JIM PARSONS

The Emmy-winning actor, 45, from TV’s The Big Bang Theory, stars in the movie

A Kid Like Jake (in theaters June 1). When bright, precocious 4-year-old Jake is more interested in Cinderella dolls than G.I. Joes, dad Greg (Parsons) and mom Alex (Claire Danes) are forced to rethink their parenting. Jake is in the title, but is barely in the movie.

The film’s adapted from a stage play in which Jake’s completely absent. The story here is about the three sometimes competing opinions of the most important adults in Jake’s life, his parents and his preschool director [Octavia Spencer]. None of them is completely right and none of them is completely wrong. They want what’s best for the child. Why is that so complex? Why isn’t that simpler?

How comfortable was Leo James Davis (Jake) with his role?

Leo was very much into experimenting with princess dresses and female garb and all the wonderful things that girls get to do, and his parents were more embracing of it than perhaps the parents in our film. Which is not to say he doesn’t like a nice selection of boy clothes as well.

What about The Big Bang

Theory keeps you excited to go to work?

Sheldon Cooper is unlike anyone I could have ever imagined to be, both in his intelligence and in his particular view of the world. Because some of those aspects are so foreign to me, it allows me a great freedom to play.

How fun is it to be back on Broadway in The Boys in the Band?

I don’t even remember all the reasons why I love theater until I get back in, and then I’m like, “God, it’s so good to be here.” Theater is how I learned acting.