Two of the most iconic sitcoms of our time were almost completely transformed by one casting decision.

When you think of How I Met Your Mother, which character comes to mind? Many will answer: sophisticated womanizer Barney Stinson, the soul of the company, who never wanted to spend more than one night with one woman.

This character was masterfully played by Neil Patrick Harris. It is hard to imagine any other actor in his place.

However, his role could go to ... Jim Parsons. Is it possible to imagine more different characters: the irrational and emotional Stinson and the insensitive, calculating Sheldon from The Big Bang Theory who shies away from women.

Jim Parsons recalled being invited to play Barney in Jessica Radloff's book The Big Bang Theory: The Definitive, Inside Story of the Epic Hit Series:

"I also auditioned – and got called back a couple times – for the role of Barney on How I Met Your Mother. But I didn't want to audition for it because they described him in the casting breakdown as a "big lug of a guy." I was like, What are they f***ng thinking?!"

Parsons himself realized that he was not at all suited for the role, but apparently the How I Met Your Mother creators saw him as a suitable candidate.

If Jim were to accept the role, not only would How I Met Your Mother suffer, but so would The Big Bang Theory, in which he would no longer be able to act, and fans would be deprived of one of television's most iconic characters – Sheldon Cooper.

The history of television is rich with truly iconic characters. These guys no longer exist exclusively in the universe of their own show, but have become part of popular culture.

Since the early 2010s, the number of famous TV characters whose quotes fans wear as t-shirt prints has undoubtedly increased. However, Sheldon Cooper stands out the most.

In the history of modern sitcoms, his only equal is Barney Stinson from How I Met Your Mother. This guy literally speaks in aphorisms and wrote famous The Bro Code.

Source: The Big Bang Theory: The Definitive, Inside Story of the Epic Hit Series