Fans were devastated to hear that The Big Bang Theory was being canceled. The popular CBS sitcom about science nerds ran for more than a decade from 2007 until 2019 and would have kept going, except the main character decided it was time to leave.
Actor Jim Parsons, who played Sheldon Cooper on the show, was the singular reason that The Big Bang Theory had to end. He announced his departure right after contract negotiations started for the 13th season. And network execs agreed the show could not go on without him.
Later, Parsons made some comments which reveal the true reasons he needed to quit.
Jim Parsons blamed his decision to quit on his astrological sign
Sheldon is a scientist through and through, making it unlikely that he believed in following astrology charts. But Parsons is willing to concede that his deeper nature, or maybe intuition, had something to do with quitting The Big Bang Theory.
“It was the first time in my life of doing this show that it occurred to me that I might want to not do another contract after [Season] 12 was up,” Parsons told The Hollywood Reporter.
“I don’t know if it’s because I’m an Aries or just because maybe I’m in touch with myself. Whatever it is, once I had that thought, I was like, ‘Well, that’s your answer,’” he said of his big decision.
He changed as a person during ‘The Big Bang Theory’
There’s no doubt that playing Sheldon Cooper helped shape Parsons as an actor and as a person. But he said during the interview that this was part of the issue — his maturing helped him realize it was time to move on.
“It has been fascinating to think about who I was 12 years ago,” he said in 2019.
“And sometimes when I have trouble learning a line or saying a line of Sheldon’s right now, it’s hard to know why specifically. But it’s like, you’re not the same person you were. There is a possibility that this actually became more difficult for you in a way. And I don’t know what that means but it’s like you just change.”
Parsons didn’t quit for the reasons you’d expect
The 47-year-old actor promised that it wasn’t the money — which was staggering, especially for him — or fighting among cast members. Instead, it was a simple matter of maturing beyond a role that required him to wear graphic t-shirts and have petty arguments with his friends.
He said: “There was no factor; there was no situation that I was like, ‘Well, I’ve had enough of that.’ No. There was nothing like that. It was just…when you know, you know. And you’re susceptible and thrown around by the whims of your own existence and getting to a certain age and your life changes and suddenly you just think different.”
At the time of his departure, Parsons was earning $1 million per episode, which amassed him an amazing net worth of $100 million. Now, more than a year after the show ended, he’s still earning plenty from The Big Bang Theory reruns.
Source: cheatsheet.com