

Josh Brolin

After making his acting debut at 17 in 1985's The Goonies cast, Josh Brolin rarely had another role quite as successful until, at 39, he was cast in 2007's instant classic Western movie, No Country for Old Men, as Llewellyn Moss. The son of James Brolin went on to receive an Oscar nomination for 2008's Milk, was cast as the Marvel Cinematic Universe's first big bad, Thanos, and has given commanding performances in various other acclaimed films.

Drew Barrymore

Many forget that, years after 1982's E.T. the Extra-terrestrial made her a sensation at just 7 years old, Drew Barrymore had a few career shake-ups due to personal drama including addiction. Yet, her astonishing performance in the opening scene of 1996’s Scream brought her back to the A-List and earned her roles in blockbusters like Charlie's Angels and TV shows like Santa Clarita Diet before she found later success as a daytime talk show host.

Neil Patrick Harris

Playing the prodigious title role of Doogie Howser M.D. made Neil Patrick Harris a household name, at least for a while. His popularity would skyrocket, however, when he played Barney Stinson in the How I Met Your Mother cast, which opened up many avenues for the now multi-Emmy-winning performer, from working with David Fincher on Gone Girl to hosting award shows and taking the stage on Broadway.

Gaby Hoffman

Gaby Hoffman had an amazing run as a child actor in the late 1980s and early 1990s with roles in movies like Uncle Buck, Field of Dreams, Now and Then, and Sleepless in Seattle. After stepping away to focus on her education, she resurfaced as a sought-after talent with her Emmy-nominated starring role in the Amazon Prime original TV show, Transparent.

Ke Huy Quan

Following his iconic roles in classic '80s movies Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom, as Short Round, and The Goonies, as Data, Ke Huy Quan’s role offers began to disappear. That would change decades later when he won an Academy Award for his uplifting performance in A24's acclaimed multiverse movie, 2022’s Everything Everywhere All At Once.

Anna Chlumsky

For years, Anna Chlumsky was best known for her heartbreaking performance as 11-year-old Vada in 1991's My Girl. Years later, she significantly increased her star power with her multi-Emmy-nominated role in the hit HBO series, Veep, as Amy Brookheimer.

Macaulay Culkin

One of the most essential examples of a “former child star” is Macaulay Culkin, who had Hollywood in the palm of his young hands after leading the original Home Alone cast as Kevin McCallister. He still acts from time to time, having shown up in the American Horror Story Season 10 cast or on HBO's The Righteous Gemstones, is in a power couple with Brenda Song, and finally received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 2023.

Christina Ricci

Christina Ricci would continue to find notable acting roles beyond her star-making turn as Wednesday Addams in 1991's The Addams Family and 1993's Addams Family Values. However, starring in Showtime’s Yellowjackets cast did wonders for her modern notoriety before she revisited her breakout role with a fun part in Netflix’s Wednesday cast, opposite Jenna Ortega.

Christian Bale

Christian Bale owes his fame to starring in Steven Spielberg's 1987 period drama Empire of the Sun and the cult-favorite 1992 musical Newsies but his menacing turn in 2000's American Psycho earned him wide respect as an adult. However, leading Christopher Nolan's live-action Batman movies as Bruce Wayne made him one of the top actors of his generation, leading to his Oscar win for 2011’s The Fighter.

Danica McKellar

Danica McKellar embodied the ultimate girl next door when she was cast in the original Wonder Years as Winnie Cooper from 1988 to 1993. Much later in her career, she would acquire a much different fanbase when she became one of the most prolific stars on the Hallmark Channel with roles in movies like Christmas She Wrote and Swing into Romance.

Cole Sprouse

Cole Sprouse had already acted alongside his sibling, his identical twin brother Dylan, numerous times (such as in Big Daddy) before Disney Channel’s The Suite Life franchise made them teen idols. However, you could argue that Cole was never more popular after he joined the Riverdale cast as Jughead Jones.

Hilary Duff

There were few teen Disney Channel stars who became quite as iconic and as quickly as Hilary Duff after she starred in the title role of Lizzie McGuire. She would find later success in the scene-stealing supporting role of Kelsey Peters on TV Land’s Younger and as the lead protagonist of Hulu's short-lived but well-liked How I Met Your Mother spin-off, How I Met Your Father.

Josh Peck

Josh Peck first rose to fame on Nickelodeon by scoring major roles in kid-friendly comedies like The Amanda Show and Drake & Josh. He would later prove his worth as a versatile actor with more mature roles, such as on Fox's Grandfathered or in Christopher Nolan’s Best Picture Oscar winner, Oppenheimer.

Vincent Kartheiser

Vincent Kartheiser first made a name for himself by appearing in ‘90s teen movies like Alaska and Masterminds. However, he would find later and greater success after starring in AMC's Mad Men cast as Pete Campbell.

Kurt Russell

Following his feature debut in 1963’s It Happened at the World’s Fair alongside Elvis Presley, Kurt Russell continued to have success as the star of light and funny Disney movies like The Strongest Man in the World. In 1981, he reinvented himself as an action movie icon after playing Snake Plissken in John Carpenter’s Escape from New York, which led to plenty more awesome movie roles, such as R.J. MacReady in The Thing and Coach Herb Brooks in Miracle.

Kieran Culkin

Kieran Culkin was previously best known as Macaulay Culkin’s younger brother, who also showed up in the Home Alone movies and played Matty Banks in the Father of the Bride movies. However, he would become one of the more prolific Culkin siblings following his Emmy-winning turn in the Succession cast as Roman Roy and other widely acclaimed performances.

Johnny Galecki

For years, Johnny Galecki was best known for playing the third Rusty Griswold in 1989's National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation and David Healy on Roseanne. He would later reprise the latter role on The Conners years after experiencing a career resurgence by playing Leonard Hofstadter on CBS' The Big Bang Theory.

Thomas Brodie-Sangster

Thomas Brodie-Sangster made an impressive feature film debut as Liam Neeson’s onscreen stepson in the 2003 rom-com, Love Actually. The British actor would later surprise audiences with his role as Jojen Reed in the Game of Thrones cast, leading to parts in the Maze Runner movies and Netflix’s The Queen’s Gambit.

Tyler James Williams

Tyler James Williams became a bonafide sitcom star by playing a young Chris Rock on Everybody Hates Chris, which led to more interesting roles, such as Lionel in the acclaimed 2014 indie comedy, Dear White People. However, his recurring role on the Walking Dead cast and multi-Emmy-nominated turn as Gregory Eddie on the Abbott Elementary cast earned him wide respect as an adult actor.

Alisan Porter

Alisan Porter only appeared in a handful of movies, including Ron Howard's Parenthood and John Hughes' Curly Sue in the title role, before she walked away from acting when she was still very young. She would later reinvent herself as a talented musician when she competed in and won the tenth season of NBC's hit singing competition show, The Voice.

Ashley Johnson

Ashley Johnson broke into the business when she joined the Growing Pains cast as the Severs' youngest child, Chrissy. She is best known these days as a prolific voice actor who has breathed life into iconic roles such as Gretchen on Recess and Ellie in the hit post-apocalyptic video game The Last of Us, which was adapted into an HBO series that she cameoed on.

Jennette McCurdy

Jennette McCurdy became one of the most promising young talents to break through on Nickelodeon, having been cast on iCarly as the charmingly bullish Sam Puckett. However, she became better known and even better respected years later for her acclaimed, revealing 2022 memoir, I’m Glad My Mom Died, which focuses on her life as a reluctant child actor.

Natasha Lyonne

Natasha Lyonne began her career early in life – notably appearing on Pee-wee's Playhouse – and seemingly hit her peak in her late teens and early 20s with the American Pie movies and But I'm a Cheerleader before substance abuse caused her career to slow down. Years later, Emmy-nominated turns on TV shows like Orange is the New Black, Russian Doll (which she co-created), and Poker Face and a few acclaimed movie roles reignited her wonderfully versatile career.

Mara Wilson

Following her star-making roles in Mrs. Doubtfire, Miracle on 34th Street, and Matilda, Mara Wilson walked away from the spotlight soon after starring in Thomas and the Magic Railroad. She would later take up minor, infrequent parts after becoming better known for writing about her experiences as a top child actor.

Haley Joel Osment

Haley Joel Osment would never go on to play a role quite as iconic as young medium Cole Sear in, arguably, the best M. Night Shyamalan movie, The Sixth Sense (which earned him an Oscar nomination) at 11 years old. However, his work as an adult – such as recurring roles on hit series like Silicon Valley and The Boys and memorable parts in movies like Kevin Smith’s Tusk – has been nothing short of exciting.

Taylor Momsen

Taylor Momsen made a charming debut as Cindy Lou Who in 2000's How the Grinch Stole Christmas and, in her teens, made an impression on the Gossip Girl cast as Jenny Humphrey. She would later reinvent herself as the frontwoman of a successful rock group called The Pretty Reckless.

Lukas Haas

Following an acclaimed run as one of the most revered child actors of the 1980s for his roles in Witness and Lady in White, Lukas Haas went on to take progressively smaller roles as he grew up. However, much of the projects he has taken in his adulthood – including movies like Inception and Babylon and TV shows like The Righteous Gemstones and War of the Worlds – have been met with great receptions.

The cast of The Big Bang Theory have been keeping busy since the end of the series in 2019. Of course, a number of them were already busy for years before landing the hit CBS show. For instance, former child star Johnny Galecki starred on Roseanne while eventual Big Bang creator Chuck Lorre was an EP and writer on the series. Years later, Lorre revealed that even though he knew of Galecki's abilities as an actor, he was still shockingly impressed by his audition for TBBT.

Johnny Galecki recurred as David Healy beginning in the fourth season of Roseanne Barr's eponymous sitcom. The veteran actor would remain on the show in that capacity throughout the duration of its nine-season run (and would return for Season 10 in 2018). Galecki's portrayal of the friendly and sensitive young David was excellent. During a interview with Television Academy Foundation, Chuck Lorre recalled meeting Galecki and just how much he’s evolved as an actor when it came time for his audition as Leonard:

It may not be surprising to hear about an actor improving his craft after two decades. However, it’s still cool to know that Mr. Lorre was able to see that evolution with Galecki since time had passed between the end of Roseanne and the start of Big Bang. That reunion must have been something, considering Galecki was only just a kid when Lorre met him, and it sounds like Lorre is certainly in awe of how far he’s come.

Even though Chuck Lorre was the creator of The Big Bang Theory, that wasn’t the reason Johnny Galecki auditioned for Leonard Hofstadter. The actor previously revealed that he was drawn to the role because of his (eventual) character's dynamic with Penny. With the show running for 12 seasons and Galecki putting in great work, it’s hard to imagine anyone else in the role.

While the National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation alum is somewhat from the role of Leonard now, the franchise is pushing on. Lorre is developing a new Big Bang series that will eventually be streamable with a Max subscription. The show reportedly took a step forward earlier this year, as it was revealed that Brian Posehn, Lauren Lapkus and Kevin Sussman were contracted to reprise their roles as Bert Kibbler, Denise, and Stuart Bloom respectively.

It'd be great to see Johnny Galecki and Chuck Lorre team up again for another project. Despite reprising his role as David on the Roseanne spinoff, The Conners, Galecki doesn't work as often as he used to (by choice). Still, I'd hope that if Lorre approached him with the right part, he'd be game to flex his masterful acting muscles again for an audition, if needed.

Those who'd like to see Johnny Galecki's Emmy-nominated work as Leonard on The Big Bang Theory can stream all 12 seasons now on Max. And while you wait to see if he returns for The Conners' final season amid the 2025 TV schedule, stream Roseanne with a Peacock subscription.

Johnny Galecki landed his fair share of film and TV roles at the start of his acting career. For instance, he played Rusty Griswald in National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation and was a regular on the short-lived sitcom, Billy. But his true breakthrough arrived when he was cast in one of the best sitcoms of all time, Roseanne, on which he played David Healy. As it turns out, though when the show ended in 1997, Galecki felt “rudderless” and was having a really tough time career-wise.

During Season 4 of the hit ABC comedy, Johnny Galecki became a permanent member of the Roseanne cast. His sensitive and artistic character was a good contrast to his sharp-witted and sarcastic on-and-off girlfriend, Darlene Conner. The blue-collar comedy's ninth (and originally final) season apparently marked a major shift for Galecki. The actor admitted to US Weekly that he was somewhat out of sorts at that point in his life:

I can understand that fear of not knowing where your career would go after being on a hit sitcom for so long. Plus, I'd imagine it may not have been easy to break away from his TV family. After the multi-cam comedy ended, Johnny Galecki booked a mix of small and big film roles in Vanilla Sky, I Know What You Did Last Summer and Bookies. He also had small roles in TV shows like Peep Show, My Boys and Hope & Faith as well as a stage role in the comedic Broadway play The Little Dog Laughed.

A decade later, though, the Rings alum would land his next starring role, which was playing Leonard Hofstadter on CBS' The Big Bang Theory. The star's great reason for wanting to play Leonard was his appreciation for the character’s dynamic with his love interest, Penny. I can understand that, as Leonard and Penny had a compelling love story that saw them end up together, despite their personal differences.

The job on the Chuck Lorre-produced show would end up being one of the best decisions Johnny Galecki would ever make. Because of his role on the Emmy-winning series, Galecki became one of the highest-paid TV actors in the world. An interesting BTS fact about Big Bang is that Galecki and several of his co-stars earned $1 million per episode by Season 10. The role also garnered him Emmys, Golden Globes and the Screen Actors Guild nods.

Amid his fame for starring on the CBS comedy, the seasoned actor had a full-circle moment when he reprised the role of David for Roseanne's tenth season. His character's returned marked the continuation of the messy dynamic that he and Darlene (from who he was estranged) had. The Cleanse star also appeared on episodes of the follow-up, spinoff series, The Conners.

Johnny Galecki's professional journey exemplifies how an actor's career can experience certain peaks and valleys. I'm happy to see that the actor eventually found some direction after appearing on the beloved '90s sitcom. Now, he's in a position where he can not only seek out roles but also take a breather from the business if he so chooses.

You can watch the star play David on Roseanne, which can be streamed with a Peacock subscription, and The Conners is on tap for anyone with a Netflix subscription. Also, make sure to look at our 2024 TV schedule so you'll know when The Conners' seventh and final season premieres.

Major spoilers below for anyone who hasn’t yet watched Young Sheldon’s series finale on CBS or with a Paramount+ subscription, so be warned!

For seven memorable years, Young Sheldon’s creative team filled out the backstory of The Big Bang Theory’s resident genius Sheldon Cooper, and the tragi-comic culmination was reached in the CBS show’s two-part series finale. The first part followed up on George Cooper’s long-anticipated death with his funeral proceedings, while the second part featured the heavily hyped on-screen reunion between former co-stars Jim Parsons and Mayim Bialik. But it’s what the prequel series didn’t show that has sparked curiosity, specifically when it comes to the fate of Johnny Galecki’s Leonard Hofstadter.

Understandably, a series devoted so largely to Sheldon’s life doesn’t necessarily owe fans any updates for other Big Bang Theory characters, but co-creators Steve Molaro and Chuck Lorre definitely knew that fans of the flagship sitcom have always pored over the follow-up show for connective tissue. And I know I'm not the only one who was hoping for a Leonard-flavored breadcrumb in the final episode.

While nothing in the installment “Memoir” directly revealed anything doom-laden about Leonard, a few clues indicate that the beloved character is out of the picture, whether it be due to death or perhaps a divorce from Kaley Cuoco's Penny. Let’s go over what we know to try and figure things out, since I doubt any kind of confirmation will come up in Georgie and Mandy’s upcoming spinoff.

Penny Was Namechecked, But No Mention Of Leonard

When it comes right down to it, the biggest piece of evidence pointing to Leonard’s current whereabouts is arguably the lack of evidence within not just the finale, but all of Young Sheldon’s run. Even though Leonard and Sheldon’s friendship developed after his coming-of-age teen years depicted in the dramedy prequel, it’s always been just a little odd that Jim Parsons’ Sheldon never once name-dropped his brainy bestie in any narration.

It might not be as odd if Young Sheldon was completely bereft of Big Bang Theory references and returns on the whole, but the show had already featured Mayim Bialik’s voiceover in the past, and also brought Simon Helberg’s Howard back in the middle of its run. But the kicker here is that Penny’s name does come up in the series finale, so the writers could have easily worked in a nod to Leonard’s current situation within that same line of dialogue.

When Amy mentions that their daughter, who curiously isn’t named, has developed an interest in becoming an actress, Sheldon responds by saying:

Was the implication there that Penny is perhaps more inclined to take on babysitting duties herself, due to whatever natural matronly vibes she exudes, as opposed to sharing those duties with Leonard? Or is the idea that Penny is now a single woman, either due to a divorce or something far more depressing? The third option would be that Sheldon merely named Penny instead of Leonard due to the context of acting being discussed. Whatever the reason, Cuoco’s character was the only TBBT fave referenced, and that seemed to be quite intentional.

Sheldon And Amy Named Their Son Leonard

To be sure, the name Leonard definitely did come up during Young Sheldon’s flash-forward segments, just not in direct reference to Johnny Galecki’s physicist. Rather, that’s the name that Sheldon and Amy named their son, who is already showing signs of branching away from science as an obsession through participating in youth hockey games.

Now, it’s a well-known fact that Sheldon’s idol is the late, great Star Trek vet Leonard Nimoy, so on the one hand, it’s perfectly logical that he and Amy would go that route in naming their first-born son. But on the other hand, that specific bit of nomenclature would likely present some unnecessary confusion amidst the friend group, at least assuming adult Leonard is still around.

It’s obviously not unlawful or extremely rare for parents to name a child after a friend or loved one who’s still alive, but that kind of tribute is far more common after someone has passed away, or is at least no longer around in a regular capacity. Which speaks more to the idea that he died at some point, possibly due to the various health issues that he brought up in the 12 years The Big Bang Theory aired, as opposed to Leonard and Penny splitting up.

If this were a situation where a difficult divorce came into play before Amy and Sheldon had their son, then I seriously doubt they would have gone forward with naming the kid Leonard, knowing that they’d be asking Penny to babysit down the line. But that’s more of a socially awkward choice than anything else, so I guess I wouldn’t totally put it past Sheldon.

Johnny Galecki Previously Hit Pause On His Entertainment Career

Let’s step outside the narrative box for a second to pose a different reason for Young Sheldon seemingly avoiding any updates about Leonard: former Big Bang Theory star Johnny Galecki hit pause on his entertainment career to focus on his growing family in their gorgeous Tennessee home. So it’s likely that Steve Molaro and Chuck Lorre were all too aware that the Roseanne vet wouldn’t be up for reprising the role on Young Sheldon at any point.

To that end, it’s possible they chose not to offer any specific updates about Leonard without having Galecki’s input and blessing about where the character ended up. It’s also plausible that they assumed invoking Leonard’s current whereabouts would lead to an unwanted rise in fans trying to contact Galecki privately.

With any number of reasons behind the creative team’s choice to leave Leonard references by the wayside, Young Sheldon has now completely wrapped up its seven-season run, with only George and Mandy’s impending spinoff to potentially provide further insights into Sheldon, Amy, Penny and Leonard’s lives in the post-Big Bang era. Maybe if that Max spinoff ever makes it through the development process, it’ll offer its own clues into these characters' lives.

Until we know more, Young Sheldon's easter egg-filled finale can be streamed along with all the other episodes on Paramount+, while all 12 seasons of The Big Bang Theory are available with a Max subscription.

Bradley Cooper, who most recently wowed critics and audiences with his performance and direction in the mostly well received Maestro, has an abode with an interesting detail. As it so happens, the A-lister has a bathroom in his bedroom. And, believe it or not, the actor/director is not the only star to possess such a unique setup in his home. Big Bang Theory alum Johnny Galecki’s relatively new pad apparently has a similar bedroom/bathroom feature, which exemplifies that bathroom time doesn’t always need to be private time.

The veteran actor spent 12 seasons on The Big Bang Theory, playing Leonard Hofstadter  -- who lived in an apartment with a long broken-down elevator. The Emmy-nominated actor's real-life living situation is the farthest thing from his character’s, however. When the Roseanne alum first showed off his newly remodeled Tennessee home in February, it looked like a house, with its gothic-style decor, looked truly unique.

Now, this latest nugget of news makes the location even more eclectic. This unconventional bedroom/bathroom feature of Johnny's Galecki’s house that was revealed in Homes and Gardens. Take a look at Pierce and Ward’s Instagram photo below, which shows Galecki's bedroom, and see if you notice anything interesting inside of it:

Some may find it hard to believe Johnny Galecki has a bathroom located right inside his bedroom. But, clearly, no conventional walls and doors surrounding the John are present within this open-plan space. This reveal comes after Bradley Cooper admitted on the Armchair Expert podcast that he has heart-to-hearts with his daughter on the toilet, thanks to the fact that his bedroom consists of a bathtub and toilet. (The mental image of him in there doing his business while his daughter hangs out in the bathtub pouring her heart out is interesting, to say the least.) 

Other than Johnny Galecki and Bradley Cooper, there are other celebrities who share the joy of this popular interior trend. As mentioned by H&G, Ryan Reynolds and Blake Lively have a marble tub in their rustic bedroom. LeBron James even has a walk-in shower in his living/dressing room area. Interior designers of Home and Gardens agree that this layout is trending because it helps make the bedroom look bigger, resembling what you see in luxurious hotels. That's an interesting aspect of this to consider, as many hotels do indeed have that component.

There's also another element to this. With glass windows being the only barrier dividing Johnny Galecki’s bedroom and bathroom, natural light can flow easily into the washing area to help bathroom residents feel calm. I don't know about you, but a bathroom is definitely one place many people probably don't want to feel stressed or anxious, so, theoretically, that is helpful.

It may not be every day that you see a bathroom located in a bedroom, but it seems to suit celebrities like Johnny Galecki and Bradley Cooper just fine. I'd be curious as to whether any other notable stars decide to get in on this trend down the road. In the meantime, you can watch Galecki in all 12 seasons of The Big Bang Theory using a Max subscription. Also, peek into our schedule of 2024 movie releases in case he or Cooper have projects that pop up on it.

Aside from a couple of appearances on The Conners early in its run, former The Big Bang Theory star Johnny Galecki has largely been out of the public eye since his hit, long-running CBS sitcom signed off for good after 12 seasons in 2019. This meant that when the actor recently showed off his house and family for the first time in a new magazine spread, several fellow Roseanne and BBT stars like Kunal Nayyar had the sweetest reactions to getting a look at his life now.

Where Did Johnny Galecki Show His Home And Family And What Did His Roseanne And Big Bang Theory Co-Stars Say?

While Johnny Galecki missed returning as his Roseanne character, David Healy, for The Conners Season 5 finale in May 2023, the star has been anything but not busy. In fact, over the past few years, he’s remodeled and moved into a home in Tennessee, married and started a family, and all of this was revealed via his Instagram post for an article that was done on his home in Architectural Digest. Take a look!

First of all…Ooooooh! Right? Second of all, look at David Healy with a family he’s actually taking care of. Leonard Hofstadter would definitely approve! And, so do many of his former castmates, as Kunal Nayyar (Raj on The Big Bang Theory) and others really had some sweet reactions to this look at his life right outside of Nashville. Nayyar (who revealed the sticky way Galecki left his mark on the BBT set) posted an easy-going message that still showed a lot of heart: 

Awwww! Nice, isn’t it? Unlike many celebrities (and just regular folks, in general) Galecki doesn’t appear to be a fan of posting to social media, as he rarely does it. Before the above post, in fact, his last one was on November 1, with the two posts before that being in August and January of 2023. So, while he’s shown some bits of his home life before, this is kinda a big deal for his fans, and friends that he doesn’t get to see that often because he no longer resides in Los Angeles.

The love continued for the National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation star (who had been working on a reboot of the Vacation films in the form of a TV sitcom), when Roseanne/The Conners star Michael Fishman (a.k.a. D.J. Conner) responded with a brief, but very kind, message:

And, it really is. Also featured in the photos are his wife, Morgan, and his child from a previous relationship, 4-year-old son, Orbison. The 12,000 square foot home (which sits on about 30 acres of land) has decor that’s said to match Galecki’s preferred “Gothic” style, and I gotta say, while I wouldn’t have thought of myself as someone who would like that kind of design, I really do love what we see of his house. I’m not alone, either, as sometime BBT guest star Lauren Lapkus (Stuart’s comic book store assistant manager/girlfriend, Denise) visited to write about her admiration of just that, saying:

It’s really so nice to see the love that his co-stars have for him, and such a great time for his fans to see more of how he and his family live in Tennessee. Now, if we could just coax him back to The Conners before it (eventually) ends, that would really be the icing on this cake.

It's hard to believe Entourage ended its eight-season run so long ago, in 2011 (not counting the less-than-well-recieved movie in 2015). For the length of the show, one thing that kept audiences coming back for more each week was the great celebrity cameos. What started as a trickle in the first season, became a flood towards the end, with big stars always showing up, usually with hilarious results. Here is our list of some of the funniest celebrity cameos on Entourage. 

Mark Wahlberg

It makes sense that Mark Wahlberg would be the first cameo on the show, appearing in the very first episode of Season 1. Entourage was (very) loosely based on his experiences in Hollywood as a young actor, and the Boogie Nights star was a producer of the show. 

David Schwimmer

A great thing about the cameos was that often the celebrities weren't afraid to poke a little fun at themselves. Take, for example, David Schwimmer's spot in the Season 6 episode "Running on E." Schwimmer sits in a pitch meeting with super agent Ari Gold's (Jeremy Piven) team and offer after offer is for the Friends star to play some sort of neurotic character for comedic effect. The frustration for Schwimmer is palpable. 

Peter Dinklage

One of the most common tropes on the show was the stars taking potshots at Ari. Ari was a character we all loved to hate, but it turns out most of the celebrities playing themselves also hated Ari. Peter Dinklage is one of those when he trades barbs with Ari at a party in the Season 2 "Sundance Kids."

John Stamos

John Stamos was the perfect type of celeb to show on Entourage. It was always fun to see how a cameo appearance might just be an opportunity to take down lovable loser Johnny Drama (Kevin Dillon). In a bit of a twist, after getting insulted by Stamos a few times, the two play an epic match of ping pong that ends predicably for Drama in the Season 7 episode "Tequila Sunrise." 

Jeffrey Tambor

Jeffrey Tambor plays a jerk like few others can in Hollywood. When he's playing a fictionalized version of himself being to jerk to his kids, it's comedy gold. Fictional life as a jerk and real life have blurred together for Tambor, but his appearance in Season 6 is still really funny. 

Matt Damon

Matt Damon takes charity very seriously, so his cameo on Entourage, in the Season 6 finale, fits perfectly. It's also a rare time that Vince (Adrian Grenier) is the one getting clowned when he tries to dodge both Damon and Bono into giving money to their charity to help children.  

Val Kilmer

Val Kilmer's guest spot on the show is a little different than most on this list. He doesn't play himself, but the role is so brief – and so funny – that it had to be included. In Season 1, the Top Gun: Maverick star plays a "sherpa" living in a giant house in Beverly Hills like a '60s hippie. 

Snoop Dogg

No one brings joy like Snoop Dogg. There is never a time when people are unhappy to see the legendary rapper show up somewhere on TV and Entourage is no exception. The brief interaction between Snoop, Vince, and Eric (Kevin Connolly), partly highlights the confusion of how to pronounce "Cannes" in the Season 4 episode "The Dream Team."

James Cameron

The Season 2 episode "Sundance Kids" really kicked the cameos on the show into overdrive and one of the best of the whole series is James Cameron. Vince is trying to land a role in his Aquaman movie, so Turtle and Drama try to help (and fail). The best part, though, is Cameron's interaction with a barista (played by This Is Us star Chrissy Metz). 

Tom Brady

Turtle (Jerry Ferrara) is a die-hard New York Giants fan, so when he meets Tom Brady at a charity golf tournament, he does what any self-respecting fan would do, he blows him off and refuses to shake his hand. It's brilliant. 

Martin Scorsese

Entourage proved just how big it was for celeb cameos when none other than Martin Scorsese appeared for a brief scene to offer Vince a role in his fictional The Great Gatsby movie in the finale of Season 5. You know you've made it when Scorsese gets involved. 

Scarlett Johansson

Season 1 ends with a big-time star appearance when the one and only Scarlett Johansson cameos on the phone with Vince, after Eric promises him to land a date with the superstar actress. It works, though it's the last time we'd see Johansson on the show. 

Stan Lee

Comic legend Stan Lee became the king of cameos with his iconic moments in the MCU universe for years, a streak that ended with his death in 2018. It's all too appropriate that we include him on this list, not only due to Lee's status as a cameo-king but because his quick role is just so funny as he can't quite place where he's seen Vince's adult film star girlfriend, Sasha Grey, before.

Lamar Odom

Entourage was replete with professional athletes throughout its run. Lamar Odom shows up pretty early in the show's run, in "An Offer Refused" in Season 2. The cameo is notable because of the way Drama gets obsessed with how men's calves look, including Odom's, which understandably freaks the NBA star out. 

Bono

Bono's appearance in the Season 6 finale is brilliant. He only appears via computer screen, as he's on a video call with Matt Damon and teams up with Damon to gang up on Vince to guilt him into getting on board with their charity. It's vintage Bono, pushing a charity but not taking himself as seriously as the world perceives him to be. 

Bobby Flay

Ari being a jerk to someone isn't a surprise, but Ari being a jerk to Bobby Flay is, pardon the pun, pure gold. Flay is great playing himself as the chef at his own restaurant, one of Ari's favorites, but the two bicker before Flay has had enough in the Season 8 episode "Whiz Kid." 

Sofia Vergara

Sofia Vergara's cameo is notable because she's not playing herself. While she herself is perfect for the role as a Colombian actress auditioning for the movie Medellin, it's funny because of how ridiculous the rest of Vince's team reacts to her. The first episode of Season 2 is one of the most unique, and funniest, of the show's run. 

M. Night Shyamalan

M. Night Shyamalan's appearance in the episode "Sorry, Harvey" in Season 4 is classic Entourage. Playing himself, he's angry at Ari for not reading his latest script and confronts the super agent to call him on it. It's the kind of cameo we've come to expect from this show, a major star fighting with Ari. 

Christina Aguilera

The Season 7 finale, "Lose Yourself" is one of the saddest of the show, for a few reasons. One is Ari throwing a lavish party for his wife to keep her from leaving him complete with Christina Aguilera singing "You Are Beautiful," only to have his wife not show.  Aguilera gets mad at Ari (naturally) and demands his Lakers playoffs tickets to keep performing. 

Adrian Peterson

NFL superstar Adrian Peterson selling a dinosaur skull. Is there anything more that needs to be said? The Season 7 episode "Tequila and Coke" has a great moment poking fun at people investing in fossils, and yes, Nic Cage gets a shout-out. 

Zac Efron

It's no surprise that Ari would be trying to steal a client from another agent, but what makes Zac Efron's cameo on Entourage so funny is his interaction with a fan while on the phone with Ari. A mom using her daughter to get Efron's autograph (and pushing for, um, more) is hilarious. 

Kanye West

Vince and his crew have no problem asking anyone for a favor. Kanye West is the victim of one of the most outlandish requests when they beg him for a ride on his private plane to France, even though Ye is headed for London in "No Cannes Do" from Season 4. The rapper is stunned and doesn't hide it, but still, who can turn down Vince? No one, not even Ye.

David Spade

David Spade is the perfect star for a cameo on Entourage. In his, he's got women on both arms and plays a total jerk. While he's surely not a jerk, he somehow has that public perception, which is what makes the cameo so much fun in the Season 8 episode titled "The Big Bang." Spade is just hilarious. 

Phil Mickelson

Phil Mickelson is clearly a good sport. Despite the show taking a shot at the pro golfer's failure at the 2006 U.S. Open, he later agreed to appear on the show, if only to show up Ari. A chance meeting on the golf course between Mickelson, and Kevin Dillon and Jerry Ferrara, led to the role. Kizmet. 

50 Cent

50 Cent makes one of the briefest cameos on the show, but it's one of the best. When he sees Turtle driving, he pulls up alongside and manages to take Turtle down a notch, despite the fancy ride he's driving in. Turtle has a rough time in his birthday episode, "One Car, Two Car, Red Car, Blue Car," from Season 6.

Aaron Sorkin

Aaron Sorkin's first cameo (he made two) on Entourage came in an episode named after him, "The Sorkin Notes" in Season 6. Sorkin is caught up in some drama in Ari's office that he wants no part of and is hilarious in a rare acting role for the writer and director. Now can we get that West Wing revival starring Sterling K. Brown that Sorkin had an idea for, please?

Dean Cain

Another very brief cameo comes from Dean Cain. The former Superman actor disrupts one of Drama's auditions, which crushes Drama, as he figures there's no one he can compete with Cain for the part. It's vintage Johnny Drama in the Season 6 episode "Scared Straight." It's another moment in which you can't help but feel terrible for Drama. 

Eminem

The Season 7 finale, "Lose Yourself," not only foreshadows Vince's downward spiral, but Eminem's cameo. In one of the lowest moments of Vince's life, he first insults Minka Kelly, then gets into a fistfight with Eminem. It's as sad as it is funny, a line the show walked brilliantly in the episode. 

Alex Rodriguez

How tragic would be to hear that you lost out on a ton of money from former Yankee Alex Rodriguez? That's what happens to Turtle when the shortstop-turned-third-baseman shows up on screen to tell Turtle that the tequila company he once owned a lot of stock in went public after he sold out. Ouch. 

Steve Nash

Poor Steve Nash. The NBA star was at the height of his fame when he was unwittingly cornered by Eric at his manager's office (Scott Caan). Eric dumps all of his girlfriend problems on the Canadian basketball player's feet in the Season 6 episode "Murphy's Lie," and all Nash can do is look stunned. 

Johnny Galecki

Johnny Galecki's role in Entourage was a little more than one cameo, it was more like three cameos over three episodes and he plays a fictionalized version of himself who makes Eric's life hell by dating Eric's ex-girlfriend Sloan (Emmanuelle Chriqui). This version of Galecki is terrible but completely hilarious. 

Jessica Simpson

As Ari tries to protect his client base, he's forced to go hat in hand to a client who's mad at him for not caring when her dog died. Jessica Simpson meets Ari at the door in "Bottoms Up" from Season 7, and in classic Entourage fashion, makes Ari look like the jerk that he is, despite his insincere attempt to gift another dog to Simpson. It sums up everything a great Entourage cameo should be. A big star, an unrepentant Ari, and some choice lines. 

This is a list that could be almost endless, and we didn't even get into the multiple cameos in the Entourage movie, one of which featured Channing Tatum that didn't actually happen. 

The phrase “former child star” is most often associated with someone who was famous when they were much younger, but is not quite as well-known — or, perhaps, does not even act anymore — as a grown-up. Yet, for every starlet who has risen and fallen, there are just as many who have beaten the odds and have gone onto bigger and better things as adults, like these beloved celebrities.

Macaulay Culkin

The first person you might think of when you think of “former child stars” could be Macaulay Culkin, who was on top of the world when he led the original Home Alone cast as Kevin McCallister. While his notoriety would slow in subsequent years, it is always a treat to see him show up in ensembles like the American Horror Story Season 10 cast or Kid Cudi’s Entergalactic cast.

Lukas Haas

Lukas Haas was one of the most acclaimed young actors of his time with leading roles in 1985’s Witness, opposite Harrison Ford, and the underrated ghost story, Lady in White, from 1988. He has since made a living taking smaller roles in otherwise big movies like Inception and Babylon, plus he's shown up on TV shows like The Righteous Gemstones and War of the Worlds.

Jurnee Smollett

With an Emmy nomination for HBO’s Lovecraft Country, a scene-stealing role in DC’s Birds of Prey, and a stellar turn in Amazon Prime’s The Burial, Jurnee Smollett has established herself as one of the strongest talents of her time. However, that was already clear with her recurring role in Full House and her astonishing performance in 1997’s acclaimed Black horror movie, Eve’s Bayou, when she was still a child.

Jason Bateman

From his debut role on Little House on the Prairie to his years on the sitcom Valerie (which would become The Hogan Family), Jason Bateman showed great versatility as a performer in his younger years. He has upheld that reputation ever since, as seen by his Emmy-nominated work leading the Arrested Development cast and, later, the Ozark cast. His ability to shift from starring in funny movies like Horrible Bosses to dramas like Air is remarkable.

Dakota Fanning

Racking up more than 20 credits before she turned 10, Dakota Fanning was everywhere in the early 2000s — catching the attention of filmmakers like Steven Spielberg for War of the Worlds and holding her own against actors like Robert DeNiro in Hide and Seek. Save her age, nothing much has changed for the actor, who appeared in Quentin Tarantino’s Once Upon a Time in Hollywood cast and reunited with her Man on Fire co-star, Denzel Washington, in 2023’s The Equalizer 3.

Ryan Gosling

A 13-year-old Ryan Gosling entered show business as a Mouseketeer, paving the way for him to star in back-to-back scary anthology TV shows for kids (Are You Afraid of the Dark? and Goosebumps), lead Young Hercules, and more. Leading 2004’s The Notebook cast paved the way for him to be an action hero in Drive and Blade Runner 2049. On top of all that, he also earned Oscar nominations for Half Nelson and La La Land, and made us laugh as part of the The Nice Guys ensemble and the Barbie cast as Ken.

Brie Larson

After some faux ads on Jay Leno’s Tonight Show marked her debut at 9, Brie Larson went on to star in a family sitcom with the late Bob Saget (Raising Dad), was in a YA novel adaptation (Hoot), and she even had a singing career in her teens. Now, she is a comic book movie star (for appearing in Scott Pilgrim vs. the World and playing the MCU’s Captain Marvel), and she has an Oscar for Room from 2015.

Kenan Thompson

On All That — Nickelodeon’s answer to Saturday Night Live — one of the young cast’s most prominent breakouts was Kenan Thompson, who went on to co-lead his own kid-friendly sitcom with Kel Mitchell, aptly named Kenan & Kel. The Emmy winner went on to break the record for longest-running SNL actor and lead his own adult sitcom, Kenan.

David Krumholtz

After making his debut playing a child actor in 1993’s Life with Mikey, David Krumholtz became a prominent child actor with roles in Addams Family Values as Wednesday’s love interest and Tim Allen’s head elf, Bernard, in The Santa Clause. The crime procedural, Numb3rs, earned him greater recognition, leading to a career that includes lending his voice to Sausage Party, appearing in the Oppenheimer cast, and reprising Bernard on Disney+’s series, The Santa Clauses.

Neil Patrick Harris

Playing a kid genius on Doogie Howser M.D. made Neil Patrick Harris a household name, which he acknowledged when he later played himself in Harold and Kumar Go to White Castle. Of course, the five-time Emmy winner is better known today as Barney Stinson from the How I Met Your Mother cast, Count Olaf on Netflix’s A Series of Unfortunate Events, and so much more.

Josh Brolin

At 17, first-time actor Josh Brolin immediately made his mark on pop culture as part of the Goonies cast in the role of Brand Walsh. However, he really got heads turning at 39 when he starred in one of the best movies of the 2000s, No Country for Old Men. The son of Hollywood veteran James Brolin has an Oscar nomination for Milk and multiple comic book movie roles under his belt (Jonah Hex, MCU’s Thanos, and Cable in Deadpool 2), among other great achievements. 

Haley Joel Osment

After debuting in Forrest Gump and starring on The Jeff Foxworthy Show, Haley Joel Osment’s Oscar-nominated performance in, arguably, the best M. Night Shyamalan movie, 1999’s The Sixth Sense, made him a sensation. He went on to earn leading parts in Pay It Forward and Steven Spielberg’s A.I.: Artificial Intelligence. More recently, Osment has been known to pop up in the most unexpected places — Kevin Smith’s Tusk, a guest role on The Boys, Netflix's animated fantasy series Dogs in Space, to name a few — but always with grand results.

Ethan Hawke

After debuting in Joe Dante’s Explorers at 15, Ethan Hawke only grew in prominence in his later teens and throughout his 20s by starring in Dead Poets Society, Reality Bites, etc. He went on to earn Academy Award nominations for Training Day and Boyhood. He completed Richard Linklater’s Before Trilogy with 2013’s Before Midnight, became a Scream King with great horror movies like Sinister, and he's done a fair amount of work behind the scenes, too.

Abigail Breslin

Just four years after M. Night Shyamalan gave 6-year-old Abigail Breslin her big break with Signs, her role in the Little Miss Sunshine cast made her one of the youngest Oscar nominees of all time. As she matured, so would her roles — such as a teenage murder suspect in Stillwater or a vigilante in the Accused cast for Fox.

Mayim Bialik

Mayim Bialik stole the show from the Big Bang Theory cast as Amy Farrah Fowler and later led Fox’s Call Me Kat in the title role. However, the Jeopardy! host’s status as sitcom royalty dates back to the ‘90s as the star of Blossom.

Brenda Song

Perhaps Brenda Song’s most iconic character is London Tipton from the Suite Life franchise — which is just one of the roles that made her a prominent Disney Channel star. Beyond the children’s cable giant, she was in one of the best David Fincher movies, The Social Network, led Netflix’s Secret Obsession, and had a main role in Hulu’s Dollface.

Leonardo DiCaprio

Despite being removed for disruptive behavior when making his show business debut on Romper Room at 3 years old (as he revealed to David Letterman), Leonardo DiCaprio went on to lead a winning child actor’s career that included a season on Growing Pains and an Academy Award nomination for What’s Eating Gilbert Grape? Things would only get better as he grew up, earning even more Oscar nominations — and one win for The Revenant — and becoming as important to Martin Scorsese’s filmography as his This Boy’s Life co-star, Robert DeNiro, whom he reunited with in 2023’s Killers of the Flower Moon.

Tyler James Williams

Tyler James Williams started out appearing on Sesame Street before landing the title role of Chris Rock’s autobiographical sitcom, Everybody Hates Chris. Following an acclaimed indie comedy (Dear White People) and a recurring role on the Walking Dead cast, the actor became sitcom royalty again when he joined the Abbott Elementary cast, which earned him multiple Emmy nods.

Kurt Russell

Former Disney star Kurt Russell made his feature debut in 1963’s It Happened at the World’s Fair alongside Elvis Presley, and he went on to play him in a made-for-TV biopic and Forrest Gump. Several great movie roles later, Russell is one of the top action heroes of all time, and now he's working with his family by joining the Monarch: Legacy of Monsters cast alongside his son, Wyatt, who is playing his younger self.

Jodie Foster

After getting her start on TV at a very young age (the first gig being The Doris Day Show), Jodie Foster got a head start on the more mature roles she would become known for when she appeared in Taxi Driver at 14. The two-time Academy Award winner (for The Accused and Best Picture Oscar winner The Silence of the Lambs) would continue to work from both in front of and behind the camera.

Johnny Galecki

In 1989, 14-year-old Johnny Galecki appeared as Rusty in the National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation cast, and he also starred in another holiday classic, Prancer. I would not be surprised if many did not realize that Leonard from The Big Bang Theory was the same actor, but they were likely more hip to that fact by the time he reprised his role from Roseanne, David Healy, on The Conners.

Miranda Cosgrove

Even with Jack Black in the lead, Miranda Cosgrove stole the show in 2003’s School of Rock, and she went on to do the same thing as the evil Megan in the Nickelodeon sitcom, Drake & Josh. One of her most notable credits as an adult was a Paramount+ exclusive revival of iCarly — another Nickelodeon show she led as a teen.

Keke Palmer

Her bombastic debut role in Barbershop 2: Back in Business made it clear that then-9-year-old Keke Palmer was a powerhouse talent. The Emmy winner would continue to demonstrate her skill as the lead of Akeelah and the Bee and much later in life as part of Jordan Peele’s Nope cast.

Mark-Paul Gosselaar

While Zach Morris from the Saved by the Bell cast is still the role he is best known for — he even reprised it in a Peacock exclusive revival — Mark-Paul Gosselaar managed to prove his versatility in later years. He had a successful stint as a detective on NYPD Blue, played a rebellious lawyer on Franklin & Bash, and an abusive captor in NBC’s Found.

Joseph Gordon-Levitt

Before starring on the great ‘90s TV show, 3rd Rock from the Sun, Joseph Gordon-Levitt made multiple TV appearances and starred in classic movies like Angels in the Outfield and A River Runs Through It. These days, he is best known for his many collaborations with Rian Johnson, his Golden Globe-nominated turns in (500) Days of Summer and 50/50, and running the creative collaboration platform HitRecord.

Sean Astin

Before playing the title role of Rudy and starring in the Lord of the Rings movies as Sam, Sean Astin was best known as Mikey in The Goonies. In addition to his accomplished voice acting career, one of his most celebrated roles as of late is Bob Newby from the Season 2 cast of Stranger Things — a show very much inspired by The Goonies.

Kirsten Dunst

After making her film debut in star-studded The Bonfire of the Vanities, Kirsten Dunst really made an impression at 12 playing a 70-year-old bloodsucker in Interview with the Vampire. Starring in the Spider-Man movies as Mary Jane Watson swung her right into the A-list and, in 2022, she received an Academy Award nomination for The Power of the Dog.

Kieran Culkin

With his roles in the Home Alone movies and in Steve Martin movies (both parts of Father of the Bride), it seemed like Kieran Culkin was on his way to the same level of stardom as his brother, Macaulay. However, it was not until later in life when he was thrice Emmy-nominated for starring in HBO’s Succession cast that he became the star he was destined to be.

Selena Gomez

Before leading Disney Channel's Wizards of Waverly Place made Selena Gomez a star, she got her start on Barney in the early 2000s. She now has two Primetime Emmy Award nominations for her performance on Hulu’s Only Murders in the Building cast and a Daytime Emmy nod for her Max original cooking show, Selena + Chef.

Elle Fanning

Before breaking out in the Super 8 cast, Elle Fanning’s claim to fame for a while was starring as a younger version of sister, Dakota, in I Am Sam and Taken. Now, she has an Emmy nomination for leading Hulu’s The Great, which is just one of the many Victorian-era roles she has played in more recent years.

Christina Ricci

For years, Christina Ricci’s performance in Barry Sonnenfeld’s Addams Family movies was the definitive iteration of young Wednesday Addams. The Yellowjackets cast member got to revisit those days with her supporting role on Netflix’s Wednesday cast, opposite Jenna Ortega in the lead this time.

Danica McKellar

Some of the most memorably endearing moments from the original Wonder Years involved Danica McKellar’s Winnie Cooper and her puppy love relationship with Fred Savage as Kevin Arnold. Romance is a big part of the actor’s career these days, primarily appearing in popular Hallmark movies like Christmas She Wrote and Swing into Romance.

Knowing the kind of career they would one day lead, I am sure these celebrities wear their “former child star” identities as a badge of honor.

Spoilers below for the Season 5 finale of The Conners, so be warned if you haven’t yet watched!

The Conners spent a lot of Season 5 exploring Darlene and Ben’s complete life reversal as a newly married couple living together, outside of Dan’s house, with Darlene’s professional life shifting around for the betterment of the family. (What show does she think she’s on?) But the season finale focused on two characters who rarely get paired up together narratively — Ames McNamara’s Mark and Jay R. Ferguson’s Ben — while addressing one of the familial elephants (not) in the room: Mark and Harris’ absentee father David Healy. While the episode didn’t get to bring Johnny Galecki back to reprise his Roseanne-originated role, it served as a fitting chapter-closing for the character, whose lingering relationship with Darlene was put to rest back in Season 2. Executive producers Bruce Helford and Dave Caplan even think it worked out better for Mark and Ben that David never popped up. 

CinemaBlend spoke with both of the EPs ahead of the finale, and when I jokingly asked if all the comments made at David’s expense were secretly aimed at past guest star Johnny Galecki, they laughingly denied that being the case in any capacity, with Caplan saying, “We love Johnny!” They went on to explain that they did indeed reach out to see if the former Big Bang Theory star was available, but it doesn't sound like acting is something he's interested in jumping back into anytime soon. Here's how they put it:

• Bruce Helford: It got to be a situation where he just wasn't available, and we love him, and he loves being on the show. And we just felt we had to finally deal with that.
• Dave Caplan: Yeah, David was still kind of in the life of the show, certainly living through the kids, and we sort of had to deal with it. We made an initial approach to Johnny to see if he was available, but he's sort of not engaging with the business at the moment. But we still felt that to tell a good story about Mark and Ben, we needed the ghost of David in the show. 

It might have been interesting to see how David would have reacted to Darlene and Ben's domestic life, but it probably would have just involved him sleeping with some floozie and disappointing Mark and scoring weed off Harris, amirite?

While both the episode and my convo with the Conners bosses revolved around David a lot, showrunner Bruce Helford pointed out that the episode allowed them to put a spotlight on the value that Ben brings to the family in various forms. And that certainly includes the way he quite easily took on light fatherly duties, even if Harris is probably too old for any of it to truly make up for David's absence over the years. Here's what Helford said about that:

Considering how everything played out in "The Grad Finale," it's hard to think of how David would have fit into things smoothly, and so the story would have needed some huge changes in order for his presence to have an impact. When I asked if that was the case, Caplan agreed and explained:

Mark's practice graduation speech did generate a legitimate "AWWW" reaction, and I do believe Ben's follow-up request for Mark to work in a plug for the hardware store was as organically "Conners" a comment as the dude could have made. Ben is soooo part of this clan. Now if we could just get Sean Astin back in the fold as Becky's romantic foil, we could possibly see peak happiness for The Conners' core squad. Make it happen!

Following The Big Bang Theory's series finale, Johnny Galecki largely drifted away from the limelight, putting more focus on both his family life and on handling projects more behind the scenes as opposed to in front of the camera. Two of the more recent projects he'd been developing were a workplace comedy dubbed AOK and a TV adaptation of J.D. Kleinke’s novel Catching Babies, though it's been a while since any news came out about that one. But even if he never takes on another acting role again, he'll always be David Healy to a lot of us. 

The Conners is ending Season 5 atop the slate of comedies at ABC, and will very likely be back for Season 6 at some point later this year, depending on what happens with the ongoing WGA writers strike. Until then, the entire past season can be streamed all over again with a Hulu subscription.

While Kaley Cuoco is currently pregnant with beau Tom Pelphrey’s child, she famously dated her Big Bang Theory co-star Johnny Galecki while the CBS sitcom was still on the air. The two dated for around two years before calling it quits in 2009, though the onscreen romance between Penny and Leonard lasted longer. Galecki and Cuoco are still close to this day, which is probably why the actress was comfortable sharing a makeout story recently. 

In the new book The Big Bang Theory: The Definitive, Inside Story of the Epic Hit Series a slew of set stories about The Big Bang Theory were shared. Among them was this story from the actress from the time she was still dating Galecki. In the 2022 book, the actress opened up about getting “busted” hooking up in the parking lot!  

While Kaley Cuoco very vividly remembers being busted by her showrunner boss, he seemed to be very preoccupied with whatever was going on with the show, and joked he didn’t have the “emotional bandwidth” to deal with seeing his actors hook up. He also said in the book: 

Cuoco seemed amused by the story and called it “such a Chuck answer,” which makes me think there are probably other incidents in the history of The Big Bang Theory in which the showrunner simply buried his head in the sand. 

Both the Penny and Leonard actors opened up about the “chemistry” they’d experienced on set, which led them to explore a relationship outside of the scripts that were being written for them. (And which often had them in bed together.) In fact, after Cuoco broke up with her onscreen partner, she wrote about how there was a period after in which Lorre awkwardly had them filming bedroom scenes at a much higher rate than normal. 

Given Cuoco’s mention of  Lorre's on-brand response, above, when it came to paying attention to the romantic shenanigans of his actors, this story also checks out. Meanwhile, while the two were seen making out on set, the actress would like everyone to know the PDA stopped there. As she bluntly put it, “[we] never even had [sex] in our dressing rooms.” 

Kaley Cuoco went on to marry and divorce Ryan Sweeting (while Big Bang was still on air) and then Karl Cook after dating Johnny Galecki. She and Cook split back in 2021 and finalized their divorce this year, after which she started seeing Pelphrey. The two announced their pregnancy in October. Meanwhile, Johnny Galecki had a child with partner Alaina Meyer, though the two have since split. As for the two Big Bang Theory co-stars, the two still remain in touch through sweet birthday messages and more. 

The Big Bang Theory brought a lot of people joy during its massively successful 12-season run on CBS. And, because of that, many fans still mourn the loss of the series, its easily referenceable inside jokes, and the cast of loveably oddball characters. I’ve no doubt that there are a lot of people who even think fondly about the very familiar apartment building sets where Raj, Bernadette, Howard, Penny, Amy, Leonard, and Sheldon spent a large portion of their time, but Kunal Nayyar (who played Raj) has recently revealed the sticky way in which co-star Johnny Galecki left his mark on the stairs for that set, and it involves gum.

What Did Kunal Nayyar Say Johnny Galecki Did To The Big Bang Theory Set?

I doubt if there were more than a handful of episodes of The Big Bang Theory, in all of its seasons total, where one or more of the characters weren’t seen trudging up and / or down the stairs for the apartment building that Penny, Leonard, Sheldon (and later Amy) called home for the entirety of the series. So, all of the actors spent a lot of time on that particular part of the set, and while speaking on Sunday Brunch (via The Independent) in the U.K., Kunal Nayyar let everyone in on how Johnny Galecki (who played Leonard) left a little bit of himself behind on The Big Bang Theory, while explaining how they worked on the stairs set:

OK. EWWWWW! Can you imagine? This was definitely one of many behind the scenes facts that I think we could have done without. I mean, even if Galecki only did this once a week while they were filming, that’s still a ton of old, dried, disgusting gum. As I mentioned earlier, the characters were always going up and down the stairs to get to their apartments, seeing as how the elevators in their building never worked. 

If Galecki deposited gum on this mystery wall on set every single time they had to rehearse or film? Kunal Nayyar is correct that his fans would find a boon if they could gain access to even part of that wall. Honestly? Johnny Galecki better hope that whoever was in charge of breaking down the set actually put that wall in some incinerator, because otherwise an enterprising stranger might totally be able to clone him from all the DNA he left behind on The Big Bang Theory set.

You can rewatch the entire run of The Big Bang Theory on HBO Max, but you’ll be able to watch Kunal Nayyar in his first post-Raj role, on Apple TV+’s Suspicion, on February 4. And, if you need more to watch, be sure to check out the 2022 TV schedule! 

The Big Bang Theory ended on CBS in 2019 and much of the cast has since moved on to other projects. Johnny Galecki, who portrayed Leonard Hofstadter on the comedy, is developing a new show that is wildly different from The Big Bang Theory.

Johnny Galecki is moving on from comedy and doing a medical drama. According to Deadline, the actor is developing a new series based on J.D. Kleinke’s novel Catching Babies on ABC. The untitled family medicine series will follow a group of medical professionals who are dedicated to maternal/fetal and family medicine. Like other medical dramas, the series will involve plenty of loss, heartbreak, and love, all while bringing new life into the world.

The new series is written by Manifest co-executive producers Margaret Easley and Laura Putney. Johnny Galecki for Alcide Bava Productions, Reid Scott, Elspeth Keller and Michael Baum are executive producing, while Cory Wood of Alcide Bava Productions will co-executive produce.

Currently there is no word on who will be cast in the series. While it’s not known if Galecki will only be working behind-the-scenes on the drama, it’s possible he could also be starring in the new series. Fans will definitely have to keep an eye out to see who is joining the series, and if any of those castings include The Big Bang Theory stars.

Johnny Galecki was on The Big Bang Theory for the show’s entire 12-season run. The comedy was one of CBS’ most popular shows and even spawned prequel spinoff Young Sheldon. Going from a comedy to a medical drama is a big leap, especially given how happy comedies can be and how heartbreaking dramas can be.

It will be interesting to see what Galecki brings to the series, as he has such experience in network television but firmly in the realm of comedy. The project is still in development, so it’s unknown whether or not ABC will pick it up to series. The network already has its hands full with Grey’s Anatomy and The Good Doctor, but you can never have too many medical dramas.

Medical drama is definitely a captivating genre, and one so popular that every single major broadcast network either already has at least one or will soon premiere one. Hopefully more news is released soon about Galecki's new potential series, because it really sounds like a great one.

This isn't the only show that Johnny Galecki is working on. It was recently announced the actor is developing a workplace comedy titled AOK. The series will be a half-hour, multi-cam sitcom set in 1991 and will follow a ragtag group of young employees working for an Internet company. While fans of the actor wait for news on these developing series, the full run of The Big Bang Theory is available streaming on HBO Max.

In the annals of most beloved sitcom couples of the modern TV era — certainly such annals exist, no? — Kaley Cuoco and Johnny Galecki's Penny and Leonard Hofstadter are certainly somewhere in the upper echelon, which they reached without a working elevator. The two actors maintained a close friendship off the set, and have kept it going even after the CBS hit ended in 2020, though the pandemic and various personal and professional endeavors have obviously kept them from constant hang-outs in the interim. But Galecki can always be counted on to deliver memorable birthday wishes, and this year was no exception.

Check out the subtly hilarious way Johnny Galecki honored the day of birth for his former co-star (and former real-life flame) Kaley Cuoco on Instagram: 

What better method of showing someone how much you love them than by posting a picture with your face as the most prominent imagery? Galecki has spiked his previous birthday greetings with jokes about Cuoco being decades older than what she actually is — she turned 36 on November 30 — and while this post wasn’t quite as hyperbolic in that sense, the actor pegged the current Flight Attendant star as being 48. His math isn’t quite as good as Leonard’s.

Still, the best thing about this is Johnny Galecki’s fresh-faced mug taking up the majority of the shot. Which might not seem so intentional, but when compared to all of their pics together that he’s shared in the past (in which they’re both equally present in the frame), it seems pretty obvious.

Cuoco was quite amused by it herself, posting a slew of laughing emojis in the comment section, and then sharing a screengrab of the post in her Instagram Stories, as seen below. 

Kaley Cuoco also took to Instagram Stories with pics and videos of what appeared to be a fun trip to Disney, as part of an annual birthday celebration with her sister Briana Cuoco. This is her first birthday after her split from husband Karl Cook earlier this year, and she shared a few thoughts on social about feeling the emotional toll. But here’s hoping her 36th year is full of smiles, friends and even more awards nominations.

Currently, Kaley Cuoco is coming off a fun Curb Your Enthusiasm cameo and is in the process of filming Season 2 of HBO Max’s The Flight Attendant, while Johnny Galecki is working on developing a new series that will be a workplace comedy set around the advent of the Internet. No clue if he’ll be able to do any acting for it, as he now has a growing family to focus his attention on, but we can only hope. And if he wanted to return to The Conners a couple more times in Season 4 and beyond, that works, too! 

For more than a decade, actor Johnny Galecki played one of the most watched characters on TV as The Big Bang Theory’s Leonard Hofstadter, and he’ll likely always be remembered as the sitcom’s resident genius. (Or one of them, anyway.) Since the show’s finale aired in 2019, Galecki has largely maintained a low profile on the acting front, and has instead focused more on staying busy behind the scenes, both with TV projects and with his growing family. While it’s still unclear if he’ll be taking any acting on for it, Galecki is reteaming with his former network home CBS for a potential new comedy series that will likely feature lots of enjoyably dorky Big Bang-esque jokes.

Johnny Galecki has partnered with former Will & Grace executive producer John Quaintance on a workplace comedy titled AOK. According to Deadline, this will be a half-hour, multi-cam sitcom set somewhere within the year 1991, and will revolve around a ragtag group of young employees working for an up-and-coming Internet company. This is obviously before the advent of just about every modern web-based advancement, so pro-o-obably expect a whole lot of jokes about slow dial-up and phones with cords.

The characters will be a close-knit and friendly circle, with relationships that do go beyond platonic as they put their combined efforts into the future of technology and communication. It sounds like it’ll be more than just a joke-joke-joke set-up, and it’s easy to visualize AOK as the comedic counterpart to AMC’s critically lauded Halt and Catch Fire.

Here’s what Johnny Galecki had to say about the new show and its dedicated setting:

John Quaintance — who also served as a writer and EP on Workaholics, Dakota Johnson’s Ben and Kate and the 2015 comedy Hot Pursuit — will serve as the creator and head writer on AOK. Johnny Galecki, meanwhile, will take on an executive producer role through his company Alcide Bava Productions.

At this time, it doesn’t appear that Galecki will be taking on any starring roles in AOK, which probably makes sense, considering the characters are already pegged as being on the younger, fresh-out-of-college side. Still, I’m sure there will be someone around in an advisor role, and it would be pretty smart for that someone to be Galecki, assuming the scheduling and whatnot would work out. And, obviously, assuming he’d actually want to do it. 

The only on-camera acting work Johnny Galecki has taken on following The Big Bang Theory came on ABC’s The Conners, where he reprised his Roseanne-originated role of David Healy for a pair of Season 2 episodes. While some fans of that sitcom likely hoped he would bring David back in more of a full-time capacity, that hasn’t happened. When CinemaBlend spoke with The Conners’ showrunner Bruce Helford earlier this year, he said the door is always open for Galecki to return, though it’s not exactly an expectation.

It’s hard to know whether AOK will get ordered up to series or not, but here’s hoping for the best case scenario. He was previously behind the development of an eSports comedy at NBC and a TV reiteration of the National Lampoon film series, but neither one of those projects has come to light. At least we know Galecki is still staying in touch with some of his former co-stars, with Kaley Cuoco appearing to be the closest. 

While waiting to hear about the future of AOK on CBS, don’t forget all 12 seasons of The Big Bang Theory are available to stream now on HBO Max, and our 2021 Fall TV schedule is full of premieres that have yet to arrive before the end of the year. 

I Know What You Did Last Summer is the kind of movie that you really needed to experience as a teenager to truly appreciate. It wasn’t smart like Scream or scary like Final Destination, but it was fun. Starring Jennifer Love Hewitt, Sarah Michelle Gellar, Ryan Phillippe and many others, most of the I Know What You Did Last Summer cast went on to do some major other projects following this popular film about four friends who are haunted by a hook-handed killer after their role in a fatal car accident.

The film was ultimately very successful and would spawn the sequels, I Still Know What You Did Last Summer, which brought in Brandy and Mekhi Phifer, and I’ll Always Know What You Did Last Summer, which went straight to DVD. Neither film captured the magic of the first movie, but as I said up top, I guess you just had to be there to really experience why it was so popular. So, what’s the cast of the ‘90s slasher flick doing today? Well, quite a lot, actually, and you’re about to find out.

Jennifer Love Hewitt (Julie James)

The Ghost Whisperer herself and official face of the first two movies (“What are you waiting for!?”), Jennifer Love Hewitt mostly stopped acting in films back in 2012, with her last film role being Alison Marks in the independent comedy film, Jewtopia, but she’s managed to stay relevant in the realm of television. Her first big break in the TV realm was on the hit Fox TV show Party of Five, which she starred in before and after her role in I Know What You Did Last Summer.

She would then go on to do Ghost Whisperer from 2005-2010, and a spate of other shows, with main roles on The Client List and Criminal Minds where she played the undercover agent, Kate Callahan. Her most recent role is in the Ryan Murphy procedural, 9-1-1, where she was introduced in Season 2 as 911 operator, Maddie Buckley Kendall and still has a role on the show. But that’s not all, as she also did a bit of writing since her role in the popular slasher film. Jennifer Love-Hewitt had a five issue comic book series called Jennifer Love Hewitt’s Music Box back in 2009-2010, which she helped come up with the ideas for, and she also wrote the book, The Day I Shot Cupid. Not only that, but she coined the term, “vajazzling,” which is pubic decoration with gems and stones. Movie star, TV star, author, and coiner of words. What can’t this woman do?

Sarah Michelle Gellar (Helen Shivers)

Sarah Michelle Gellar will probably always most be known for her starring role in  Buffy the Vampire Slayer, but she’s been acting since 1983 in the TV film, An Invasion of Privacy. Since then, she’s done everything from movies, TV shows, and even music videos, such as Stone Temple Pilot’s “Sour Girl”, appearing as an authentic-looking goth girl.

Film-wise, Sarah Michelle Gellar jumped from I Know What You Did Last Summer to Scream 2 (in the same year!), went on to do Cruel Intentions, Scooby-Doo 1 and 2 as Daphne, and also terrified the living daylights out of me in The Grudge 1 and 2. Her last film was 2013’s The Illusionauts. TV-wise, besides Buffy, and appearances in its spin-off, Angel, she has since had a main role on 2013’s The Crazy Ones, which co-starred Robin Williams, and has also lent her voice talents to animation, like her 5-episode run as Seventh Sister on 2015’s Star Wars Rebels. She will next be heard in the upcoming animated series, Masters of the Universe Revelation as Teela.

Ryan Phillippe (Barry Cox)

Like a lot of actors, Ryan Phillippe got his first big break on a soap opera, his being One Life to Live for a 13-episode run back in 1992-1993. He would go on to do a number of TV shows and movies (most notably, the excellent Crimson Tide) before he would land his role as Barry Cox in I Know What You Did Last Summer. Since 1997, he’s done a number of TV shows and movies. And like Sarah Michelle Gellar, he also did some music videos, most notably as a blink and you’ll miss it cameo as the TV host in Outkast’s phenomenal video, “Hey Ya!”

On television, Ryan Phillippe kept himself busy in the aughts in shows like 2015’s Secrets and Lies, 2016’s Shooter, and most recently, in 2020’s Big Sky as Cody Hoyt. Film-wise, Phillippe played roles in Gosford Park, Crash, Flags of Our Fathers, and most recently 2020’s Brothers by Blood. His next films will be the true-crime drama film, American Murderer, and the comedy, Lady of the Manor, both of which are still upcoming.

Freddie Prinze Jr. (Ray Bronson)

Freddie Prinze Jr., who married his I Know What You Did Last Summer co-star, Sarah Michelle Gellar, has kept super busy in TV and film, and even in pro-wrestling. On the film end, he was one of the only survivors who made it to I Still Know What You Did Last Summer, but he was also in Wing Commander, both Scooby Doo movies, again with his wife, as Fred Jones, and most recently as a voice cameo in Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker as Kanan Jarrus.

On the TV end, he’s been on everything from Frasier to Friends, from Boston Legal to WWE Raw. My favorite Freddie Prinze Jr. role was as Cole Ortiz on 24 in Season 8, but he’s also had roles in Psyche, Bones, and Punky Brewster as well. Also, the force is strong with this one, since he not only had a voice cameo in the The Rise of Skywalker, but also the Star Wars shows, Rebels, and most recently, in 2021’s Star Wars: The Bad Batch as the character Caleb Dume on the episode “Aftermath”. Cool!

Bridgette Wilson (Elsa Shivers)

Yes, Bridgette Wilson played Elsa Shivers in I Know What You Did Last Summer, but to me, she will always be Sonya Blade from 1995’s Mortal Kombat. But since those two films, she did a few TV episodes, most notably on the shows Frasier, CSI: Miami, and 2008’s Carpoolers.

On the film end, she went on to have roles in Love Stinks, House on Haunted Hill, and Shopgirl. Her last film was 2008’s Phantom Punch, though she's credited for voicing the role of Sonya Blade in the video game Mortal Kombat 11.

Anne Heche (Melissa “Missy” Egan)

Anne Heche has had a long and rich career as an actor, but she’s also done some directing and even wrote the book Call Me Crazy: A Memoir, back in 2001. Like Ryan Phillippe, she got her start on a soap opera, hers being Another World. She would then go on to do several shows following her role in I Know What You Did Last Summer, such as Ally McBeal, Nip/Tuck, Hung, and Dancing With the Stars as a dancer back in Season 29. But my personal favorite role of hers is her voice acting on The Legend of Korra as Toph’s daughter, Suyin Beifong.

On the movie end, she did a number of films, like John Q, The Other Guys, and Catfight. Her most recent role in a film was 2020’s The Vanished, and her most recent in a TV show was 2021’s legal drama, All Rise. She had a two-episode run on the show. We’ll keep you posted on whatever film or TV project she does next.

Johnny Galecki (Max Neurick)

For some, Johnny Galecki will always just be Dr. Leonard Hofstadter from the immensely popular The Big Bang Theory, which will likely live on in syndication forever. But for me, he will always be Darlene’s boyfriend, David Healy, from Roseanne. Well, outside of those two shows, he’s done a number of projects in both TV and film. On the film side of things, he was in Vanilla Sky, Hancock, Rings, and 2019’s A Dog’s Journey, which was currently his last film role.

On the TV end, he was of course on The Big Bang Theory, but also My Name Is Earl, Hope & Faith, and most recently again reprising his role as David Healy on The Conners. He looks to have taken a break from acting for the time being, so we’ll have to wait and see what's ahead for the actor.

Stuart Greer (Officer)

Stuart Greer began his acting career in off-Broadway plays, but would eventually land his first film gig in I Know What You Did Last Summer. From there, some of his most notable film performances were Runaway Jury, The Mechanic, and his last film role being 2015’s American Ultra.

On the TV side, he was on the Sundance original series RETIFY, the AMC show, TURN: Washington’s Spies, and also as the character, Roman, on a couple of episodes of The Walking Dead. He had a stroke in 2016 and has retired from acting.

Muse Watson (Ben Willis/The Fisherman)

And lastly, the dude who actually knows what you did last summer, it’s Muse Watson! He played the fisherman in the movie. Muse Watson has had a prolific career in both films and television. On the TV end, he’s been in everything from JAG, to Prison Break, to The Mentalist, to even Ghost Whisperer for one episode. His most recent TV role was 2014’s Justified, and he can next be found in the TV miniseries, Diary of a Lunatic, as The Creator.

On the film side, he is also one of the few characters to return in I Still Know What You Did Last Summer, but his role as The Fisherman was probably the biggest role in his filmography, as he mostly did much smaller films like American Outlaws. His most recent film was 2014’s Suburban Gothic, where he played a character named Ambrose.

So, in the end, was I Know What You Did Last Summer one of the greatest horror movies of all time? No, not really. But it didn't have to be, because as I said up top. It was fun. But if you do want to know about some of the best horror movies, or upcoming horror movies, then you can find that here as we love our horror flicks at this website. And if you're not into horror flicks and just want to know about 2021 movies or even 2022 movies, you can find that here, too! So, what are you waiting for? Make sure to stop by often!

Despite the series ending a few years ago, The Big Bang Theory cast has still popped up in each other’s lives here and there, and those interactions feed Big Bang Theory fans' thirst for more from the beloved stars. For Kaley Cuoco, it's almost as if the hit sitcom never ended, and there’s one former castmate the Flight Attendant star interacts with the most. Now, Cuoco has revealed the former Big Bang Theory co-star she's remained the closest with since the series ended.

With The Big Bang Theory cast's bond having continued well after the CBS sitcom signed off, Kaley Cuoco never seems to be too busy to reach out to her friends and former co-workers. But just like other television casts, some are closer than others. The Flight Attendant star said this about her close relationship with a certain Big Bang Theory co-star:

Kaley Cuoco’s answer shouldn’t be a surprise to any Big Bang Theory fan. Cuoco and Johnny Galecki have a long-running history, as they even dated earlier in the show's run. The former Big Bang Theory co-stars were in a relationship for a few years while working on the hit sitcom and even managed to keep things quiet after they broke up. Luckily, the breakup wasn’t filled with animosity, and the two continued to be good friends and skilled scene partners. Even after the series ended, Cuoco and Galecki have gone back and forth on social media. Whether it's sharing baby pictures or trolling under anniversary posts, the two still have the same camaraderie we used to see between their two characters.

Kaley Cuoco admitted to E! News that besides Johnny Galecki, she keeps up with all her former Big Bang Theory co-stars through messaging and social media. This closeness has definitely been on display, as they all hype each other up when it comes to new projects or ventures. It's easy for some to fall out of touch with friends and family, but this cast managed to stay connected, even during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Although the actress was shocked by the decision that ended the CBS sitcom, Kaley Cuoco has not been too far from The Big Bang Theory since it wrapped up its 12-season run back in 2019. The ghost of the hit sitcom even followed her to The Flight Attendant. Needless to say, that connection will always be there for her.

It’s nice to know Kaley Cuoco and Johnny Galecki are still keeping the Penny and Leonard energy going. While a cast reunion doesn't seem to be in the works right now, hopefully, the two will be able to reunite – in real life – once the world figures out this new normal. But if fans want to see Cuoco and Galecki in top form as their fan-favorite characters, they can stream every season of The Big Bang Theory on HBO Max.

Spoilers below for anyone who isn't caught up on The Conners through its penultimate Season 3 episode.

Throughout Season 3, The Conners partially eschewed its sitcom expectations and reflected the real world with heaping doses of dramatic character development, particularly with Lecy Goranson's Becky and her alcohol dependencies. Beyond Becky's boozing, The Conners has also taken this season to further explore the relationship struggles between Sara Gilbert's Darlene and Jay R. Ferguson's Ben, and I think viewers are aware by now that this couple needs to split up before Season 4 kicks off (assuming ABC orders that renewal).

Ahead of the Season 3 finale, which is set to deliver two different proposals and the return of a long-gone cast member, Darlene and Ben are technically on good terms after the vacation ticket snafu, with Candice Bergen's Barb also being welcomed into the family poker game. But let's go through a few of the reasons why The Conners needs to bury Darlene and Ben's relationship deeper than the body of the family matriarch.

Ben Is Not As Good For Darlene As We Thought

Under a specific light, Ben is a fairly ideal suitor for Darlene, as he's attentive and loving in the ways that Johnny Galecki's David was not. However, with Ben's affection comes a fairly demanding sense of entitlement, where he seems to think Darlene should do things a certain way simply because she's with him. I can't deny that Ben's logic about selling those Hawaii tickets was practical and sound, at least financially, but he remained completely oblivious to how much that trip would have seriously impacted Darlene's emotional issues, and that's a huge problem. Not to mention the fact that after Darlene was completely honest about her hesitance to sell them (considering they were a gift from a now-dead friend), Ben responded in the worst way, saying:

You can fuck right off with those passive-aggressive jabs at Darlene's attempts to make this unbalanced relationship work, Ben. Perhaps when you're not telling Darlene how to feel happy, you can come up with another podcast idea that does absolutely nothing to help pay the bills and isn't worth anyone's time. That should really convince Darlene to move in with you posthaste. Dummy.

Too Much Barb Is Not A Good Thing

So much of the "just like my family" charm of Roseanne and The Conners has relied on sarcastic quips, in-family insults and general insolence, but I think the somewhat limited use of Estelle Parsons as Beverly Harris has proven that at this point in time, watching a rude and shitty mother be rude and shitty just isn't all that fun anymore. And while it'll technically never get old watching a pro like Candice Bergan rule the roost with iron-thumb efficiency, it's not very enjoyable to see her bitchily Barb-splaining Ben's selfish actions and defending them as being selfless.

If The Conners wants to keep Candice Bergen around on a weekly basis to shoot the shit with Katey Sagal's Louise about anything other than that lump of a son, I am here to appreciate two TV legends making it happen. But if the show is just going to make Barb a shit-dealing obstacle between Darlene and a good day, then it's worth sacrificing the former to have the latter kick Ben to the curb.

Darlene Could Easily Be Happier With Jeff (Or David?!?)

When The Conners introduced Brian Austin Green's Jeff into the Wellman Plastics work circle, it wasn't entirely clear how heavily the story might lean into the character starting a potential romance with Darlene. But he quickly established himself as one of the most easygoing characters in this franchise's history, and perhaps unwittingly also proved how solid a match he would have been for Danielle Harris' Molly had she not died. In any case, if there's anyone who could use a relationship with a shroom-loving neo-hippie, it's Darlene.

But let's also not fool ourselves here. If Darlene would choose to make the definitive choice to split up with Ben, that would give her the opportunity to take one more shot at making things work with David. Granted, Johnny Galecki is a busy guy these days, even without The Big Bang Theory taking up most of his time. So bringing David back at all is almost necessarily just setting up a disaster for Darlene, but it's a familiar and much-beloved disaster, so it's worth it in my book.

To be fair, I don't have any issues with actor Jay R. Ferguson or his work as Ben. In fact, I think his performances prove his worthiness within the role, since Ben almost definitely wouldn't get under my skin so much if Ferguson didn't nail it. But there's something about a character swooping into a show with unearned pompousness and attempting to treat an O.G. character like he knows her better than audiences do, and perhaps better than she knows herself. Nobody has time for that, so let's put our collective thoughts into ushering in a Season 4 with Darlene reembracing single life.

The Conners airs Wednesday nights on ABC at 9:00 p.m., with just one episode left to go in Season 3, so be sure to check that out, knowing there's a lot more awesomeness to come in the 2021 Summer TV season. Let us know in the poll below if you agree with me about Darlene and Ben, or if you think I'm a little off-base here.

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Leonard and Penny’s relationship on The Big Bang Theory was a cornerstone for many fans, and it was Johnny Galecki and Kaley Cuoco who made that magic happen (along with series writers). Galecki and Cuoco have maintained a close relationship off-screen and have even shared some funny moments on social media as a result. And recently, Galecki had a funny response to a sweet post Cuoco shared about her husband.

The long-running CBS sitcom may be over, but fans have now come to enjoy the playful interactions between The Big Bang Theory's Johnny Galecki and Kaley Cuoco. It's no surprise that these happen from time to time, as the two are so close that Galecki even attended her 2018 wedding to equestrian Karl Cook. Recently, Cuoco took her Instagram to celebrate her five-year anniversary with Cook. She posted a sweet tribute to her husband of three years with a loving caption:

Upon seeing Kaley Cuoco’s Instagram post to her husband, it elicited many loving responses from her followers – celebrities and fans alike - who celebrated the couple's anniversary. Of course, one comment that stood out was from her former Big Bang Theory co-star, Johnny Galecki. Check out his funny and unusual response below:

After seeing Johnny Galecki’s funny comment, Kaley Cuoco showcased their repour by replying to his comment with a simple “LOL.” Honestly, that was probably the best way to for Cuoco to respond given Galecki's humorous comment.

As evidenced by Kaley Cuoco’s response to Johnny Galecki’s comment, the two have managed to keep their friendship going despite not being on The Big Bang Theory set since 2019. The two actors will be always be connected through their history as a married TV couple. Galecki's Leonard and Cuoco’s Penny got married on the long-running CBS comedy twice on the show, once with a web-streaming wedding from Las Vegas in the Season 9 opener and then with a more traditional affair in the Season 10 premiere. The two also dated during the early years of the show, which made filming love scenes a bit awkward after they broke up.

And this wasn’t the first time Johnny Galecki has trolled Kaley Cuoco and her husband. When Cuoco got married to Cook in 2018, Galecki made an offbeat Instagram post celebrating the couple’s nuptials. He called his Big Bang Theory co-star his “fake wife” while congratulating the couple on becoming husband and wife. Later, he posted a more traditional congratulations to Cuoco and her husband. It's always great to see co-stars interact with each other off screen, but there's something even sweeter about those moments when they are no longer working together. Hopefully, we get more of these moments from Galecki and Cuoco.

If you want to recapture the magic of Leonard and Penny, you can catch The Big Bang Theory on HBO Max.

If you are like me, you prefer films like Die Hard or Batman Returns that go against the grain of what we expect from typical holiday movies, and I believe National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation to be one of the best in that category. Now, clearly the 1989 classic starring Chevy Chase is a Christmas movie, but its boldly uproarious exploration of everything that is not-so-jolly about the season is why it has remained an annual tradition for so many.

Written by John Hughes, the third installment of the Vacation movies covers everything about the holiday season through the eyes of Clark Griswold and his miraculously tolerant family, with a 50/50 chance of ending in misery. This takes us from the quest to locate the perfect tree, to the dangers of setting decorations, and the act of keeping the family happy, to name a few. The latter is probably the most memorable and relatable theme of National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation and for that we can thank the brilliant cast.

Accomplished veterans of the screen, A-listers at the time the movie was first released, and a familiar face or two who would grow up to be even bigger stars later on make up the unmistakable ensemble of National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation. In celebration of more than 30 years of this timeless classic, we take a look at the casts’ current whereabouts, starting with the quintessential dad of the family tragicomedy genre.

Chevy Chase (Clark Griwsold)

Outside of the National Lampoon’s Vacation franchise (or even just Christmas Vacation), people who did not grow up on the early years of Saturday Night Live, Caddyshack, or Fletch, among others, may best recognize Chevy Chase as Pierce Hawthorne on Community - arguably the best and worst thing to happen to his career. Since leaving the hit sitcom, the 77-year-old has reprised Clark Griswold in 2015’s Vacation “rebootquel,” played himself opposite Paul Hogan in The Very Excellent Mr. Dundee, and voices a royal extraterrestrial in the upcoming animated film Panda vs. Aliens.

Beverly D’Angelo (Ellen Griswold)

In the 2015 Vacation installment, Beverly D’Angelo also reprised her National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation character as Clark’s wife Ellen Griswold - which is still her most iconic role to date, while she's also known for playing Edward Norton’s mother in American History X, rebellion heiress Sheila in Hair, and starring in 1980’s Coal Miner’s Daughter as country singer Patsy Cline. The 69-year-old actress more recently played a national security advisor on USA’s series adaptation of Shooter, a version of Ellen Griswold (if she did not have the same temperament) on Netflix’s Insatiable, and stars alongside Sigourney Weaver and Morena Baccarin in The Good House - an adaptation of Ann Leary’s novel that is now in post-production.

Juliette Lewis (Audrey Griswold)

Someone who did not reprise the role of Audrey Griswold in the Vacation reboot was the third actress to play the character, Juliette Lewis, who would receive an Oscar nomination for playing the daughter of another troubled family in Martin Scorsese’s 1991 Cape Fear remake, and received praise in 1994 as one of the trouble-causing couple in Oliver Stone’s Natural Born Killers. Other than the 2018 Blumhouse thriller Ma and Sia’s feature-length directorial debut Music, most of Lewis’ more notable appearances have been on TV, such as the Fox drama Filthy Rich and a recent guest spot on The Conners as the love interest of her onscreen brother from National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation.

Johnny Galecki (Rusty Griswold)

Johnny Galecki actually got to star in two 1989 holiday movies (as young Rusty Griswold in National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation and the reindeer-led fantasy Prancer) before joining the cast of Roseanne as David Healy in 1992. After playing Leonard Hofstadter on The Big Bang Theory, the actor would reprise his Roseanne role on the sitcom’s 2018 revival before it was revamped as The Conners later that year and is currently looking to executive produce a reboot of the Vacation franchise as a TV show for HBO Max.

Randy Quaid (Cousin Eddie Johnson)

In addition to being Dennis Quaid’s brother, Oscar nominee Randy Quaid is well-known for Independence Day, Kingpin, and even a very brief Saturday Night Live stint, but his defining role is as wacky Cousin Eddie Johnson, whom he actually reprised in a direct made-for-TV Christmas Vacation sequel in 2003. Lately, the 70-year-old seems to have been reprising a more extreme iteration of the character in real life, from bizarre legal issues to alarming conspiracy theories on social media, such as claims he and his wife, Evi, have been targeted by “Hollywood Star Whackers.” Otherwise, there is not much in the realm of acting to report about Quaid for the foreseeable future.

Miriam Flynn (Cousin Catherine Johnson)

Randy Quaid’s onscreen wife from National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation, Miriam Flynn, is still working steadily, however, with more than 150 acting credits to her name - notably as Sister Helen on Grounded for Life, and in Babe as the voice of the elderly sheep, Maa. Much of her best-known acting efforts these days can be seen on TV, such as a recent guest appearance on the CBS sitcom Mom in 2020.

Julia Louis-Dreyfus (Margo Chester)

One of Julia Louis-Dreyfus’ first major films after breaking out on Saturday Night Live was in National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation as the Griswolds’ snobbish neighbor Margo Chester in 1989 - a year before she was in the star-making, Emmy-winning role of Elaine Benes on Seinfeld. She would go on to win eight more Emmys combined for CBS’s The New Adventure of Old Christine and as a ruthless politician on HBO’s Veep, which ended in 2019, but the 59-year-old actress has recently said a revival is not out of the question. As for the big screen, Louis-Dreyfus played the disappointed wife of Will Ferrell in Downhill and elvish mother to Tom Holland and Chris Pratt in Pixar’s Onward in 2020.

Nicholas Guest (Todd Chester)

Playing Margo Chester’s husband Todd in National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation is Nicholas Guest, who is not much of a household name, but has led a pretty impressive career that includes Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan, playing opposite his future sister-in-law Jamie Lee Curtis in Trading Places, and on a Season 5 episode of Mad Men. His true claim to fame, however, is voice acting, from playing various characters in animated Disney classics like Aladdin and Frozen, to blockbuster video games like the Call of Duty franchise, to the dual roles of Martian Manhunter and The Question on Batman: The Brave and the Bold. More recently, in the realm of live action, Guest played a fictional Russian president on Madam Secretary and a recurring role on Guest Appearances, which was created by and starred his daughter, Elizabeth.

Brian Doyle-Murray (Frank Shirley)

Also well known for his many “guest appearances” is Brian Doyle-Murray, who actually had a small role in the first National Lampoon’s Vacation before playing Clark Griswold’s selfish boss, Frank Shirley, in Christmas Vacation. He also has a previous connection to Chevy Chase, as a successor to Chase's Saturday Night Live’s “Weekend Update” anchor position, and with a role in Caddyshack, which also stars his younger brother, Bill Murray. Doyle-Murray also had a recurring spot on the AMC dramedy Lodge 49 and recently reprised his role as the voice of the Flying Dutchman in the video game SpongeBob SquarePants: Battle for Bikini Bottom - Rehydrated in 2020.

Diane Ladd (Nora Griswold)

Long before Diane Ladd played Clark Griswold’s mother Nora in National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation, she played Ida Sessions in Chinatown in 1974 - the same year she originated the role of Flo in Martin Scorsese’s Alice Doesn’t Live Here Anymore. The three-time Oscar nominee, and mother of recent Oscar winner Laura Dern, has more recently had a starring role on the Hallmark Channel original drama series Chesapeake Shores, played opposite Peter Fonda in his final film, The Last Full Measure, and plays another grandmother in the far less disastrous family holiday film Charlie’s Christmas Wish, which was just released on VOD in November 2020.

Doris Roberts (Frances Smith)

Starring as Ellen Griswold’s mother, Frances Smith, in National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation is Doris Roberts, whose prolific career as an actress of the big and small screen dates back all the way to 1951. But, her best-known role to modern audiences was as the ultimate overbearing mother-in-law, Marie Barone, on Everybody Loves Raymond - which earned her four of her total of five Emmy Awards. After that hit CBS sitcom ended in 2005, the St. Louis-born actress would continue to play motherly (and grandmotherly) roles in movies like 2006’s Grandma’s Boy and other bit TV roles until, sadly, she passed away in 2016 due to complications from a stroke. Roberts was 90.

William Hickey (Uncle Lewis)

Last, but not least, I felt it important to mention William Hickey, another cast member of National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation (as the grouchy Uncle Lewis) who has since passed away due to issues with emphysema and bronchitis. However, he would leave behind a memorable legacy in Hollywood - mainly for his unmistakably distinct (and, honestly, pretty creepy) voice, which he would lend to yet another unique holiday classic as the voice of the Evil Scientist from The Nightmare Before Christmas in 1993. The most memorable among the Oscar nominee’s final roles was as Nathan Lane and Lee Evans’ late father in Gore Verbinski’s Mousehunt from 1997, the year of his death at the age 69.

What do you think? Is William Hickey’s Uncle Lewis one of the most underrated characters from National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation, or does his voice creep you out beyond comfort and joy? Let us know in the comments and be sure to check back for additional information and updates on this hilarious holiday tradition, as well as even more inside looks at the cast members from your favorite movies and TV shows, here on CinemaBlend.

Kaley Cuoco just turned 35 this year and she celebrated in some, shall we say, unique ways. Rather, she celebrated with some unique gifts from her husband Karl Cook and others that were all geared around her love for animals. However, if you take the gifts at face value, she literally was gifted with some underwear and a block of wood. Those made more sense once she shared more about them, though they weren't as straightforward as her fun tribute from her Big Bang Theory co-star Johnny Galecki.

Kaley Cuoco unveiled the wood this week, declaring it was her gift from her husband Karl Cook. It’s literally a giant hunk of carved wood that she showed off on her property. Donning a bathrobe and showing off her not-so-humble abode, she also explained the hunk of wood in a post and why it’s actually an excellent gift.

Someone needs to tell Karl Cook that wood is a fifth wedding anniversary gift and not a 35th birthday gift, though Kaley Cuoco seems jazzed for the custom object. She’s a horse lover and a rider, so it really is fitting and a beautifully carved piece. It’s likely even more special because her partner made it himself. The birthday gifts did not end there however!

The second gift seemingly came from Kaley Cuoco’s assistant Emma Ross, and it was an inspired choice. Obviously, she got her underwear, but not of the Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show variety. Instead, they are undies with her pup Dump Truck (who is already Instagram Famous) on them.

In a video posted to Instagram Stories, Kaley Cuoco seemed particularly delighted by the underwear (though that’s no shot at the hunk of wood), telling her pup, ‘Now I get to wear you 24/7!’ You know, when Cruella De Vil said something similar, the connotation was a bit more threatening, but this is adorable.

Meanwhile, I’m still reeling over the fact Kaley Cuoco turned 35 this year. She’s done a lot in her decade-plus career in Hollywood already and her latest The Flight Attendant is getting a lot of notice on HBO Max. But it’s still hard to believe this is the same young woman who starred in 8 Simple Rules and then kicked off The Big Bang Theory back in 2007. I guess time flies when you're highly successful.

Speaking of The Big Bang Theory, Kaley Cuoco’s co-star Johnny Galecki didn’t send a weird gift (that we know of), but he did make sure to wish his former TV partner a happy birthday.

Kaley Cuoco’s birthday actually falls on November 30, so she’s had a couple of days to enjoy her new gifts already. We wish her the best as she starts the long trek toward 36. There’s a lot of bright things in store for her in her TV career and as we all head toward 2021 and leave 2020 behind, there will hopefully be a lot more for all of us to look forward to.

Catch new episodes of The Flight Attendant on HBO Max.

The cast of The Big Bang Theory went through a lot with their characters over the course of the show’s 12-season run. From breakups and marriages to babies and Nobel prizes, the close-knit group of friends went through it all. Of course, the cast also had things going on in their own lives. This includes the real-life relationship between co-stars Kaley Cuoco and Johnny Galecki. The two dated for two years before they called it quits but have remained good friends since. Despite this, the breakup still came during an awkward time in the show’s history.

Kaley Cuoco recently recalled that her breakup with Johnny Galecki was amicable, but things their characters – Penny and Leonard – were still going strong in their relationship. And according to Cuoco, Big Bang Theory co-creator and writer Chuck Lorre was writing a number of love scenes for them:

During her appearance on Dax Shepard’s Armchair Expert podcast, Cuoco couldn’t help but laugh at the irony of the situation. And when Shepard asked her why Lorre probably did, the actress responded by saying that Lorre likely just did it to mess with her and Johnny Galecki, which she says makes her love the producer even more.

Leonard and Penny definitely had some steamy moments (for a sitcom) in The Big Bang Theory, and one can only imagine what it was like for Cuoco and Galecki to play through those episodes. Still, they are capable actors, and the fact that they’re good friends likely made things a lot easier.

The relationship between Leonard and Penny was one of the driving forces of The Big Bang Theory, and it took a number of turns over the series’ run. What started as a friendly relationship between two neighbors transformed into a loving marriage. Though there were problems, even after the two tied the knot. One of those conflicts came when they discussed children, which Leonard wanted and Penny didn’t. But ultimately, in the series finale, the two learned that they were expecting a child, with both excited about the news.

Regardless of their personal ups and downs or those of their characters, it’s nice to see that the stars of The Big Bang Theory are still close and look back on the show fondly. I am, however, still curious as to why Chuck Lorre gave Kaley Cuoco and Johnny Galecki so many love scenes at the time but, like Cuoco said, he may have just been having some fun with them.

The Big Bang Theory is currently available to stream on HBO Max.

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During its impressive 12-season run on CBS, The Big Bang Theory was one of the most successful sitcoms not only in its time, but also in the history of the format. Millions of people fell in love with Sheldon, Leonard, Penny, and the rest of the cast over the years, and were sad to see the lovable scientists call it a day in May 2019. With the show being off the air for a year now, what better time to take a look at some of the most interesting behind the scenes facts.

In anticipation of the one-year anniversary of the final episode of The Big Bang Theory, I took a deep dive into the history of Chuck Lorre and Bill Prady's stunning achievement in science-based humor and laughs that everyone can enjoy. From the casting what-ifs to how the catchy theme song came into fruition, I've put together a sampling of some of the best facts I could find about the hit sitcom.

There Is An Unaired Pilot With An Almost Entirely Different Cast

Even though The Big Bang Theory would become a show like none other, getting the sitcom off the ground was no easy task for show creators Chuck Lorre and Bill Prady, who originally filmed a pilot to pitch for big networks in 2006, a year before the show we all know today first aired.

The name of the show and two members of the cast — Jim Parsons as Sheldon Cooper and Johnny Galecki and Leonard Hofstadter — remained the same from the first iteration, but the similarities stop there, at least in regards to characters and the actors behind the roles. Instead of Penny (Kaley Cuoco), Howard Wolowitz (Simon Helberg), and Raj Koothrappali (Kunal Nayyar), the first pilot included two female leads — Amanda Walsh as the tough Katie, and Iris Bahr as Gilda, a scientist friend of Sheldon and Leonard.

During an interview with TV Insider, Warner Bros. Television Group President and Chief Content Officer Peter Roth explained that there were elements of the pilot that didn't do well at test screenings, stating:

Johnny Galecki Was Initially Approached For The Role Of Sheldon Cooper

Long before the show hit the airways, and even before the doomed first pilot, and hell, even before a script had been written, Chuck Lorre and Bill Prady wanted Johnny Galecki to be a part of the project, but in a completely different role. During a 2015 interview with Larry King, the actor who brought Leonard Hofstadter to life revealed the producers' original pitch to him, stating:

Galecki said he was initially worried that Lorre and Prady would turn down his request and tell him to beat it, but the showrunners told him to play the role he thought he was best suited for. Trying to picture anyone but Jim Parsons playing the Sheldon character is next to impossible looking back.

The Producers Were So Impressed With Jim Parsons' Audition They Thought He Couldn't Pull It Off Again

Finding the perfect actor to bring Sheldon Cooper to life was a priority of the upmost importance for Chuck Lorre and Bill Prady in the early days of pre-production. When Johnny Galecki said he would rather play Leonard Hofstadter, the producers looked at Kevin Sussman, who would later play Stuart Bloom in the series, before Jim Parsons came in and changed everything.

In the special features of the complete series Blu-ray set, Lorre and Prady revealed what was going through their minds when they first met Jim Parsons during his audition, with Lorre stating (via the Sun):

Prady was just as enthusiastic, if not more, when recalling the audition, stating:

Lucky for the producers, the network, and Jim Parsons himself, he only got better as the show went along and became an international sensation in the process.

Barenaked Ladies Were Asked To Write The Theme Song After A Chance Encounter

You can't have a successful sitcom without a catchy theme song, and that was no different for The Big Bang Theory and its trademark opening theme. The song turns the formation of the universe and the history of civilization into a memorable song that no one can get out of their head, but the story behind how the Canadian rock group Barenaked Ladies got involved with the project is just as fascinating.

During an interview with CBS News, Ed Robertson revealed that he was approached by Chuck Lorre and Bill Prady to write the theme song after the producers attended a Barenaked Ladies concert where Robertson, who just finished reading a book on the Big Bang, performed a freestyle rap about the formation of the universe.

Scientists Fact-Checked The Show’s Scripts Before Production

With a show that is so heavily based on scientists and included all sorts of theories, equations, and other scientific qualities, it should come as no surprise that the producers brought on consultants to make sure everything checked out on The Big Bang Theory.

In 2011, David Saltzberg, a professor of physics and astronomy at the University of California-Los Angeles told USA Today that he was often asked by the producers to provide feedback on different elements of the show, including the script, which he would tinker to make more accurate as well as include the equations and diagrams that litter the background of the show's set, stating:

Mayim Bialik’s Ph.D. Was Put To Good Use On Set

The producers of The Big Bang Theory didn't solely rely on outside consultants to fact-check different theories and equations discussed throughout the show, as Mayim Bialik, who portrayed Sheldon's love interest Amy Farrah Fowler, has a Ph.D. in neuroscience and would often help provide feedback on set.

During a 2012 appearance on Conan, Mayim Bialik revealed that she included that she had a Ph.D. on her résumé when she was first auditioning for a role on the show, which blew the producers, specifically Bill Prady, away, stating:

Jim Parsons Had The Flu During Sheldon And Amy's First Kiss

Fans on the show anxiously awaited the moment in which Sheldon and Amy finally shared a kiss on the Valentine's Day episode in Season 7 of The Big Bang Theory, and while the tender moment looked great on screen, the truth behind the scene was anything but romantic, but not for a bad reason.

In a 2019 USA Today interview, Mayim Bialik and Jim Parsons looked back on their characters' first embrace, with Bialik revealing that her counterpart had the flu when they filmed the scene by stating:

The Cast Actually Ate The Food Their Characters Nibbled On During All Of Those Take-Out Scenes

Remember all the scenes in Sheldon and Leonard's living room with the cast sitting on couches and chairs taking in heaps of great looking take-out boxes? Not sure how you couldn't as they were a fixture in practically every episode over the course of 12 seasons. Well, those weren't just props. In fact, those containers had some of the best food you could find on a network TV set.

During the USA Today interview mentioned above, Kaley Cuoco revealed that the cast was well taken care of by the propmaster Scott London and his team who put the iconic boxes together, stating:

It should come as no surprise as before London got into prop business, he wanted to be a chef and actually cooked all of the food seen in the show, which included everything from Chinese food to pasta and everything in between.

The Show's Original Cast Earned $1 Million Per Episode At One Point

As The Big Bang Theory grew in popularity, so did the salaries of the show's original cast — Jim Parsons, Johnny Galecki, Kaley Cuoco, Kunal Nayyar, and Simon Helberg — who all earned $1 million per episode by the time Season 10 started shooting, according to Variety.

The main cast, however, took a $100,000-per-episode pay cut in 2017 so that Mayim Bialik and Melissa Rauch could receive better compensation for their expanded roles. Thanks to the cuts from the main cast, Bialik and Rauch each received $500,000 per episode, up from the $175,000 to $200,000 per episode they earned before the new deal.

There Was Even A Belarusian Knock-Off Called The Theorists

People like to say that imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, but Chuck Lorre didn't feel that way when he caught wind of a Belarusian knock-off of The Big Bang Theory called The Theorists, which was pretty much a carbon copy of the successful CBS sitcom down the characters and scripts for each episode.

The drama reached a boiling point in 2010, when, according to Entertainment Weekly, Lorre even attempted to get Warner Bros. Television's legal department to seek action against the knock-off's producers. The attempt would be short-lived as it was discovered that the production company responsible for The Theorists was owned and operated by the government of Belarus. The matter, however, took care of itself after the entire cast of the Belarusian knock-off quit the show when they realized that the proper channels had not been followed.

Those are just some of the interesting and mind-boggling facts about The Big Bang Theory. For more on your favorite former cast member and what they're up to now, make sure to check back on CinemaBlend.

Characters from The Big Bang Theory love to cosplay, based on the times they donned the signature outfits of famous characters, especially superheroes. Have you ever wondered what comic book characters the likes of Kaley Cuoco or Jim Parsons should play in an adaptation?

Of course, Kaley Cuoco and Melissa Rauch have each voiced respective animated iterations of Harley Quinn, but I am talking about the real deal here: live action cinema (or TV, even). Now, we could just take the Justice League characters the cast dressed as in a Halloween episode and imagine how those casting choices would work. However, that idea is both too easy and too difficult to accomplish.

Fortunately, I have come up with seven well-known names from both Marvel and DC whom I think the seven main players of The Big Bang Theory should be considered for. Granted, a few of these characters have already been cast in current iterations, but what’s wrong with having a little imagination?

Johnny Galecki - Wolverine

We often think of the Adamantium-clawed X-Men character as a badass of intimidating stature and a calorie-free diet. That is only because of Hugh Jackman. Did you know, however, that one of the names in consideration to play Wolverine in the first 2000 live action film was Bob Hoskins and fans’ top choice to replace Jackman is Danny DeVito?

That is because Wolverine was initially depicted in the comics as having below-average height and a stocky build, which Johnny Galecki (The Big Bang Theory's mild-mannered physicist Leonard Hofstadter) matches relatively well, standing at 5’5”. Playing a tortured hero like Logan would also give him a chance to show-off his dramatic chops, which have rarely been given the spotlight considering his best known roles also include David Healy on Roseanne and as the third Rusty Griswold in National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation.

Jim Parsons - Plastic Man

Sheldon Cooper may love being The Flash and Jim Parsons, the actor who played him to multiple Emmy wins on The Big Bang Theory, has said he would love to play The Riddler. Of course, this is not a list of hypothetical supervillain casting choices (even if his portrayal as a goofy narcissist antagonized for projecting his intelligence on others has clearly made him earn such a role, as far as I am concerned), so how about someone like Plastic Man?

DC Comics' Plastic Man was originally a crook named Patrick O’Brien who, after becoming exposed to an acidic substance that turned his flesh to elastic, turned to a life of heroism. The stretchy vigilante has been portrayed in the comics and other forms of media in a more humorous fashion, sometimes as a chatterbox known to annoy his peers. Sound familiar?

Kaley Cuoco - Supergirl

As previously mentioned, Kaley Cuoco is currently voicing Harley Quinn in a self-titled, animated DC Universe series, marking, technically, the second time she has played a DC hero after her The Big Bang Theory character Penny dressed as Wonder Woman for Halloween. Of course, to officially play a live action DC role, in my opinion, Cuoco should not be forced to sacrifice her natural blonde locks.

Therefore, I believe Kaley Cuoco would make a wonderful Kara Zor-El, Clark Kent’s cousin, better known as Supergirl. She already has the look and the acting versatility to takeover the role once Melissa Benoist chooses to hang up the cape. Besides, there is plenty of fan art already around to further support this idea.

Mayim Bialik - Hawkgirl

Mayim Bialik has been known to play typically meek and soft-spoken characters, such as the title role of ‘90s sitcom Blossom and especially Sheldon Cooper’s love interest, Amy Farrah Fowler. In real-life, the outspoken actress does not have that much in common with her The Big Bang Theory character, other than a degree a neuroscience, and more in common with strong-willed heroines of comic book lore, such as Hawkgirl.

Hawkgirl, one of DC’s earliest female superheroes known for primitive weaponry and artificial wings, has been the alter ego of several characters, so Mayim Bialik could play a version not yet introduced in a screen adaptation. Better yet, how about a crossover in which the immortal soul of the previous title holder gets transferred into the body of Amy Farrah Fowler, turning her into the latest one to wear the bird-like cowl? I think Sheldon would be all for it.

Kunal Nayyar - Vision

Anyone else feel that astrophysicist Raj Koothrappali was the voice of reason among the cast of The Big Bang Theory (whenever he was able to speak, that is)? I, for one, would love to see London-born Kunal Nayyar channel that same “wisdom” into a comic book role, such as someone who served as the voice of reason in the Avengers: Vision.

The android is a unique being of eclectic ability and vast intellect who was the only one among the Avengers who was willing to offer any rational response to the Sokovia Accords amid the others’ bitter antagonism in Captain America: Civil War. For now, with his mysterious resurrection in the upcoming Disney+ series WandaVision, the role is still owned by Paul Bettany, but if there was ever a reason to bring him back under a whole new vision, Kunal Nayyar is as good a candidate as any.

Simon Helberg - The Atom

Howard Wolowitz was initially introduced on The Big Bang Theory as a wannabe ladies man before settling down and starting a family. Howard’s real-life counterpart Simon Helberg has undergone a transformation of his own, earning more dramatic roles during and since the sitcom’s run. However, if comic book fans are not yet ready to see the famously comic actor as a serious superhero yet, how about someone similar to Marvel’s comic relief, Ant-Man?

The Atom does share many similarities to Hank Pym’s shrinking alter-ego, particularly that they are both scientists who shrink. While Ray Palmer, The Atom’s secret identity, was eventually given the live action treatment on Legends of Tomorrow, Zack Snyder has said that an alternate version of the character was originally in the 2017 Justice League movie, suggesting a solo film is possible and casting Simon Helberg would be a fun choice. Not to mention, Helberg is known for a spot-on impersonation of Nicolas Cage, who almost played Superman before Brandon Routh, who now plays The Atom on TV, bringing this connection full circle.

Melissa Rauch - Dazzler 

Melissa Rauch, who played food server turned microbiologist Bernadette Rostenkowski, is the second The Big Bang Theory alum to also voice Harleen Quinzel in 2017’s Batman and Harley Quinn. That same year, she also played The Wasp in an animated Ant-Man miniseries. So, Rauch could go in either direction for a live action superhero role, but I really think she should be considered for one overlooked Marvel character.

Dazzler, a frequent X-Men collaborator with the ability to create light out of sound, was actually originally conceived out of a cross-promotional agreement with Marvel and Casablanca Records to create a fictional superhero who would also serve as the onstage persona for a real-life singer until the idea fell through, yet the character has remained a musician in the comics. Melissa Rauch actually performed a song as Harley Quinn in her animated film, but to a less-than-stellar reception, so starring as a Dazzler could be a moment of redemption for the actress, who does have a pleasant voice in real life.

What do you think? Are these the superheroes The Big Bang Theory cast members were born to play, or does this list make you weep for the future? Let us know in the comments and be sure to check back for more updates on the beloved sitcom’s cast and other hypothetical casting calls here on CinemaBlend.

For 12 seasons and nearly 300 episodes, CBS's enormously popular The Big Bang Theory became one of the most watched sitcoms of the past two decades. Commanding the ratings for the majority of its television run, resulting in its actors getting upwards of a million dollars per episode, it's hard to deny how huge this show became. Alas, nothing can last forever. Last year, the famous sitcom came to a close, and many of its now-famous cast members are exploring new projects, including Jim Parsons, Kaley Cuoco, and Johnny Galecki. Let's take a look at what The Big Bang Theory cast is doing now.

Jim Parsons (Sheldon Cooper)

As Sheldon Cooper, the nerdy, scene-stealing roommate who turned the sitcom into one of the most watched shows on television, Jim Parsons played a huge part in making The Big Bang Theory what it is today. He's also the reason why it ended, reportedly. After 279 episodes, which is considered one of the most in multi-camera show history, The Big Bang Theory ended because Parsons ultimately refused to sign a contract for Seasons 13 and 14 totaling in $50 million (!), believing he had done everything he would want to do with this character after 12 seasons. The series thus ended in May 2019. Nevertheless, he continues to play Sheldon in voice only on Young Sheldon, the single-camera prequel series. Since the show ended, he was heard in an episode of The Simpsons. He'll also play a role in Ryan Murphy's newest show, Hollywood, premiering in May.

Up next, Jim Parsons will appear in the drama film, The Boys in the Band, which is expected to come out later this year. He's also set to star in the TV movie, So Much, which should come out sometime next year. He is an executive producer on that film as well. Parsons will also serve as an executive producer on Call Me Kat, the newest show from his Big Bang Theory co-star Mayim Bialik. That new comedy series is expected to premiere this fall.

Kaley Cuoco (Penny Hofstadter)

As Penny Hofstadter, the aspiring actress who lived in Apartment 4B and stole the heart of Leonard, Kaley Cuoco was previously the only female lead on The Big Bang Theory, and her presence on the popular network sitcom helped her career enormously. A former child actress who appeared on shows like 8 Simple Rules and Charmed prior to her work on The Big Bang Theory, Cuoco became one of the highest-paid actress on television during the later seasons. Since The Big Bang Theory's finale, Cuoco has since been heard as the voice of the title role in the mature animated series, Harley Quinn. Cuoco also made a cameo on Young Sheldon. Up next is the thriller series The Flight Attendant, though production was recently suspended. She serves as an executive producer, in addition to starring. Additionally, Cuoco is an EP on the CBS's comedy series, Pretty.

Johnny Galecki (Leonard Hofstadter)

As Leonard Hofstadter, the goofy, good-hearted geek who eventually wins the love of his neighbor, Penny (Kaley Cuoco), Johnny Galecki played one of the three lead roles in The Big Bang Theory. A former child actor who continued to work in movies and television since his days in Roseanne and National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation, among others, The Big Bang Theory is, nevertheless, among the actor's most famous, recognizable roles. And outside of his work on that show, Galecki hasn't kept too busy on screen in the intervening time since The Big Bang Theory left the air. Most recently, he made appearances on both Roseanne and its spin-off series, The Conners. He also recently starred in A Dog's Journey. In his personal life, Galecki and his partner Alaina Meyer welcomed a baby boy into their family in December 2019.

Simon Helberg (Howard Wolowitz)

A horny engineer with an overbearing mother and an awkward demeanor around women, Simon Helberg's Howard Wolowitz was a constant presence throughout The Big Bang Theory's extended run, with his character eventually getting married to Bernadette (Melissa Rauch). As an actor, Helberg also appeared in Dr. Horrible's Sing-Along Blog, A Serious Man, Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story, and Florence Foster Jenkins in addition to his long-standing role on The Big Bang Theory. With his commitments to The Big Bang Theory finished, Helberg has booked two promising films in his future. The first is Annette, a dramatic musical which will also star Adam Driver and Marion Cotillard and comes from director Leos Carax (Holy Motors). The second is As Sick As They Made Us, which will be the feature screenwriting and directorial debut of Mayim Bialik, his former Big Bang Theory co-star.

Kunal Nayyar (Raj Koothrappali)

As Howard Wolowitz's best friend Raj Koothrappali, Kunal Nayyar played a supporting role throughout The Big Bang Theory. As an actor, outside of his work on The Big Bang Theory, Nayyar has done a number of voice roles in movies and shows like Ice Age: Continental Drift, Sanjay and Craig, and Trolls. Since The Big Bang Theory's final episode, Nayyar has been seen in Sweetness in the Belly. He'll also soon be heard in Trolls World Tour. And he is soon set to appear in the family comedy Think Like a Dog. He's also filming a role in the thriller series Suspicion, which stars Uma Thurman.

Melissa Rauch (Bernadette Rostenkowski)

Since her introduction in The Big Bang Theory's third season, Melissa Rauch played a prominent role in the CBS sitcom as Bernadette Rostenkowski. Since her time on the popular series came to a close, Rauch hasn't picked up as many acting roles, though she was seen in the indie comedy Ode to Joy and she starred in Steven Soderbergh's The Laundromat. The Bronze actress/screenwriter also starred in a couple episodes of Black Monday and she provided voices for a recent episode of Robot Chicken.

Mayim Bialik (Amy Farrah Fowler)

Similar to her co-star Melissa Rauch, Mayim Bialik was introduced into the Big Bang Theory fold in the third season and she became a prevalent figure in the show thereafter. Much like the character she played on the sitcom, Bialik holds a PhD in neuroscience, and she's exceptionally accomplished. In addition to being an actress, Bialik is also an author and the founder of Grok Nation. She also founded Sad Clown Productions, and Bialik is soon set to star in her own Fox series, Call Me Kat, based on the BBC series Miranda. Jim Parsons will be involved as an executive producer. The new series is expected this fall. Additionally, BIalik will make her feature screenwriting and directorial debut with the dramatic film, As Sick As They Made Us. It'll star Dustin Hoffman, Candice Bergen, and Simon Helberg, Bialik's former Big Bang Theory co-star.

Kevin Sussman (Stuart Bloom)

As Stuart Bloom, the owner of The Comic Center Of Pasadena, Kevin Sussman first appeared in Season 2 and he has served as a rival character for our leads at times when he dated Penny and Amy, respectively. While the TV actor has only been a series regular on the show periodically, Sussman has appeared on The Big Bang Theory many times in its prolonged run. An established actor who has appeared in many famous films and TV shows, including (but not limited to) The Sopranos, Wet Hot American Summer, Almost Famous, A.I. Artificial Intelligence, Law & Order: Criminal Intent, ER, My Name is Earl, Ugly Betty, CSI: Crime Scene Investigation, Burn After Reading, and more, Sussman has an active career in both mediums. However, since The Big Bang Theory ended, Sussman hasn't appeared in any other projects. But he recently appeared in a Progressive commercial.

Laura Spencer (Emily Sweeney)

From Season 7 through Season 10, Laura Spencer appeared on The Big Bang Theory as Emily Sweeney, the former girlfriend of Raj. During her time on the series, Spencer could also be seen on Bones, and she previously appeared in Sleepy Hollow, Switched at Birth, The Lizzie Bennet Diaries, and other television shows. Since her time on The Big Bang Theory, Spencer has appeared in episodes of Get Shorty and Matt and Dan. She also recently wrote the short film Likeness, which she also starred in. Up next, she'll appear in the drama Thirteen Minutes and the dramedy series, Work/Friends.

Sara Gilbert (Leslie Winkle)

Considered the female counterpart to Leonard, Sara Gilbert's Leslie Winkle played a prominent role during The Big Bang Theory's first three seasons. Though she made a cameo in a later episode, Gilbert was otherwise absent from the show's consecutive seasons. Since leaving the popular sitcom, Gilbert has appeared in episodes of Supergirl, Jane the Virgin, Happy Together, and Atypical, though she has been most notably seen in ABC's revival of Roseanne and then, once that show was taken off the air due to contentious tweets from its title star, its subsequent spin-off series, The Conners. Outside of her acting work, Gilbert was also the creator and former co-host of the CBS daytime talk show, The Talk, though she left in August 2019.

Do you have a favorite actor from The Big Bang Theory? Is there anyone you're excited to see branch out after the mega-hit CBS sitcom. Let us know in the comment section below!

The Big Bang Theory is, without question, one of the most successful shows in the history of television. It ran for 12 seasons, produced 279 episodes and then suddenly last year it ended. Most of the cast was open about a desire to try something else, but that doesn’t mean they wanted a permanent break from each other. In fact, they apparently keep in touch thanks to a group chat that has gotten a lot busier lately.

That business, of course, is due to Big Bang Theory star Johnny Galecki having his first child with girlfriend Alaina Meyer. The likeable 44-year-old has apparently been sending pictures of his baby to his co-star and former girlfriend Kaley Cuoco, and all the stars have been using the line to keep track of each other’s lives now that they don’t see one another on a regular basis. Here’s what Cuoco told Us Magazine…

Kaley Cuoco and Johnny Galecki dated from 2008 to 2010, which is probably the right length of time for most people to be unapologetically happy for an ex moving on and having a kid with someone else. That being said, their timeline may have been sped up because they continued to work together for almost a decade after breaking up. There’s nothing that evolves relationships faster than working and spending so much time together in a non-personal capacity. Plus, both Galecki and Cuoco, who is now married to equestrian Karl Cook, each had their share of relationships following their initial separation which helps too.

As for the rest of the cast, it has been wonderful watching them be able to try different things after The Big Bang Theory ended. Lead Jim Parsons is narrating the spinoff series Young Sheldon, of course, but he also has the upcoming movie The Boys In The Band, which looks very exciting. Simon Helberg is starring opposite Adam Driver in Annette and Kunal Nayyar is about to be seen in the upcoming Trolls World Tour, just to cover a few.

While many lifelong close friendships are built on television sets, it’s unfair to expect all cast members to best friends after they move on to other things. Still, there’s something special about being on a television show that really matters to people. You can go your entire career in Hollywood and never produce something that lasts, something that people love and will continue to love. So, it’s nice to see The Big Bang Theory cast seems to recognize that and is doing what they can to stay in touch and keep that bond.

Johnny Galecki is joining his former Big Bang Theory co-stars in pursuing new projects. This one holds a special place in Galacki’s filmography. In National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation, Galecki played Rusty Griswold, the son of Clark (Chevy Chase) and Ellen Griswold (Beverly D'Angelo). Now he is rebooting National Lampoon’s Vacation as a TV show.

Johnny Galecki is already working on a new comedy with one of his Big Bang Theory co-workers. However, you can now add a National Lampoon’s Vacation TV show to his slate. Time to get into the nuts and bolts of this potential reboot! Galecki is on-board to executive produce the possible series, which would be a single-camera comedy entitled The Griswolds, per THR.

For reference, The Big Bang Theory was a multi-camera sitcom. A single-camera comedy falls in the realm of NBC’s The Office and ABC’s Modern Family. The Griswolds is slated to run for a half-hour. Time for the million-dollar question: what will The Griswolds be about?

The Johnny Galecki executive produced series will follow the family after they return home from (what else?) vacation. There is more! The premise is exploring the day-to-day experiences of the Griswold family as they live in modern Chicago. It is currently in the script development phase.

It does not sound like The Griswolds is going to go for The Goldbergs’ blast from the past scenario. The show's focus on the characters' day-to-day does bring to mind Modern Family. Considering that series will have capped its run at ten seasons, that formula clearly has some staying power. Of course, Johnny Galecki has his own experience with long-time success.

The Big Bang Theory ended its run after twelve seasons on CBS, but he won't be headed back to the Eye Network if the Griswold family comedy gets the green light. Where is Johnny Galecki’s National Lampoon’s Vacation TV show headed? Warner Bros.’ HBO Max! Yes, the same streamer that was previously reported to spend north of $1 billion securing the streaming rights to The Big Bang Theory. It now has them.

If you had any doubts that HBO Max is planning to bring it in the streaming wars to come, The Griswolds is just more proof that it intends to be a competitor. The upcoming streaming service is already set to be home to a Green Lantern series (among other DC Comics heroes). News of Johnny Galecki’s National Lampoon’s Vacation TV show comes well after HBO Max announced plans for a Grease spinoff show.

Movies-turned-television shows! They are all the rage. Along with the adaptations mentioned above, HBO Max will also be the new home of Friends after it finishes its run on Netflix. It goes without saying that The Griswolds would be in fantastic company!

The Middle’s Tim Hobert will pen The Griswolds’ script and executive produce the series with Johnny Galecki and Alcide Bava’s Holly Brown. Alcide Bava’s Cory Wood will also produce. Fans will have to wait and see if any of the film franchise’s original stars reprise their roles. That is reportedly unclear at this point.

For now, it does not sound like Johnny Galecki is set to reprise his role as Rusty Griswold for the TV show. In the world of feature films, the part was most recently played by The Office’s Ed Helms in the 2015 movie, Vacation. Whether he is on-screen or not, Galecki’s involvement does provide a cool connection from National Lampoon’s Vacation past.

Given how early everything is, Johnny Galecki’s National Lampoon’s Vacation series has not gotten a premiere date yet. If all goes well, it will bow on HBO Max. While you wait for more updates on the show, check out this winter’s premieres.

As cliché as it sounds, The Big Bang Theory did actually go out with a bang. Although Jim Parsons' Sheldon Cooper was the beating heart of the show's 12-season run, Johnny Galecki’s Leonard Hofstadter was also a big reason for the show's continued success. A newly released retrospective video offers some insight on Leonard's evolution, as well as the reason why Galecki wanted the role in the first place.

Although CBS lost the rights to air The Big Bang Theory — the show will be available to stream on HBO Max — fans can relive Season 12 (and all the other seasons) when The Big Bang Theory: The Complete Series DVD and Blu-Ray is released on Tuesday, November 12. In a preview video discussing Leonard (via TVLine), Johnny Galecki explained exactly what drew him to the role.

The sitcom definitely changed the way audiences perceived the actor. The Big Bang Theory showrunner Chuck Lorre, who believed the series deserved more respect at the Emmy Awards, knew Johnny Galecki from his days as David Healy on Roseanne, and saw the potential in him while in the early stages of developing the CBS comedy. According to Lorre:

The Big Bang Theory grew to include several new characters after a couple of seasons, including Mayim Bialik’s Amy. (Bialik is actually teaming up with Jim Parsons for a new show, which fans should be pumped about.) However, at the heart of the series remained the sometimes tumultuous, but always supportive, friendship between Sheldon and Leonard.

So, it’s fitting that even before the show cast Johnny Galecki, who is also working on a new series with another The Big Bang Theory alum, series star and Young Sheldon narrator Jim Parsons says there was an instant connection between them in the audition.

As any TV fan will tell you, half the magic of any series is the chemistry between its cast and The Big Bang Theory truly lucked out with that for a dozen seasons of high-rated laughs.

The Big Bang Theory: The Complete Series DVD and Blu-Ray sets will be available to own on Tuesday, November 12. For more on what to watch this fall, be sure to check out our complete guide to every new and returning show premiering through the end of the year.

While a lot of The Big Bang Theory cast members had to wait on the right project before landing a new gig after the iconic CBS series wrapped, Johnny Galecki had a sort of cushy in on another network. In fact, he hopped straight into a few fall episodes of The Conners, the spinoff to Roseanne that made him a popular TV actor back in the nineties. Yet, outside of that, he’s mostly opting to focus on producing work, including a new comedy about eSports.

To be frank, the new scripted comedy project sounds dissimilar to his acting predecessors. Instead of science and pop culture-related comedy, this one will focus on eSports. The potential series, which is going by the name The Squad, is being set up at NBC.

If it moves forward, The Squad will team up The Big Bang Theory star with another Big Bang Theory alum, Anthony Del Broccolo. Del Broccolo originally joined the CBS sitcom as a writer back in Season 5. Both men will executive produce the new project, along with Holly Brown. Del Broccolo will also be writing the script for the pilot.

There’s no word on who will star in The Squad yet, which means it's in the early phases of development, but it will be about a group of friends who have found their “tribe,” according to Deadline.

The cast of The Big Bang Theory all have eyes on new gigs in the coming months, if they haven’t signed on to new projects already. For Johnny Galecki, this has meant guest starring on The Conners as David Healy and going hard on producing work, as he also executive produced Living Biblically. I think a lot of people would like to see him in front of the camera in a leading role again, but we’ll have to wait and see.

Take A Look At What The Big Bang Theory Cast Is Doing After The Finale

Meanwhile, Kaley Cuoco is voicing Harley Quinn in a new animated series, which she has called ‘a wet dream’ for The Big Bang Theory fans. She also is switching gears for The Flight Attendant, a dramatic thriller heading to HBO Max.

Simon Helberg will be in a movie called Annette. Mayim Bialik is really excited about producing work thanks to an overall deal with Warner Bros. TV Group, so her trajectory has been similar to Johnny Galecki’s. Kunal Nayyar has voice work in Trolls World Tour coming up. His Big Bang Theory follow-up movie Sweetness in the Belly, already came out.

Jim Parsons is maybe busiest. He’s still involved with Young Sheldon, as he does the narration for the series. He’s also producing a project with the aforementioned Big Bang Theory star Mayim Bialik. Finally, he has been cast in Ryan Murphy’s upcoming series. So, he seems to have quite a lot going on.

Only time will tell if NBC ends up ordering The Squad to series, but it’s good to see Johnny Galecki keeping busy after the series wrapped (and he took that emotional video of the set being torn down.) Fingers crossed we’ll see more of him in front of the camera soon, too.

Yes, he's back! Now that The Big Bang Theory is over, Johnny Galecki is making time for more episodes of The Conners Season 2.

Johnny Galecki brought back his Roseanne character David Healy for two episodes of The Conners Season 1. The Season 1 finale ended with David breaking up with his girlfriend Blue (Juliette Lewis) and making his pitch to Darlene (Sara Gilbert) for her to stay there and not move to Chicago with Ben (Jay R. Ferguson). Darlene ultimately decided to stay in Lanford, telling Ben it was because she couldn't leave her dad (John Goodman). But David may still be a factor -- with or without his pants on.

Johnny Galecki teased his Season 2 return with a photo of David sandwiched between Darlene and Jackie (Laurie Metcalf) as they help him with his pants.

Awww. It is kind of amazing how long these characters have been beloved guests in our own living rooms. Johnny Galecki joined the Roseanne cast in Season 4 in 1992 and had a role on the show until it ended in 1997. He has been very fortunate in his sitcom success, since 10 years after Roseanne ended he hit the jackpot as one of the leads of The Big Bang Theory.

Speaking of The Big Bang Theory, one recurring star on that show was Wil Wheaton, who replied to Johnny Galecki's heartfelt post with his own wistful words:

Very sweet. The Roseanne cast went through a tough time when the show was abruptly cancelled after its big ratings-win of a return, following star Roseanne Barr's social media comments. The show was rebranded as The Conners without Roseanne, following the rest of the family.

After The Conners Season 1 finale in January 2019, Johnny Galecki was asked about maybe returning to The Conners full-time for Season 2. He said he'd rather return as David on a recurring basis:

Sara Gilbert, who is an executive producer on The Conners as well as the actress who plays Darlene, also told TVLine she was very hopeful about having Johnny Galecki back in Season 2.

And now Johnny Galecki has confirmed he'll be back in The Conners Season 2 for "one or two more stories," whatever that might entail.

September is almost here! Seems like the summer flew by, but The Conners Season 2 premiere is right around the corner on Tuesday, September 24 at 8 p.m. EST. Here's everything we know so far about Season 2 to get you back up-to-speed.

It’s really over. Johnny Galecki made the end of The Big Bang Theory all the more real with a super sad behind-the-scenes peek. Fans won't get to see the final episode until this coming Thursday, May 16, but the set has already finished its job for the cast and crew. Galecki took fans on a brief tour via social media, with a video of the series' set getting broken down. Grab a tissue and check it out below:

This is when you know a series is really done. Fans already knew that The Big Bang Theory had finished filming. However, this look at the set means the physical vestiges of its universe are being brought down. Hopefully, some of the set will end up getting featured in a museum somewhere. I can imagine many fans would like to see that set in person.

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(As Johnny Galecki noted, the "coincidental soundtrack" in the background included the Beatles' song "Help," with apropos lyrics like "Help me if you can, I'm feeling down...")

Johnny Galecki was not shy about revealing that he was a “puddle of tears” over filming The Big Bang Theory’s final episode. He has spent twelve years investing in and playing Leonard, so it is not surprising. Galecki’s co-star Kaley Cuoco was similarly affected by saying goodbye.

She posted a picture of her face awash in tears after doing the table read for the final episode. Kaley Cuoco has also called the finale “beautiful.” Of course, this is goodbye, so it sounds like you can expect no shortage of emotions.

The somber reality of The Big Bang Theory ending will really set in on Thursday (May 16). That is when the show’s final episode will air. The Big Bang Theory will say goodbye with a special one-hour installment.

In uplifting news, the series’ spinoff Young Sheldon will say a short-term goodbye with its Season 2 finale. You cannot follow the series finale of the show that made it possible without including a connection. Young Sheldon will have just that.

Ahead of The Big Bang Theory’s final outing, something significant got revealed. The younger versions of Leonard, Penny, Howard, Raj, Amy, and Bernadette will all appear in Young Sheldon’s season finale. Feel free to begin speculating on how they will do so.

As the cast prepares to move forward, a second spinoff has yet to move forward. Something that makes the departure of The Big Bang Theory undoubtedly a bit sadder. Fans will still have Young Sheldon, for more than one upcoming season.

The penultimate episode of The Big Bang Theory saw the shocking end of one relationship. Will there be another breakup before the series ends? Will Penny and Johnny Galecki’s Leonard be another casualty? Take heart, the finale is almost here, and fans will find out.

The good news is what one of The Big Bang Theory’s directors said about the finale. It should not be shattering in nature.

Watch the set in action in the final episode. The Big Bang Theory’s one-hour series finale airs Thursday, May 16 at 8 p.m. ET on CBS.

For the cast (and fanbase) of The Big Bang Theory, the past few weeks and months have been as emotionally tumultuous as any other span of the sitcom's history at CBS. TV's most popular comedy is coming to an end later in May, with the cast having wrapped the series finale's filming this week. Some Big Bang stars made it through relatively unscathed, while some were apparently emotional wrecks, such as Johnny Galecki.

Here's how Galecki put it:

When The Big Bang Theory airs its non-explosive final episode later this month, it will have been on the air for more than a decade, so it's no surprise that the co-leading man was feeling emotional. It's also easy to understand why he was concerned about on-screen wife Kaley Cuoco's reaction while filming the series finale.

Kaley Cuoco shared photos that revealed she was sobbing and speechless at the table read for the last episode; it stood to reason that she might be a mess for filming. Who could have guessed that Johnny Galecki would be the one in "a puddle of tears" for production?

Johnny Galecki also shared with TVLine how he said goodbye to his character: by walking around the stage after they wrapped production by himself. He admitted that might sound "odd and crazy," but I think anybody who plays a character for 12 seasons gets to say goodbye however he wants.

Season 12 has been slowly but surely bringing the characters closer and closer to culmination, although it remains to be seen what those culminations will be. Will Amy and Sheldon win their Nobel Prize, or will their competitors edge them out for the huge honor?

Will Leonard and Penny decide to have kids? There's been a lot of ups and downs on that front throughout Season 12 when Leonard discovered the Penny was not interested in having kids, while he very much was. Apparently, there were some important conversations they probably should have had before tying the knot! Leonard had a unique opportunity to father a child in Season 12, but ultimately passed.

Will the series end with them deciding to have a kid? Or perhaps with Penny pregnant? Or with Leonard coming around to Penny's thinking and realizing that they really don't need children to be happy? Whatever happens, fans may be shedding tears of their own by the time the final credits roll later in May.

When The Big 2018-2019 TV Season Finales Are Airing

The good news is that CBS has found a way to help fans say goodbye to the hit series: via a farewell special airing the night of the series finale. Johnny Galecki and Kaley Cuoco will host, and it's sounds like must-see TV for longtime Big Bang viewers. Both the finale and the farewell special will air Thursday, May 16 on CBS.

Want to binge watch The Big Bang Theory and more of your favorite shows? Get a week of CBS All Access FREE! Sign up here.

2019 marks the end of many great TV shows across the spectrum, from Gotham to Veep to Transparent to the already concluded Broad City. When it comes to the medium's largest audiences, though, the biggest series exit is almost definitely that of CBS' The Big Bang Theory, which is ending its stat-topping run after twelve seasons. Understandably, the cast has been active in publicly sharing their emotional highs and lows leading up to the series finale.

No one else's messages, however, can properly compare to star Johnny Galecki's recent Instagram post, which shines a light on Big Bang Theory's finality in an all-too-real way.

A quick glance at only the image itself isn't going to reveal anything too heartbreaking. At its core, this is a room full of smiling people, which usually promotes positive and non-ominous vibes. Assuming the smiling people aren't also greedily rubbing their hands together, that is. Plus, most of those folks would be unfamiliar to the layman viewer, outside of maybe co-creator Chuck Lorre, with Johnny Galecki as the only Big Bang Theory star in the shot.

Rather, it's that big and empty white board behind everyone that is the real emotional catalyst here. As Johnny Galecki notes in his post text, everyone is standing in the Big Bang Theory's writers room, and the white board is where the team would note upcoming episodes for story and script discussions. But considering the show is ending and the finishing touches are being worked on for the big finale, the white board is completely devoid of Sheldon, Leonard, Penny, Raj and Howard...and all the rest.

This marks the first time in a whopping twelve years that the board has been so clean and free from episode chatter, according to Johnny Galecki. That really drives home the fact that The Big Bang Theory will no longer deliver any new episodes to fans after its May 16 finale. (Find out when all the other big network shows are ending, too.) Seeing Kaley Cuoco sharing throwback pics or reading about other stars' memories about Big Bang Theory are certainly reminders that the end is near, but they still bring to mind lots of memories for fans.

On the other hand, a big empty board like that doesn't bring to mind anything so warm and comforting. It's a bright and intimidating abyss, just begging for all those writers to jot down rhyming episode titles onto it. Sadly, there's nothing more to write. But at least there's a crown on the table for someone to wear in times of need.

This particular shot of The Big Bang Theory's creative team features showrunner and executive producer Steve Holland, who had been quite open through most of the season about not specifically knowing how the show was going to end for all the characters. That's obviously changed, considering the end date is just a month away. But Holland still doesn't want fans to think that the finale is going to be this heightened, world-changing extravaganza. Here's how he'd put it recently.

Viewers will definitely going to get some kind of resolution for Sheldon and Amy's Nobel Prize drama, hopefully with even more guest stars involved. A lot of fans are also hoping to hear some kind of baby news from one of the couples that isn't Bernadette and Howard. (Although it would be funny if Bernadette got pregnant again, but with triplets or something along those lines.)

For only a few more weeks, The Big Bang Theory airs Thursday nights on CBS at 8:00 p.m. ET. Just don't expect to learn Penny's maiden name before it's all over.

The Big Bang Theory is ending after Season 12, and it will end with at least one mystery intact. Here's a list of the main characters on the show. See if you can spot what's missing:

Everyone has a last name, except for Penny. Technically she does have a last name now -- Leonard's last name Hofstadter.

The Big Bang Theory had a WonderCon panel on Saturday, and a fan asked if viewers would ever learn Penny's maiden name. That's a negative, and Executive Producer Steve Molaro explained why:

So they went long enough with Penny just being Penny that they decided it would be bad luck to make her Penny Such-and-Such until she married Leonard in Season 9 and became Penny Hofstadter.

Kaley Cuoco recently revealed she was originally rejected from The Big Bang Theory, back when the role as conceived as a girl named Katie, because she was considered too young. The role was revised to be the Penny fans know and love, but without ever adding a second name.

They could've revealed Penny's maiden name along the way, since we did first meet her father Wyatt (Keith Carradine) in Season 4 and that would've been an easy way to slide in new intel. In fact, that had come up before, when a fan asked in 2009 if we'd ever meet Penny's family and tell the fans her last name. The answers at the time were "yes and yes" but the second "yes" will apparently not happen after all.

Of course, fans also asked if the elevator would ever be fixed. That's something that Kaley Cuoco herself has brought up as something she'd like to see solved by the finale. No promises on that, but it's possible.

The Big Bang Theory finale will air May 16, but they actually shoot the series finale on April 30th, which is Kunal Nayyar's birthday. So they have less than a month to film the rest of the season.

Executive Producer Steve Holland talked more about the endgame plans during the WonderCon panel (via THR):

Wil Wheaton moderated the WonderCon panel, and he previously said he figured he was done on the show after his most recent episode. We'll have to wait and see if that's true. There's going to be a lot of emotion on-and-off screen as the show readies to say goodbye. Kaley Cuoco already has a plan for what she wants to take from set, and how she wants to honor the show in a year or two.

The Big Bang Theory Season 12 has been on pause for nearly a month, which is kind of frustrating considering it's the final season. But it will return with new episodes starting this week with Episode 18, "The Laureate Accumulation," which airs Thursday, April 4 at 8 p.m. ET on CBS.

Not many Jeopardy! fans are lucky enough to find themselves featured in a category, but Roseanne and Big Bang Theory star Johnny Galecki got to see a clue about him come up. The first contestant to respond did not get it right, as he could not quite get Galecki’s name correct. Check out The Big Bang Theory star’s response to being an answer below:

In his Instagram caption, the actor says that the guy who got his name wrong is actually his brother, but worry not! He's obviously kidding. For the record, Johnny Galecki’s older brother is actually named Nick. As for Zorn, his attempt resulted in him answering with “Glick,” meaning no first name either. That is when Meredith came up to bat with the actor’s full name. The silver lining here is that Johnny Galecki was an answer on Jeopardy!.

Getting to be a answer on Jeopardy! is a sign that you have arrived, big time. I have to wonder if it's nerve-racking for the contestants though, in this social media age. Celebs are sometimes made aware when they're featured in questions, and contestants risks having their flubs go viral if they get the question wrong!

We have all been where Zorn was, of knowing somebody's name but not being quite able to connect the dots. It has to be frustrating to be so close and yet so far. As for Meredith, she earned a heart emoji from Johnny Galecki with her correct response.

The Jeopardy! category that led to the moment was “Actors & Their TV Roles.” The clue referenced Johnny Galecki’s role on Roseanne and now The Conners as Darlene’s husband (now ex), David Healy. It then referred to Galecki’s Big Bang Theory character with the name Leonard Hofstadter.

In an exciting twist, Johnny Galecki has been able to play both characters on competing networks at the same time. He could end up being brought back more for the second season of The Conners. That is something that would keep Galecki on television screens this fall.

The Big Bang Theory is nearing the end of its run. The date for the series finale recently got revealed. The long-running CBS comedy will say goodbye on May 16. That is a time closer than some may be comfortable with being so close.

The Big Bang Theory recently made history as the longest running multi-camera sitcom. Could that be a clue for a future Jeopardy! episode? It seems like a good one.

While The Big Bang Theory may be ending, Johnny Galecki’s pop culture status is cemented. As of 2018, he is also one of television’s highest paid actors, which is another clue-worthy tidbit that would be interesting for Jeopardy! to use in the future. Of course, there would be more than one potential answer to it.

Catch Johnny Galecki in new episodes of the final season of The Big Bang Theory, Thursdays at 8 p.m. ET on CBS. Check your local listings to find out when and where Jeopardy! airs in your area.

The Big Bang Theory has been a television force to be reckoned with for many seasons now. But, all good things must come to an end, and the end to the sitcom's 12 season run is coming up pretty fast. We've known all season that The Big Bang Theory would be ending this May, but now we know when, exactly, that series finale will be. The show will wrap up with an hour long special on May 16, and it turns out that some of the cast and executive producer Bill Prady have feelings about it.

Star Johnny Galecki took to Instagram after the announcement with a post that managed to celebrate the cast, their characters and show just how he's feeling about the end of the show he's been a major part of for the past 12 seasons. As of his post, the cast and crew had a little less than a month left to work on the remaining six episodes of the final season of The Big Bang Theory, so work on the show is really getting down to the wire. While Galecki didn't get super emotional in his caption, or with the photos that he posted, for that matter, he's clearly in his feelings about things ending and noted that this is "All VERY surreal," before wrapping up by saying how much he appreciates the fans who helped keep him gainfully employed since 2007.

Throughout the final season, other cast members and those who work behind the scenes on The Big Bang Theory have spoken out about the show ending, but Johnny Galecki hasn't been one to say much about it so far. I wouldn't be surprised if he's waiting until things fully wrap up to process his feelings and talk more in-depth about it, so it's not a huge surprise that he's not waxing poetic in this Instagram post. Plus, as I said before, it's not like many of this cast mates haven't been talking about the show ending, so it's also possible that he has many of the same feelings that have already been voiced.

One person who's been very vocal about her feelings over the comedy leaving the airwaves for the final time at the end of this season is Johnny Galecki's TV wife, Kaley Cuoco. She also took to Instagram about the finale:

Kaley Cuoco's post focuses on what will likely be the last TV Guide cover story for The Big Bang Theory, but she noted that the cover "makes her sad and happy all at the same time," so there's no doubt that the finale is still on her mind. And, that makes total sense, because she's been talking openly about her emotions surrounding the ending all season long. About a week ago, Cuoco posted a throwback photo on Instagram that was taken at the cast's first San Diego Comic-Con and said that "the nostalgia is getting insanely real," as it would when you get this close to the end of such a major part of your career, and life, so far. She's also admitted recently to not being ready to leave, wanting to take a prop from the set and said that her "heart would have always been broken in two" regardless of when the show might have ended.

For his part, executive producer Bill Prady also posted the TV Guide cover on his Instagram, but with a much less enthusiastic caption. A simple "sigh" accompanied his post, so we can see that Prady is probably getting pretty choked up about having to leave The Big Bang Theory behind in a few weeks. While Prady will have work on Young Sheldon to help keep him busy for the next couple of television seasons, I can see where it would be hard to let go.

Of course, other stars of The Big Bang Theory have spoken out about the difficulty of letting the show go, as well. Mayim Bialik has been especially open with her feelings, even noting recently that she's actually experiencing deep grief over it and has been reminded of several other major losses in her life while trying to process what the end of this chapter of her life will mean. Bialik also said, right after it was announced that this would be the final season, that she was just flat out not happy about it, but since there's no choice but to move on, it's good that it sounds like she's starting to process the whole experience.

So, it's pretty obvious that dealing with The Big Bang Theory ending is probably a pretty bittersweet experience for much of the cast and crew, but at least they can spend a lot of their time in the final weeks laughing through most of their work days, and knowing that they brought a lot of laughter to fans all around the world for many years. You can keep up with how the stories of Leonard, Penny, Sheldon, Amy, Raj, Howard and Bernadette wrap up when The Big Bang Theory airs Thursdays at 8 p.m. on CBS, with the one hour series finale coming on May 16.

The Conners wrapped up its first season with storylines that could easily get expanded in Season 2, such as Jackie's drunken break-up, Emilio's deportation, and more. Perhaps the biggest quasi-cliffhanger involved Sara Gilbert's Darlene and Johnny Galecki's David, whose potential rekindling was left unfinished. Of course, for that relationship to continue, Galecki would probably need to be around a lot more in Season 2. Could it happen? Here's what the actor said:

As TV fans are no doubt well aware, Johnny Galecki is part of the ensemble cast at the heart of The Big Bang Theory, which has been primetime's biggest comedy for years now. Of course, Big Bang is finally coming to an end on CBS this year after twelve seasons, so Galecki will be without a day job for the first time in that many years (unless there's a spinoff). And as he also put it to TVLine, he still has "a bit of a high school crush" on his formerly-in-Roseanne character.

While he might not want to spend ALL of that newly gathered free time rocking denim jackets as David Healy on The Conners, he certainly sounds willing to put in more than two episodes in the future. It totally makes sense that David wouldn't necessarily be around for every single episode anyway, there shouldn't be as much pressure on Johnny Galecki to take on another "series regular" gig so soon after The Big Bang Theory ends.

To be sure, ABC hasn't ordered up a second season of The Conners yet, but that renewal has been a foregone assumption since the highly viewed premiere. (Not as popular as Roseanne was, but this is still the most-watched new show of the fall season.) So it's unclear if the network would dish out another shorter season of ten or eleven episodes, or if a full 22-ep order would be preferable to all. That count would obviously also factor into Galecki's decision.

If Johnny Galecki's David does return to The Conners more in Season 2, then the road is already half-paved for him to attempt a new relationship with Darlene. In the Season 1 finale, David broke up with Blue, and Darlene laid it out there for Ben that she wasn't interested in moving to Chicago. Her reasons may have been slightly off base, but she got the point across.

Should Darlene and David get back together, that obviously doesn't mean it'll be the most problem-free reunion. Especially when Dan is going to be around al the time. It would be interesting to see an episode where the two of them getting out and having a picnic with their kids and another family, since there wasn't anything like that in Season 1. I guess Harris has burned too many bridges for family picnics, but it's a nice thought.

One wonders what might have happened had the Roseanne controversy stalled The Conners' series order and pushed the premiere back to later than its fall start. Is it possible that Johnny Galecki would have been able to find more time to show up as David, or would he have been a little too burnt out by that point? I guess we'll never know.

The Conners is currently awaiting news about a second season, but there are still many excellent shows hitting ABC and other networks all across the midseason premiere schedule.

Spoilers below for The Conners' Season 1 finale, so be sure to watch before reading on.

Bookending the somewhat calamitous series premiere, The Conners' Season 1 finale went to some familiar places. (Quite literally, in the case of the Lanford Lunch Box's return.) Viewers watched Darlene and David's "Could they again?/Would they again?" arc take a big leap, now that he's no longer dating Juliette Lewis' Blue. He and Darlene didn't exactly rekindle anything, but does that update imply Johnny Galecki could be more involved if Season 2 gets ordered up? According to Sara Gilbert:

In the episode, titled "We Continue to Truck," Darlene is mulling the idea of moving back away from Lanford in order to advance her relationship with Ben in Chicago. That's a decision that already comes with a lot of thinking points and caveats, even without one's estranged husband reasserting himself in one's life in order to make a spontaneous plea to get back together.

As such, it was obviously a complex conversation when David dropped by to do just that, at one point saying that there was no reason why they shouldn't be together. An interesting point-of-view from the guy who had previously been dating and sleeping with the very obvious reason why they weren't able to get back together whenever Darlene had previously entertained that idea.

There are undoubtedly plenty of fans out there who would prefer to see Darlene and David together again, largely due to nostalgia from their years together on Roseanne. Their current situation is not one through which romance could easily blossom, but it's certainly possible. That's all assuming Darlene isn't back in Chicago when Season 2's storyline would kick off.

Speaking with TVLine, Sara Gilbert compares Darlene's fresh relationship with Ben to her long-established connection with David.

Beyond the specific plotlines, Johnny Galecki's potential return to The Conners would be more likely than ever for its likely-to-be-announced-soon second season. After all, he'll soon no longer be one of the highly paid stars of CBS' mega-hit The Big Bang Theory, which is possibly what limited his time on both Roseanne's revival and The Conners' first season. Big Bang is one of the biggest shows ending in 2019, and Galecki doesn't currently have any major time-eating projects lined up to follow it.

What the world needs now is clearly more awkward scenes between John Goodman's emotionally rattled Dan and Johnny Galecki's permanently frazzled David. Of course, David may want to wait until Dan has calmed down a bit after dealing with both Jackie's drunken split from Matthew Broderick's Peter and Becky's baby daddy Emilio facing deportation.

Also, he may want to wait until ABC has officially announced that The Conners is indeed getting a second season to keep this blue collar family's heads above water. Here's hoping that news makes its way to the public soon, and that it'll get an even more expanded batch of episodes next time. Laurie Metcalf thinks it's happening, and in Laurie Metcalf we trust.

The Conners is currently wrapped on Season 1, which can be streamed on Hulu. While anticipating news of its future, keep track of everything coming to primetime soon with our midseason premiere schedule.

It is that time of year again! The list of television's highest-paid actors has been revealed. In a move that will probably surprise few, familiar names from television's most popular shows populate the list, with CBS stars leading the way. Without further ado, let's dig into who made the Top 10:

CBS stars alone account for 50% of the list. When it comes to the top ten actors, the five top spots are populated by actors from two CBS shows, per Forbes. Those two shows are NCIS and The Big Bang Theory. The latter series easily dominates the list.

Jim Parsons tops co-star Johnny Galecki's Big Bang Theory paycheck by $1.5 million. The pay gap between The Big Bang Theory's highest-paid star and NCIS lead Mark Harmon is substantial. As in $7.5 million substantial. The difference in pay between Simon Helberg and Kunal Nayyar's Big Bang Theory paycheck and Harmon's is $4.5 million.

Also worth noting is that Mark Harmon is one of only two actors on the list to star in a drama, with The Walking Dead's Andrew Lincoln being the other. Everyone else stars in a comedy. Given the shake-ups around the corner, this list is destined for a significant shakeup of its own.

Ahead of its twelfth season premiere, The Big Bang Theory announced it would also be its last. So, the cast of the hugely popular sitcom will not be featured on the list much longer. Likewise, Andrew Lincoln is leaving The Walking Dead. Their impending exits will open up five slots on the list.

So, Mark Harmon should theoretically rocket to the top spot. Modern Family is currently in the midst of its tenth season. While there has been chatter of it being the series' last, its future currently remains unclear. The stars of the comedy could stick around after their rivals leave.

Four members from the cast of the ABC comedy Modern Family are on the list. That puts the show populating nearly 50% of the list. It is also the only ABC series with stars that made the cut. If and when Modern Family ends up joining The Big Bang Theory in ending, the list will shift even more.

While network television has been hit with ever-evolving changes, one thing has not changed. Network television is still the highest-paying. No star of a streaming series appears on the list, and only one actor from a cable series makes an appearance.

What is also interesting is that comedies totally dominate television's list of highest-paid actors. So, while dramas such as The Walking Dead tend to dominate watercooler talk, television's paychecks tell another story.

With so many actors on the list preparing to say goodbye, it will be interesting to see who takes their place. Many of the stars appearing in this year's list star in television's fall premieres.

Spoilers below for anyone who hasn't yet watched The Conners' latest episode.

Whenever Roseanne's revival hit ABC earlier this year, quite a few of the sitcom's most familiar elements got changed up to reflect modern times. Perhaps the most effectively heartbreaking revision involved Sara Gilbert's Darlene being separated from Johnny Galecki's David. Sadly, The Conners got just two episodes into its spinoff run before it brought Johnny Galecki back to seemingly bring a legitimate end to their decades-long relationship. At least they can try and enjoy their other relationships now, right?

Fans were likely pumped to see that Johnny Galecki was returning to ABC for The Conners, and everyone probably hoped for the writers to have found more ways for Darlene and David to rekindle their feelings for one another. Unfortunately, the episode's final minutes saw the pair making the hard decision to officially go through with finalizing their divorce. They'll sill be co-parents to Harris and Mark, of course, but no longer with a dragged-out separation to keep them tethered together.

Darlene and David may very well both want to end their marriage for good, since their togetherness has always caused complications to arise. However, the act of verbally acknowledging and mentally accepting the concept of divorce proved to be a bit tougher than they might have imagined. But happen, it must.

In Darlene's eyes, there have been chances for David to come around to help turn their marriage into something good again. After all, he did made the decision to sleep with her again whenever he returned to Lanford in Roseanne. However, any residual feelings that David still has for Darlene have been compromised and upended by his arguably healthy ongoing relationship with girlfriend Blue. The girlfriend that still doesn't know about that David and Darlene's tryst.

The Conners presumably received a healthy dose of side-eye whenever Juliette Lewis' Blue was introduced, putting a face and free-love personality to the love interest David had previously spoken of. Blue is way more of a people-pleaser than Darlene ever could be, for better or worse, whether it means dropping someone a quick compliment or letting a teenager girl have sex against her mother's wishes. Naturally, it took half a nanosecond for Blue to earn Darlene's ire, which only expanded from there.

Blue's presence in Lanford did have somewhat positive ramifications. Though she'll likely always have feelings for David, Darlene was in the proper headspace to accept a date with another man in "Tangled Up in Blue." That man was Neil, the bar patron played by guest star Justin Long, who joined her for post-drinks sex, which probably just clouded up Darlene's head even more, even if it was a fine enough release.

Darlene facetiously called Neil her "soulmate" when telling David about him, which was mainly a response to David's use of the word when talking about how happy Blue makes him. Still, the two did get along long enough to have that one-night stand, so it's possible we'll be seeing Neil show up in Darlene's life with more regularity in the future, if that's what she wants. (Or if it's what David doesn't want, since that's how divorced couples do things sometimes.)

One thing is for sure, though. Neil had better put his best foot forward if he ever visits Darlene within the Conner family household. At least if he wants to start off on Dan's good side. Before the episode ended, David and Dan had another one of their classic conversations that looked about as comfortable as overalls made out of piranhas.

Could The Conners pull a 180 by later having David and Darlene decide to not finalize their divorce? Of course. Knowing how sitcoms and general TV marriages work, the two are almost guaranteed to make at least ONE more attempt to return their courtship to its former glory. But since relationships in this comedy franchise always seem to end in ostensibly dark ways, I'm confident that Darlene and David aren't destined for eternal bliss together.

The Conners airs on ABC every Tuesday night at 8:00 p.m. ET, so be sure to tune in to see where the show goes next. (Good luck getting sober, Becky!) The fall TV schedule is full of brighter and happier relationships, though, so don't miss everything else that primetime has to offer.

Johnny Galecki's involvement in The Conners has been one of the show's biggest question marks headed into the spinoff's premiere, just as it was with Roseanne. The actor indicated he wanted to be included more than he was in the flagship sitcom, but with The Big Bang Theory cranking out one more season, his filming schedule and general involvement seemed as though it would have to be limited. Now, the stars have aligned and Galecki is confirmed to return as David Healy in The Conners, and he'll be joined by his former Christmas Vacation co-star Juliette Lewis, who will play David's "colorful" girlfriend Blue.

Johnny Galecki and Juliette Lewis are on the hook for at least one episode of The Conners, according to TVLine, which will presumably depict the first on-screen meeting between Darlene and Blue. That encounter will be interesting, considering the Roseanne revival showed Darlene still had feelings for David before she finally came to realize they are better off apart than together. I'm guessing he didn't confess that detail to Blue when he returned.

Juliette Lewis appeared to tease the upcoming encounter on social media, which showed her sitting on the iconic Conner family couch alongside Johnny Galecki, her former National Lampoons Christmas Vacation brother, and Sara Gilbert.

The timing for Darlene to meet Blue probably isn't great. Roseanne Barr has already revealed The Conners will reveal Roseanne died, allegedly from an opioid overdose, which is something that John Goodman also teased, saying the spinoff will tackle the characters coping with her death. Which means Darlene might unfairly lash out at Blue when her grief is the real issue. Of course, it's not as though it would've been out of character for Darlene to go ham on somebody regardless of family tragedies, so perhaps the series will surprise viewers by showing Blue and Darlene bonding and finding common ground. Maybe?

As for David, Roseanne Conner was more or less a mother to him, despite the fact he was dating her daughter, so it would be surprising if The Conners went the entire episode without Galecki mentioning it at some point. (Maybe the premiere will be about her funeral.) With potentially only one episode for David to both eulogize Roseanne and continue to work out his co-parenting situation with Darlene, it's a shame The Conners crew couldn't lock him down for more episodes on the outset. Of course, with The Big Bang Theory ending, Galecki might be willing and able to commit more time to the series in the future, assuming the spinoff does well enough to get another season. At the moment, that feels like a big IF, considering how the political tension behind Roseanne Barr's firing has seemingly split its fan base down the middle.

The Conners is set to premiere on ABC on Tuesday, October 16, at 8:00 p.m. ET. Given all the things that have happened in the weeks leading up to the big day, it will certainly be an interesting time for television. This is just one of the many big premieres headed to television this fall season, so be sure to visit our fall premiere guide to see what all is on the way.

The Conners are coming back to television minus one major star, as recent news on the show has revealed several actors from the revival will be reprising their roles. The latest big news on that front is that Bruce Helford is talking with Johnny Galecki, and it appears he has plans for the David character to return in the spinoff revival. Nothing is set in stone yet, but if all goes according to plan, viewers should see David in at least one episode of the new series. In addition, The Conners also looks like it will be bringing in David's new lover Blue.

The full details of David's return to The Conners are still being worked out, but Johnny Galecki's other TV series The Big Bang Theory has shown a willingness to lend the actor before. In addition for the potential to add David back into the fold, Bruce Helford also indicated to TVLine the show would 100% introduce David's new lover and companion Blue, so David's romantic choices will at least affect the plot in some way. Darlene learned about Blue when David appeared in the Roseanne revival, and announced he was moving back to Lanford to be a full-time father to their shared children Harris and Mark. With Darlene's character set to take on a larger role on the series, her complicated relationship with David and their co-parenting could become a larger plot point going forward, and Helford says that at minimum Blue will cause "some big complications for Darlene."

Obviously, this all hinges on Johnny Galecki's schedule and willingness to be a bigger part of The Conners. Galecki's limited appearance in the Roseanne revival was primarily due to his involvement in The Big Bang Theory, which took precedence over his guest-starring role. With his obligation to that coming to a close at the end of this coming season, Galecki could have more time to appear on the spinoff down the line, but there's always a question of whether or not that something he's willing or wants to do. The actor indicated earlier this year he'd be down for more appearances, although that was before the news about The Big Bang Theory ending broke. Galecki has been working a hectic sitcom schedule for over a decade now and may want to take a break from that grind before jumping right back into another show.

That's provided The Conners has big plans for Johnny Galecki to begin with, which may not be the case. While David was the most frequent recurring character of Roseanne, this show is meant to focus on the Conner family and presumably not David making up for lost time with his children or bringing in his lover, Blue. That might be ideal for both parties, as Galecki remaining a recurring or guest-star role in the series' future isn't quite the commitment being the star of one of America's top sitcoms can be. Whatever the case may be, The Big Bang Theory ending certainly opens up the freedom for Galecki to be as involved in The Conners as he wants if the show gets picked up for future seasons, which is good news for the spinoff.

The Conners premieres on ABC Tuesday, October 16 at 8:00 p.m. ET. There's a lot of other great things coming to television as well around that time, so be sure to keep up with all the action in the coming months with our fall premiere guide.

The Big Bang Theory is definitely coming back for Season 12 this fall and, as is the tendency for the comedy series, the show will be bringing back some big guest stars. After introducing Kathy Bates to the series at the end of Season 11, it looks as if the CBS show is already bringing her back in Season 12. In fact, you can take a look behind-the-scenes on the new episodes, courtesy of series lead Johnny Galecki. Check it out.

Johnny Galecki has been known to share a picture or five with his Big Bang Theory castmates on social media, and he's continuing the tradition while filming Season 12. On the set he mentions that Kathy Bates told him he looked "like the devil," which inspired him to share the post, considering Bates' background in the famous Stephen King film Misery.

It's interesting that Kathy Bates is striking a pose with Johnny Galecki and Kaley Cuoco in the shot. In The Big Bang Theory the actress actually plays Amy's mom, Mrs. Fowler, but it looks like she could be sharing more scenes with other major cast members as the show moves forward. We learned from showrunner Steve Holland a few months ago that the CBS comedy will be changing following Sheldon and Amy's big nuptials at the end of Season 11. Namely, the showrunner said at the time that we would see way more from Kathy Bates and Raymond Teller, who plays Amy's dad on the show. He said:

So, I suppose we probably really shouldn't even think of Kathy Bates and Raymond Teller as guest stars these days. We'll have to wait and see how many episodes the two famous faces actually end up appearing in, but on the bright side, at least we do know a few more details regarding what is coming in the new episodes, including the fact the show plans to bring in another Young Sheldon character and Sheldon and Amy's honeymoon will also be explored at the start of the season. We also know there are no plans to bring in a baby for them just yet.

The Big Bang Theory already has a Season 12 premiere date and will be hitting the schedule on Monday, September 24 at 8 p.m. ET for a special preview episode. It will then hop to Thursday nights later that week. For more updates from The Big Bang Theory, keep an eye on Johnny Galecki's Instagram, and stay tuned for more news about the sitcom here at CinemaBlend.

The Big Bang Theory co-stars Kaley Cuoco and Johnny Galecki have quite a history together, both on and off the screen. Having been a real-world couple around a decade ago, the pair remained close friends after their break-up, later ending up getting betrothed within the context of the CBS sitcom. This past weekend, Cuoco married her boyfriend Karl Cook after a seven-month engagement, and you can bet that Galecki was on hand to happily watch the nuptials. Check out the lovely way he congratulated his TV ball-and-chain below.

While he did also post a more standard face-the-camera shot with the celebratory couple, Johnny Galecki chose a slightly more offbeat and less pose-y shot here. Perhaps the presumed suddenness is why both he and Cuoco look so absolutely radiant and beyond-happy in the pic. These are friends who have been through a lot together, both the thick and the thin, and it's awesome that they're still close enough to share time together on Cuoco's big wedding day. Not like "move into an apartment together with Jim Parsons as a roommate" close, but still on extremely even ground.

Johnny Galecki and Kaley Cuoco share the somewhat rare TV distinction of having their TV characters Leonard and Penny getting married not just once, but twice within the same TV season. As fans know, Season 9 kicked off with the couple eloping in Las Vegas, with friends watching the ceremony via web streaming, and it then wrapped up with a more traditional wedding, with family members making the visit. (And doing more than just making the trip, when it comes to Leonard's father Alfred and Sheldon's mother Mary.) Their Big Bang characters also ended Season 11 at a wedding, though not for Leonard and Penny, but for Sheldon and Amy.

Below, you can see Johnny Galecki standing before the camera with both Kaley Cuoco and Karl Cook, while somewhat amusingly cutting his "fake wife" out of the shot altogether.

If only Leonard could rock a necktie and a head of just-so-scruffly hair the way that Johnny Galecki can.

Perhaps expectedly, Johnny Galecki wasn't the only Big Bang Theory co-star that made an appearance at Kaley Cuoco's wedding. No sign of everyone else within her TV family, but Mayim Bialik did share a pic of herself sitting at a table and living it up with Wil Wheaton.

Congratulations to Kaley Cuoco and Karl Cook! Hopefully this story tides over The Big Bang Theory fans for a while, too, since the CBS comedy won't be back on Monday nights until this fall. In the meantime, head to our summer premiere schedule to see all the new and returning shows that'll pop up first.

Spoilers below for Roseanne's "Darlene v. David," so be sure to watch before reading on.

Since Roseanne's revival season started up, fans have been anticipating how everything would play out for two main characters. No, it has nothing to do with Jackie being grossed out by Beverly's sex stories. I'm talking about Johnny Galecki's short-lived return as (the now-vegan) David Healy, who re-entered Darlene's life with the big news that he was moving back to Lanford, and with a new girlfriend. It sounds like this episode, and perhaps the overall storyline, would have been pretty different had Galecki been around for more than a single episode.

Darlene and Roseanne: Some fans out there probably held the opinion that Darlene was a little too accepting of Roseanne communicating with David in secret, considering the two women are often seemingly seconds away from taking each other's heads off. But take comfort in Sara Gilbert saying that aspect of the narrative would have likely gotten expanded had Galecki's situation been different. Here's how she put it to TVLine.

Hopefully Darlene will at least use Roseanne's nosiness against her later in the season. However it goes, I'm pretty sure this mother and daughter will have more to argue about during the final batch of Season 1 episodes, with David being one of several topics.

David and Mark: While Johnny Galecki spent most of his onscreen time with Sara Gilbert, he did get one scene with his on-screen daughter, Emma Kenney's Harris. It wasn't the biggest moment, as David basically said he'd buy her ice cream instead of weed, but it was still an important scene between an estranged father and his mostly forgiving daughter. Doubly so, since David didn't get to see his son Mark at all. It was strange for the episode to have skipped on that moment, but it turns out that was also due to the timing. In her words.

Indeed, Roseanne would have taken fans to some even more potentially disheartening places had David and Mark's relationship been shown in such a fragile and one-sided way. It was already kinda sad enough to watch Darlene end their fling before it really started, so it would have been soul-crushing to watch Mark cluelessly eyeballing David without recognizing him.

Blue: One of the biggest jaw-droppers in "Darlene v. David" came when David revealed his new love interest, who just so happens to share her name with a crayon. Again, because there was only a limited amount of time and story elements that could come into play, Blue could exist in name alone. Though if Johnny Galecki is able to escape Big Bang Theory long enough to do more Roseanne for Season 2, Sara Gilbert says that Blue could very well get a proper introduction.

Roseanne's writers and producers no doubt have many, many storylines and characters to address in Season 2, now that it'll definitely be a reality. Fans definitely need to see what's up with Jerry Garcia Conner, as well as Andy Harris, and there are plenty of other O.G. characters that are due for a return. So if they have to postpone Blue's arrival to make room for everyone else, so be it. (I'm so not on Team Blue, guys.)

Be sure to keep watching the rest of Roseanne's first revival season to see where Darlene's story is going next. It airs Tuesday nights on ABC at 8:00 p.m. And head over to our midseason premiere schedule and our summer premiere schedule to see what now and returning shows are on the way.

Over its first batch of episodes, Roseanne ushered the Conner family into 2018 with dominance, and fans have delighted in most of it. (Definitely not all of it, but most.) One huge moment we have yet to experience in full is Johnny Galecki's return as estranged husband and father David Healy. His absence from this sitcom has largely been due to the actor's full-time job on CBS's Big Bang Theory, though he was able to make a temporary exit to film one Roseanne installment. Had he not been available, though, star and executive producer Sara Gilbert had a safety net.

That would have been an interesting take as well, given how rarely TV shows address absent characters like this in a negative light. As well as how often divorced TV couples are played for their strengths instead of rampant weaknesses. But it also would have been a much harsher and less enjoyable way to think back on David's role within this family at large. Him not the best father or husband in the modern day isn't the most over-the-top extension of how rocky David and Darlene's relationship was during the show's original run. Sure, they were just teenagers for a chunk of it, but not every part of our personalities change as we mature.

Whatever potential During Sara Gilbert's talk with TVLine, it was brought up that executive producer Whitney Cummings had struggles with approaching David's character in a way that reflected negatively on him, since he was such a beloved character for so many years. But Gilbert herself doesn't have that issue, and welcomes the chance to introduce such a rarely addressed element.

Ahead of Johnny Galecki's return episode, fans aren't quite sure what to expect when David and Darlene are in a room together again for an extended period, nor what his relationship is like with daughter Harris and son Mark. But it will apparently be cordial enough that Darlene won't wring his neck, and Sara Gilbert's backup plan perhaps indicates a completely opposite situation from where things are in the show. David might still be a relatively cool person who, by not being around all the time, is more of a friend to his kids than a proper father. Roseanne definitely isn't trying to turn him into a monster or anything. Just a guy whose life drifted in a different direction from his loved ones. Or maybe he is a monster. We'll have to wait and see what happens, and heaven help us if he starts talking about Glenn Quinn's Mark.

You can check out a clip from David's return below.

Johnny Galecki will head back to Roseanne for a single episode on Tuesday, April 17, at 8:00 p.m. ET. Check out how Galecki would feel about returning in the future, and head to our summer premiere schedule to see what new and returning shows are on the way.

The Roseanne revival on ABC has been a runaway hit of midseason 2018, winning huge ratings with the premiere, breaking records almost immediately, and scoring an early renewal for a second season. The revival managed to bring back almost the entire cast who played the extended Conner family with the notable exceptions of the Healy brothers. Mark was absent due to the tragic passing of actor Glenn Quinn (who received a touching tribute at the end of the latest episode), but David was gone because he and Darlene divorced and he was no longer a part of his kids' lives. Johnny Galecki is reprising the role of David for one episode, and a new promo reveals his big return. Take a look!

Well, it's pretty clear that David isn't going to get a warm welcome at the Conner household, and presumably not just because he showed up by creepily lurking outside of a window. Surprisingly, the promo doesn't actually show much of Darlene's reaction to her ex-husband lurking outside her childhood home, although she does look unhappy and even on the verge of tears. The reunion we do get a good look at is the reunion between David and Dan.

Dan is understandably not especially warm toward David, given how Darlene's life turned out and his absence from his kids' lives. The fact that David turned up out of nowhere by lurking outside of a window almost certainly didn't help. Really, I can't emphasize enough how weird it is that David was lurking outside in the dark. There are doorbells and telephones for a reason, David!

On the one hand, David's bizarre arrival, the reasons why he's been absent, and the chilly reception from Dan and Darlene seem to point toward David not being welcomed back into the family. On the other hand, the first portion of the promo is dedicated to sweet/silly clips of David and Darlene from the original run of the series. Would Roseanne really go with a promo packed with nostalgia for the original series sweethearts if David was going to remain a deadbeat in the revival? He's returning in the sixth episode of the revival for his daughter's birthday despite being gone for years, and Darlene will have to reevaluate their relationship as well as the rest of the family. The episode will rather fittingly be called "Darlene v. David."

We do know that Johnny Galecki won't appear in more than one episode of the revival's first season, but he expressed interest in appearing in more if the revival was renewed. Perhaps the renewal means that we will indeed get a lot more David in the next batch of episodes. It might depend on Galecki's schedule with The Big Bang Theory moving forward.

New episodes of Roseanne air on Tuesdays at 8 p.m. ET on ABC. Be sure to tune in to see David reunite with Darlene and more of the Conner clan. For more of what you can watch now and in the not-too-distant future, swing by our midseason TV guide and our summer TV schedule. If you're now in the mood to watch David and Darlene in some happier times, you can catch all nine seasons of the original Roseanne run streaming on Amazon Prime.

Sitcom weddings are a TV staple, and those small screen ceremonies on shows like Rhoda and Friends can often be more fun than real-life weddings. The Big Bang Theory fans certainly have some ridiculous nuptials to look forward to, as it's been confirmed that Sheldon and Amy Farrah Fowler will be tying the knot for the Season 11 finale in May. The cast can finally talk about what will certainly be a pop culture-laden ceremony, and Johnny Galecki says the Cooper-Fowler wedding will be one of the happiest days in Leonard's life. Here's why.

Poor, poor Leonard. Understandably, he's interested in putting that much more distance between himself and his best buddy Sheldon, who has been an inextricable presence in Leonard's life for longer than most people would think is comfortable. Even through his years of marriage to Penny so far. But Leonard seems to think that Sheldon will somehow become cognizant of others' personal bubbles whenever he gets married to Amy, as if the wedding itself will somehow alter Sheldon't DNA and brain chemistry. Since it'll be the season finale, Leonard will technically be free from his friend for the summer hiatus, but once the show comes back, we fully expect to see Sheldon returning to his normal Leonard-adjacent stasis, regardless of others' interests.

Penny's father Wyatt wasn't as eager to give away Penny, as it were, as Leonard will be to give Sheldon a high-powered nudge in a different direction. Of course, Johhny Galecki did tell Entertainment Tonight that there would be "hiccups" involved with the wedding -- something Kunal Nayyar agreed with -- so we can expect to see a bit of chaos before the peacetime can begin. Hopefully one of those hiccups doesn't lead to Sheldon and Amy having to move into Leonard and Penny's apartment for Season 12.

We can assume that the wedding day will be just as happy for Sheldon and Amy as it will be for Leonard, but we're still not sure what kind of a ceremony fans will get to see. We know that Jerry O'Connell will be debuting as Sheldon's brother George Cooper Jr., with Laurie Metcalf reprising her role as their mother Mary, but no other guests or details have been revealed yet. But Kaley Cuoco has some guesses about how the show's creative team will handle Sheldon and Amy's wedding song.

Personally, we're hoping for Sheldon to create his own wedding song to perform for Amy. With a backing band and everything. Not to the tune of "Soft Kitty," though, since that might create some unsettling implications.

The Big Bang Theory airs Thursday nights on CBS at 8:00 p.m. ET, with that highly anticipated Season 11 finale coming on Thursday, May 10. To see when all the other big CBS finales are coming, head to our rundown, and then jump over to our midseason premiere schedule to see what will be around to draw your attention in the meantime.