In “The Zazzy Substitution”, Sheldon Cooper was seen finding comfort in cats, but Jim Parsons certainly didn’t feel the same way.
Throughout its 12-season run, ‘The Big Bang Theory’ reigned as one of television’s biggest comedies. Helmed by Chuck Lorre, the sitcom received unimaginable recognition for its genius yet nerdy characters Sheldon, Leonard, Raj, and Howard.
Highlights —
- When Sheldon Cooper adopted 25 cats!
- Jim Parson filmed with cats despite allergies
- What is Jim Parsons up to now?
Although each of these fictional characters is globally famous today, Sheldon Cooper is undoubtedly the sitcom’s breakout star. He is a comic-book obsessed, eccentric, and stubborn theoretical physicist who believes he’s intellectually superior to his peers.
Sheldon is also one of the reasons why ‘The Big Bang Theory’ is so loved. Actor Jim Parsons’ portrayal of the character has earned him four Emmys and he has also been nominated more than any other actor on the show.
Let’s revisit the time when Sheldon Cooper adopted cats after Amy broke up with him, and how Jim Parsons was able to film even though he is allergic to them.
When Sheldon Cooper adopted 25 cats in “The Zazzy Substitution”!
Sheldon’s fixation with routines always causes friction between him and his friends. He is known for blowing the smallest situation out of proportion effortlessly as he did in “The Zazzy Substitution“. The fourth season’s third episode saw a heart-broken Sheldon in denial after a heated disagreement with Amy which resulted in them breaking up.
They “break-up” after months of Sheldon repeatedly confirming that she isn’t his girlfriend. Although everything seemed normal at first, Leonard begins to get worried after Sheldon shows up at work with a tuxedo cat. He introduces the cat as Dr Robert Oppenheimer and later goes on to adopt 24 more cats.
Leonard calls for Sheldon’s mother to help out who is unable to believe her son had a real girlfriend. She finds him surrounded by an even larger crowder of cats when she arrives to help him through his crisis. All is well at the end, but not many fans of the show know that Jim Parsons is actually allergic to cats!
Jim Parson filmed with cats despite allergies
That’s right! Jim Parsons was so committed to master his characters’ intricacies that he decided to film with cats despite being allergic to them. He made the revelation in a recent interview with “The Ellen DeGeneres Show”.
“There was one time very early on in Big Bang where they were tossing around an idea for a script and they came up and asked me, ‘Are you allergic to cats by any chance?’ And I said, ‘Yeah I am, my eyes get puffy and whatever.’ About a week later, the script showed up with a box of Claritin, and it was like, ‘Here, we’re going to do one where you’re surrounded by cats the whole episode.’”
Luckily, the actor managed to come out of the feline experience without any allergy reactions. “I was fine, I just didn’t touch my face”, he explained in the interview. Ironically, Parsons’ on-screen character’s favourite lullaby is also revealed in “The Zazzy Substitution”! Sheldon often finds comfort when a friend hums “Soft Kitty”, to him despite the actor’s aversion to felines!
What is Jim Parsons up to now?
The actor portrayed Sheldon Cooper on ‘The Big Bang Theory’ for 12 seasons, but he’s taken up various roles ever since. He played the creepy, corrupt talent agent Henry Willson in the Netflix miniseries ‘Hollywood’, a far cry from his sincere and nerdy character.
He also narrates ‘Young Sheldon‘, a spin-off of ‘The Big Bang Theory’ which sees the character’s life before he goes to college. The actor is also producing a Fox comedy series titled ‘Call Me Kat‘, starring his former co-star Mayim Bialik!
Bialik played his on-screen girlfriend and wife Amy Farrah Fowler. The new sitcom is based on ‘Miranda’ and will see Bialik in the titular role. The official synopsis reads:
“In an effort to prove to her mother — and society — that it’s possible to be single at 39 and still be happy, Kat spends her entire savings to open a cat café in Louisville, Ky.”
It seems like Jim Parsons really can’t get away from his unwanted obsession with working with cats! Although the actor will only produce the sitcom, we’re certain fans would love to see him in a cameo!
Did you know that Jim Parsons was actually allergic to cats while filming “The Zazzy Substitution”? Let us know in the comments!
