Jim Parsons facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Jim Parsons
Parsons in 2016
Born	James Joseph Parsons March 24, 1973 Houston, Texas, U.S.
Education	University of Houston University of San Diego
Occupation	Actor producer
Years active	1993–present

James Joseph Parsons (born March 24, 1973) is an American actor. He is best known for playing Sheldon Cooper in the TV show The Big Bang Theory. This show was very popular and ran from 2007 to 2019.

Jim Parsons has won many awards for his acting. These include four Primetime Emmy Awards for best actor in a comedy show. He also won a Golden Globe Award for best actor in a TV comedy.

Besides TV, Parsons has acted in many plays on Broadway. He has also lent his voice to animated movies. He played important roles in films like Hidden Figures and Spoiler Alert.

Early Life and Learning

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

When Jim was six years old, he acted in a school play. He played the Kola-Kola bird in The Elephant's Child. After this, he knew he wanted to be an actor. He went to Klein Oak High School in Spring. A role in the play Noises Off in high school helped him feel a true connection to acting. Young Jim loved TV shows like Three's Company and Family Ties.

After high school, Parsons studied Theater at the University of Houston. He was very busy during this time. He acted in 17 plays over three years. He was also a founding member of a theater group called Infernal Bridegroom Productions. He often performed at the Stages Repertory Theatre.

In 1999, Parsons went to graduate school at the University of San Diego. He was one of only seven students chosen for a special acting course. This course focused on classical theater. It was taught with the Old Globe Theater. Parsons earned his Master of Fine Arts (M.F.A.) degree in acting in 2001. After finishing school, he moved to New York City to start his acting career.

Acting Career

Early Roles (2003–2006)

When Jim Parsons moved to New York, he started working in plays. These were called Off-Broadway productions. He also appeared on television shows. He had a repeating role on Judging Amy. He also appeared on the show Ed. Parsons also had small parts in movies. These included Garden State and School for Scoundrels.

The Big Bang Theory and Stage Work (2007–2019)

Parsons at the 2013 PaleyFest

Jim Parsons tried out for many TV shows. Most of them did not get picked up by a TV network. But then came The Big Bang Theory. When he read the script, Parsons felt the role of Sheldon Cooper was perfect for him. He loved the way the characters spoke. He said it was like a "dance" with words.

Parsons really impressed the show's creator, Chuck Lorre. Lorre wanted to make sure Parsons could act that well again. So, he asked him to audition a second time. Parsons got the part of Sheldon Cooper. Sheldon is a smart physicist who sometimes struggles with social situations. He often makes fun of his friends.

Playing Sheldon required Parsons to say many lines quickly. He also had to use his face and body to act during silent moments. Critics have praised Parsons' physical comedy. They compare it to silent film stars. Chuck Lorre said Parsons has amazing control over his body. He can control how he walks, holds his hands, and moves his head.

In 2009, Parsons won an award from the Television Critics Association. He won for his comedy acting. He was nominated for Primetime Emmy Awards many times. He won the Emmy for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series in 2010, 2011, 2013, and 2014. In 2011, he also won a Golden Globe award for Best Actor in a TV Comedy.

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

In 2011, Parsons was in the comedy movie The Big Year. He also appeared in The Muppets movie. In 2012, he acted on Broadway in a play called Harvey. He later played Tommy Boatwright in the TV film The Normal Heart (2014). For this role, he received another Emmy nomination.

On March 11, 2015, Jim Parsons received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. He also voiced the main character, Oh, in the animated movie Home (2015). He voiced Oh alongside the singer Rihanna.

Parsons and Todd Spiewak started a production company in 2015. It is called That's Wonderful Productions. They wanted to create shows and movies with important messages. Their projects include Special and Call Me Kat. Parsons and Spiewak are also producers for Young Sheldon. This show is about Sheldon Cooper's childhood.

In 2015, Parsons starred as God in a Broadway play called An Act of God. In 2016, he had a supporting role in the movie Hidden Figures. He played an engineer named Paul Stafford.

In 2017, Parsons hosted his own radio talk show for a short time. In 2018, it was announced that The Big Bang Theory would end. Parsons decided not to sign a new contract for more seasons. The show finished in May 2019 after 279 episodes. This was the most episodes for any multi-camera TV series. Parsons continued to be the narrator for Young Sheldon. In 2018, Parsons helped voice the audiobook A Day in the Life of Marlon Bundo. He also starred in the Broadway play The Boys in the Band. He later acted in the 2020 film version with the same cast.

Return to Theatre (2020–Present)

In 2020, Jim Parsons played Henry Willson in the TV series Hollywood on Netflix. He was also a producer for the show. He was nominated for an Emmy Award for his acting in this series. In 2022, he played Michael Ausiello in the romantic comedy movie Spoiler Alert.

He also returned to the stage. He acted in a play called A Man of No Importance in 2022. In 2024, he starred in a new play called Mother Play. He is also set to star as the Stage Manager in a new production of the classic play Our Town.

Personal Life

Jim Parsons lives in New York City. He also has a home in Los Angeles. His father passed away in a car accident in 2001.

Acting Credits

Parsons' Hollywood Walk of Fame star

Film

Television

Theatre

Video Games

Awards and Nominations

See Also

In Spanish: Jim Parsons para niños

• Character actor

Images for kids

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