‘The Big Bang Theory’ Cast: Where Are They Now?

It’s been five years since The Big Bang Theory’s final episode aired on CBS, but it’s still one of the most popular sitcoms, with great lessons about friendship and plenty of geek culture references. The show ended, but its seven leading characters and the memorable theme song will live on in the hearts of fans.

Fans may have been curious about what projects Sheldon, Penny, Leonard, Amy, Howard, Raj, and Bernadette worked on during the past few years. The good news is that they’ve all been active, so fans of the series can visit those projects after binge-watching all 12 seasons on Netflix and reminiscing about the good old days.

The Big Bang Theory

Release Date September 24, 2007

Cast Johnny Galecki, Jim Parsons, Kaley Cuoco, Simon Helberg, Kunal Nayyar, Melissa Rauch, Mayim Bialik, Kevin Sussman

Main Genre Comedy

Seasons 12

8 Kevin Sussman

Character: Stuart Bloom

Stuart Bloom (Kevin Sussman) is a comic book store owner whose place is the gang’s frequent hangout spot. Although he initially appears confident and even mildly successful with women, Stuart’s characterization shifts throughout the season, eventually becoming a socially awkward, lonely, and outright creepy man who struggles to connect with others. Despite this, Stuart becomes a close friend of the gang and is often involved in their misadventures.

After The Big Bang Theory concluded in 2019, Sussman continued to work on various projects. He appeared in Little Fish alongside Olivia Cooke and Jack O’Connell. He also had a recurring role in the TV show Utopia and appeared in an episode of The Goldbergs. Additionally, Sussman voiced several projects, including Star Trek: Lower Decks and Harley Quinn. He will soon appear in Apple TV+’s Lessons in Chemistry as Walter.

7 Melissa Rauch

Character: Bernadette Rostenkowski-Wolowitz

Bernadette Rostenkowski (Melissa Rauch) began her career as a server and Penny’s coworker at The Cheesecake Factory, where she used her earnings to fund her graduate studies in microbiology. She’s a bright, short-tempered, cutthroat, manipulative bully and an often ambitious young woman with a squeaky voice who can also be pleasant and friendly. Bernadette is Howard’s wife and best friend of Penny and Amy. Although she can come across as mean-spirited and outright cruel, Bernadette is arguably the best The Big Bang Theory character, largely thanks to Rauch’s hilarious performance.

Rauch’s work in the TV industry continues beyond The Big Bang Theory, with cameos in Robot Chicken, Animaniacs, and The Chicken Squad. She also co-starred in The Laundromat, a Netflix comedy-drama with Meryl Streep. Most recently, Rauch appeared in Night Court for 16 episodes and voiced Beth Bayani in an animated series, Firebuds, for 8 episodes.

6 Kunal Nayyar

Character: Rajesh Koothrapalli

Rajesh “Raj” Koothrapalli (Kunal Nayyar) works in the physics department at Caltech, investigating astroparticle physics, and is Howard Wolowitz’s best friend. Raj is from an affluent Indian family and regularly speaks with his parents, Dr. and Mrs. Koothrappali, via webcam. Unlike his male friends, Raj has a lot of feminine interests, even though he can’t speak to women for the first several seasons. The Big Bang Theory has aged somewhat badly, largely thanks to its treatment of characters like Raj, who remains a constant source of laughs despite often being the punching bag.

After the show finished, Nayyar continued to work in the television industry, appearing in shows such as Criminal: UK, Mira, Royal Detective, and Suspicion. Additionally, Trolls World Tour, Trolls Holiday in Harmony, and Tiny Diamond Goes Back to School are among the productions he has voiced. His latest film, The Storied Life of A.J. Fikry, also gained recognition. Nayyar has three upcoming projects that are all set to be released in 2023.

5 Simon Helberg

Character: Howard Wolowitz

Howard Wolowitz (Simon Helberg) is a Caltech Department of Applied Physics aerospace engineer. Howard, unlike Sheldon, Leonard, and Raj, does not have a degree, and as a result, he is frequently mocked, particularly by Sheldon. Howard lives with his overbearing, demeaning, and unseen mother until he marries Bernadette in season 5. Although he is creepy and off-putting at first, Howard endures significant changes through the seasons, eventually becoming one of the show’s best characters. Indeed, Howard plays a large role in many of The Big Bang Theory’s best episodes.

Helberg returned to acting with a musical drama, Annette, after taking a break after The Big Bang Theory. Helberg also voices his younger self in the TV show’s spin-off, Young Sheldon, alongside other original cast members. Helberg also starred as Nathan in As They Made Us, a drama written and directed by his former co-star Mayim Bialik. Most recently, Helberg made appearances in Poker Face and American Dad!

4 Mayim Bialik

Character: Amy Farrah Fowler

Amy Farrah Fowler (Mayim Bialik) is a neuroscientist who studies addiction in primates and invertebrates, and she occasionally mentions addiction experiments. Amy is Sheldon’s love interest and, later, his wife. Penny and Bernadette are Amy’s best friends. She is sweet and caring, yet she can also be stern and determined when necessary. Every Amy-centric episode in The Big Bang Theory is hilarious, thanks to Bialik’s comedic timing, which earned her four Emmy nominations for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series.

After the show concluded in 2019, Bialik starred in Call Me Kat and hosted several episodes of Jeopardy! following the death of Alex Trebek. Bialik has also appeared in several television episodes, including Little Tikes’ STEM Jr., Vampirina, and The News Tank. Her newest project, The Inspector Chronicles, which is about a space traveler who can also travel through time, is now in development.

3 Kaley Cuoco

Character: Penny

Penny (Kaley Cuoco) lives across the hall from Leonard and Sheldon. She is an aspiring actor who hails from a tiny town outside Omaha, Nebraska. Penny worked as a waitress and occasional bartender at the local Cheesecake Factory until season seven. She is kind-hearted and outgoing, maturing throughout the series and becoming a successful pharmaceutical sales representative.

Cuoco’s next project after The Big Bang Theory was The Flight Attendant, which earned her critical acclaim, including Golden Globe, Emmy, and SAG Award nominations. Since 2019, Cuoco has voiced the titular character in the Max animated series Harley Quinn. Other projects Couco took part in include The Man From Toronto, Meet Cute, and most recently, a Hulu original series, Based on a True Story.

2 Johnny Galecki

Character: Leonard Hofstadter

Sheldon’s roommate and best friend, Leonard Hofstadter (Johnny Galecki), is an experimental physicist with an IQ of 173. Unlike his equally nerdy friends, Leonard is interested in and skilled at forming bonds with others. Leonard’s true love is Penny, his across-the-hall neighbor, whom he pledges to marry the moment he sees her. Many of the funniest episodes in The Big Bang Theory feature a clash between Leonard and Sheldon, whose bond is a weird combination of tough love and genuine affection.

Following The Big Bang Theory, Johnny reprised his role as David Healy in the television series The Conners, reuniting with his Big Bang co-star Sarah Gilbert. He has also appeared in many films, including Rings, A Dog’s Journey, and The Master Cleanse.

1 Jim Parsons

Character: Sheldon Cooper

Sheldon Cooper (Jim Parsons) is a genius-level theoretical physicist at Caltech with an IQ of 187 and an eidetic memory. He has a fundamental lack of social skills, a shaky grasp of comedy, and a hard time discerning irony and sarcasm in others; even so, he truly cares about his friends and family despite his lack of social graces. Sheldon is the star of The Big Bang Theory, with Parsons winning a whooping four Emmy Awards for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series.

After the sitcom concluded in 2019, Parsons continued to work on voiceovers for Young Sheldon, a spin-off of The Big Bang Theory. Also, in Call Me Kat, Parsons served as executive producer alongside his on-screen wife, Mayim Bialik. Parsons earned Emmy and Golden Globe nominations for his role in Ryan Murphy’s Hollywood. Additionally, he frequently appeared in television shows like The Simpsons and Pete The Cat and feature films like The Boys in the Band and Extremely Wicked, Shockingly Evil, and Vile. Most recently, Parsons starred in Spoiler Alert, a comedy-drama, and will soon appear in Just by Looking at Him, which is now in pre-production.

NEXT: The Main Characters in ‘The Big Bang Theory’ Ranked Least to Most Funny