Young Sheldon is the popular spinoff series to the hit CBS show The Big Bang Theory. The series is a prelude to the hit show and delves into the life of one of the most popular characters of the show, Sheldon Cooper.
Young Sheldon has had six very successful seasons so far, and the seventh season is still in the works. It is anticipated that it would further explore the lives of the other characters on the show besides Sheldon.
The series originally began as a spin-off focused primarily on Sheldon's formative years, but as time went on, it began to include the storylines of supporting characters from the main series as well.
The live cast of Young Sheldon joins forces to transport viewers back to Sheldon Cooper's early years in Texas with his family, while also including a number of ancillary figures that greatly enhance the intrigue of the tale of the socially awkward genius.
The events of the show take place around 20 years before the events of The Big Bang Theory. While the actors are household names now, let us take a look back at what some of them were doing before they appeared on the show.
What were these 5 Young Sheldon actors doing before the show?
1) Iain Armitage - Sheldon Cooper
Iain Armitage is only 15 and he has already appeared in some major roles. He was only nine when he appeared as the younger version of Sheldon Cooper.
Armitage rose to prominence playing the role of Ziggy Chapman in the hit HBO miniseries Big Little Lies. He has also been a voice actor in the role of young Shaggy Rogers in Scoob! (2020), and for the police puppy Chase in PAW Patrol: The Movie (2021).
Armitage had some big shoes to fill owing to the popularity and eccentricity of the character of Sheldon Cooper (played by Jim Parsons in The Big Bang Theory). However, the young actor fit into the role seamlessly and played the part with poise and is a major reason for the success of Young Sheldon.
2) Zoe Perry as Mary Cooper
Zoe Perry plays the role of Sheldon's mother in the hit series Young Sheldon. She is the daughter of actor Jeff Perry and Laurie Metcalf. She actually made her television debut in the role of Jackie Harris, a young version of another iconic comedy character, in two episodes of Roseanne.
The role is particularly ironic for Perry because Laurie Metcalf, who portrays the older Mary Cooper on The Big Bang Theory, also played the older Jackie in that series. Since Metcalf is Perry's mother in real life, the casting was a natural decision (although she received the role through an audition).
She has been in prominent roles in the ABC political series Scandal and another ABC thriller, The Family.
3) Lance Barber as George Cooper, Sr.
Lance Barber is an American actor who used to be most famous for his role as Bill Ponderosa on the FX show It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia, before appearing in Young Sheldon.
His breakthrough role came through the hit series The Comeback where he played Paulie G. and starred opposite famous Friends actress Lisa Kudrow.
He has also made cameos in episodes of hit shows like How I Met Your Mother, Gilmore Girls, and Californication, among others.
4) Raegan Revord as Missy Cooper
Raegan Revord was born in San Diego, California, and has been described as a natural performer. The charismatic young actress was a child model before appearing in the hit series Modern Family as Megan in a few cameo roles.
She subsequently appeared in films like Tortoise in 2015, and also in the series W/Bob & David. In 2016, she was featured in the popular Netflix series Grace and Frankie. Her role as Missy Cooper in Young Sheldon is her breakthrough role.
5) Montana Jordan as George Cooper, Jr.
Montana Jordan is a heartthrob both on and off the screen. The young actor who plays the role of Sheldon's elder brother Georgie was relatively new to the screen before he became such a huge star.
Jordan also appeared in the 2018 Netflix film The Legacy of a Whitetail Deer Hunter, which starred Josh Brolin and Danny McBride too.
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