Simon Helberg talks about how Studio 60 almost cost him the role of Howard Wolowitz!
Ever since 2007, The Big Bang Theory made its debut on the small screen, and it has been hailed as one of the best sitcoms ever by TV series enthusiasts. The show masterfully combines the lives of a socially awkward group of friends who are geniuses. With sharp wit and iconic pop culture references that normalize the nerd culture, it creates several iconic scenes for the fans.
While Jim Parsons’ Sheldon Cooper is the most prominent character from the show, Simon Helberg’s Howard Wolowitz added to the sitcom’s charm and wit. With quirky attire and unwavering confidence, Wolowitz was essential to the show’s success.
After 12 seasons of the show and countless laughs later, it is impossible to imagine someone else in the role. However, he had initially turned down the role, as he was done playing a nerd.
Simon Helberg Was Skeptical About Taking On His Iconic Role in The Big Bang Theory
Simon Helberg’s portrayal of Howard Wolowitz stood out among the cast of The Big Bang Theory, which featured names like Johnny Galecki, Jim Parsons, Kunal Nayyar, Mayim Bialik, and many more. The aerospace engineer is Mama’s boy, who arguably wore the most uncomfortable attire in the show alongside Bialik’s Amy Farrah Fowler.
However, his presence was extremely important because he was arguably the most normal yet complex character in the show. Surprisingly, while appearing as a guest on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert in 2016, he opened up about how he was quite close to turning down the role.
Helberg explained that it was his squirrel-like instincts that made him take on the role. He said,
I have great instincts, like the instincts of a squirrel, you know, when you’re driving and the squirrel just stops in the middle of the road.
The Florence Foster Jenkins actor mentioned that he was doing another gig during that period called Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip. Though the series had a recipe for success, it got canceled only after the first season.
Moreover, he felt that he didn’t want to play a “nerd,” but later he decided to join in, and it was a “good choice.” He added,
I was doing a show called “Studio 60” that was a great group of people, but it was people weren’t watching it, and I hear that’s part of the equation. So I said, ‘I don’t wanna play nerds anymore.
I mean, pretty soon, I will be a distinguished grey, and that’s pretty hot, so I’ll pass on the nerd show, and I just got convinced to go in, and I think I made a good choice.
Indeed, Helberg made the right choice because, after the massive success of the TV series and 12 long seasons, it feels extremely wrong to even think of someone else portraying the role of the aerospace engineer.
Howard Wolowitz’s Antics Were Based on a Real-Life Person
Years before The Big Bang Theory was even an idea, Bill Prady, one of the co-creators of the show, was a college dropout and had a short-lived career as a computer programmer.
While talking to Slate, Prady explained that before he made a big name in Hollywood, it was Howie, one of his colleagues, who helped him with his project. He said,
I had a short-lived career as a computer programmer. I got involved creating the FilePro software for the TRS-80 at my friend Howie’s place in Brooklyn.
Prady’s co-worker, Howie, who lives in Brooklyn, is none other than Simon Helberg’s iconic character Howard Wolowitz, and hanging out with people like him made him understand geeks even better. Well, he succeeded because the kind of jokes he wrote in the show would make his viewers laugh till their tummies hurt.
The Big Bang Theory can be streamed on Max.
