Jim Parsons facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Jim Parsons
Parsons in 2025
Born	James Joseph Parsons (1973-03-24) March 24, 1973 (age 52) Houston, Texas, U.S.
Education	University of Houston (BA) University of San Diego (MFA)
Occupation	Actor producer
Years active	1993–present
Spouse(s)	Todd Spiewak ​ (m. 2017)​
Awards	Full list

James Joseph "Jim" Parsons (born March 24, 1973) is an American actor famous for his work in television, movies, and on stage. He has won many awards, including four Primetime Emmy Awards and a Golden Globe Award. For several years, Forbes magazine named him the highest-paid television actor in the world.

Parsons is best known for playing the character Sheldon Cooper in the popular CBS sitcom The Big Bang Theory from 2007 to 2019. His performance as the brilliant but socially awkward scientist made him a star. He also received praise for his roles in the TV movie The Normal Heart (2014) and the Netflix series Hollywood (2020).

Besides television, Parsons has had a successful career on the Broadway stage. He has acted in plays like The Normal Heart (2011), Harvey (2012), and The Boys in the Band (2018). He has also appeared in movies such as Hidden Figures (2016) and provided the voice for the main character in the animated film Home (2015).

Early Life and Schooling

Jim Parsons was born in Houston, Texas. He grew up in a suburb called Spring. His mother, Judy, was a teacher, and his father was Milton Joseph Parsons Jr. He has a sister named Julie, who is also a teacher.

Parsons knew he wanted to be an actor from a very young age. When he was just six years old, he played a bird in a school play of The Elephant's Child. In high school, he became serious about acting. He said that performing in a play called Noises Off helped him understand what it meant to be a real actor on stage. He was also a big fan of sitcoms like Three's Company and Family Ties.

After high school, Parsons went to the University of Houston and earned a degree in Theater. He was very active, performing in 17 plays in just three years. He then attended the University of San Diego for a special two-year master's program in classical theater. He graduated in 2001 and moved to New York City to start his career.

Acting Career

Early Roles

Parsons (back right) in a play adaptation of The Castle in 2002

In New York, Parsons acted in plays and appeared on television. He had small parts in TV shows like Judging Amy and Ed. He also had minor roles in movies, including Garden State. Before his big break, he auditioned for many TV shows that were never picked up by a network.

Breakthrough with The Big Bang Theory

Parsons at the 2013 PaleyFest

Everything changed when Parsons auditioned for The Big Bang Theory. He read the script for the character Sheldon Cooper and felt it was a perfect fit. The show's creator, Chuck Lorre, was so impressed that he asked Parsons to audition a second time to make sure he could repeat his amazing performance.

Parsons was cast as Sheldon, a brilliant physicist who struggles with social situations. The role required him to say long, complicated lines of dialogue very quickly. His performance was a huge success. Critics and audiences loved his work, and he won four Primetime Emmy Awards for Best Actor in a Comedy Series.

The Big Bang Theory became one of the most popular shows on television. By 2014, Parsons and his co-stars Johnny Galecki and Kaley Cuoco were earning $1 million per episode. The show ended in 2019 after 12 seasons. Parsons continues to be involved with the world of Sheldon Cooper as the narrator for the prequel series, Young Sheldon.

Movie and Stage Career

Steve Martin, Jim Parsons, and Barack Obama at DreamWorks Animation Studios in 2015

While working on The Big Bang Theory, Parsons also took on roles in movies and plays. In 2011, he appeared in the comedy film The Big Year and had a cameo in The Muppets.

He made his Broadway debut in 2011 in a play called The Normal Heart. He later appeared in the TV movie version of the play. In 2015, he received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. That same year, he voiced the main character, Oh, in the animated movie Home, alongside the singer Rihanna.

In 2016, he played an engineer in the Oscar-nominated film Hidden Figures, which tells the story of African-American women mathematicians who worked at NASA. In 2018, he starred in the Broadway revival of The Boys in the Band and later appeared in the 2020 film version.

More recently, he starred in the romantic comedy Spoiler Alert (2022) and returned to the stage in plays like Mother Play and Our Town in 2024.

Personal Life

Parsons lives in New York City but also has a home in Los Angeles. His father passed away in a car crash in 2001.

In 2012, it was reported that Parsons is gay. He married his husband, art director Todd Spiewak, in May 2017. Parsons has described their life together as a "regular life, boring love," which includes having coffee in the morning and taking care of their dogs.

Acting Credits

Parsons' Hollywood Walk of Fame star

Film

Television

Theatre

Awards and nominations

See also

In Spanish: Jim Parsons para niños

• Character actor
• LGBT culture in New York City
• List of LGBT people from New York City