The female sheldon
Big bang theory’s mayim bialik discusses amy and sheldon’s odd chemistry and being a nerd in real-life too.
the big bang theory Season 5 Mondays SABC3 19:30 & 20:00 (double bill)
ayim bialik is no stranger to the big or smallscreen. she first came to attention playing a young bette midler in 1988 film beaches and cemented her fame in the title role of sitcom blossom (1990-1995). at 39, this makes her a comedy veteran and one of very few child stars to manage the tough transition into an adult actress. she also has a phd in neuroscience and is a published author, with her 2002 book beyond the sling about attachment parenting. that’s all good and well, but mayim’s current role as amy farrah fowler in the big bang theory (2007-current) is what most people know her for now.
how did you create the character of amy? when i was asked to audition for the big bang theory, i was told that they wanted a female jim parsons [sheldon, who’s also amy’s boyfriend]. i’d never seen the show and i googled jim parsons. i watched what jim did and honestly just did my best mimicry of him in a female version. i credit jim with everything that i do. if i don’t know how to do a line reading, i wonder, “what would jim do and how would jim do this?” obviously there’s little bits of all of our writers who put their personalities into each of us, so she’s a combination of professors i’ve had and a lot of jim parsons. amy and sheldon’s relationship has been quite interesting… it’s perpetually going to be what it is, which is awkward. it’s awkward and unconsummated. but i think that it’s also really sweet that we have a long-term intimate, and i think interesting, relationship that doesn’t have the heavy sexual aspect to it. i think it’s kind of sweet. why does amy stay with sheldon? she’s crazy about him. that’s something jim and i talk about a lot. there’s someone for everyone and these characters are actually very well suited for each other. they may have