Simon Helberg Almost Declined His Iconic The Big Bang Theory Role For A Flopped Series

12/09/2023

What a bullet did he dodge.

As people not involved in the entertainment industry at all, most viewers understand that an acting career takes a lot of luck, talent and consistency to get started. What many people may not realize is that it's not enough to keep it going. In order to navigate the world of different roles and productions, actors must also be good managers for themselves.

Although at some point in their careers, those who reach a certain level of success use the help of managers, publishers, and agents to help them navigate their schedules in the most efficient way, others do not have that luxury. Often, the decision to accept or decline a role is made by the actor.

That was the decision Simon Helberg had to make about When the pilot was reshot and retooled, the actor wasn't even sure why the creators were coming back to the idea. Besides, he was already involved in another project:

“I remember almost not going in because I was working on Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip and it was the beginning of pilot season. I was working with a great group of people and loved this pilot. I read Big Bang the year before — they shot it twice — and read it the first year. I thought, "Why are they doing this again?” the actor explained to The Hollywood Reporter.

A new version of the pilot involved a new character, Howard Wolowitz, who Helberg ended up portraying for 12 seasons of the show. His agent convinced him to audition, and it was the best move he could have made.

What about Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip? The show didn't take off. Despite a cast filled with talented actors and comedians like Matthew Perry and Sarah Paulson, the show was met with very poor critical reception. Hate-watched by many, but never truly appreciated, Studio 60 was the only Aaron Sorkin show to be canceled after 1 season.