Mayim Bialik opens up about reuniting with Simon Helberg for a new project after The Big Bang Theory. The pair co-starred in the CBS sitcom, playing Amy Farrah Fowler and Howard Wolowitz, respectively. Now, their working relationship is a little bit more different, as Bialik directs Helberg in her new film, As They Made Us.
Both actors weren't part of the original The Big Bang Theory pitch, but after CBS was asked to rework the pilot, only Jim Parsons' Sheldon Cooper and Johnny Galecki's Leonard Hofstadter were brought back in. Meanwhile, the cast was expanded with the addition of Kaley Cuoco's Penny, Kunal Nayyar's Raj, and Helberg's Howard. By season 4, the network added more characters to the Pasadena gang in Melissa Rauch's Bernie and Bialik's Amy. Helberg, Bialik, and the rest of the actors then starred in the sitcom for eight more years, until The Big Bang Theory ended in 2019.
Speaking with Variety to promote her directorial debut project, As They Made Us, Bialik talks about reuniting Helberg. The film centers on Abigail (Dianna Agron), who deals with the slow death of her father, played by Dustin Hoffman. Helberg plays her brother, Nathan - a role that Bialik intended for her The Big Bang Theory co-star to play when she wrote the story. Read her full comment on reuniting with him below:
It was very, very special to work with Simon; I basically wrote with him in mind, but I never thought he would do this movie. It also was very important to have someone who knew me when my father passed away, who knew my family, and it felt like having a friend there.
Despite being both intrinsic to The Big Bang Theory's story, fans know that Bialik and Helberg barely had a chance to really work together on the sitcom. Aside from group scenes, the pair didn't have much screentime as a duo - except for that one episode where Amy and Howard were paired up for Raj's treasure hunt. There, the two realized they have a lot in common, although The Big Bang Theory never really got the chance to further explore that connection. Perhaps the reason they didn't have many one-on-one scenes was because of Sheldon's hatred of engineers like Howard, which Amy, understandably, had to tolerate. More recently, both Bialik and Helberg also revisited their sitcom roles when they made their separate voice cameos on Young Sheldon season 5.
After As They Made Us, fans are wondering if Bialik and Helberg will collaborate again moving forward. For what it's worth, it seems like both enjoyed their time filming the movie, but the next time they come together might be for the much-requested The Big Bang Theory reunion. Although fans would be excited, it might not happen for several more years, as everyone else from the Pasadena gang are busy with their own projects.
Source: Variety