Pictured: Mayim Bialik in a scene from THE BIG BANG THEORY on the CBS Television Network. Photo: Sonja Flemming/CBS ©2010 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.
The role of Amy started as a one-off performance for Mayim Bialik, but now she’s is fully entrenched in the storylines of The Big Bang Theory (Thursdays, 8:00 p.m. ET/PT, CBS).
Bialik, who is no stranger to hit shows having starred as Blossom on Blossom, says she worked hard to fit in as the new braniac on the sitcom and took her lead from another actor on the program.
“It started as a one episode or possible recurring role on the finale of season three,” Bialik recalls. “So, honestly, I just did my best Jim Parsons (Sheldon) impression for the audition and that’s sort of what I’ve kept doing.”
Though she’s a quirky and huge addition to the series, Bialik credits the writers with making Amy colorful. That means, sweeps will be fun for her and though she’s careful not to give up too much info in her response, Bialik does leak a couple of the upcoming details.
“There is a pretty heavy Amy and Sheldon episode coming up,” she spills. “A lot of interesting stuff coming up for our characters. I feel like anything can happen with this character and that’s sort of the fun of her. I like the stuff with Sheldon and I also like the sort of unpredictability of their relationship.”
Amy (Mayim Bialik, center), Bernadette (Melissa Rauch, left) and Penny (Kaley Cuoco, right) mix it up in a scene from THE BIG BANG THEORY on the CBS Television Network. Photo: Michael Yarish/Warner Bros. ©2011 Warner Bros. Television. All Rights Reserved
Bialik is as smart, and probably much smarter, than Amy. The actress took time off after Blossom for her education and currently holds a PhD in neurosciences.
“My training is in neuroscience and I guess the writers and producers thought it was funny I had a PhD in neurosciences,” she admits laughing. “I studied Obsessive Compulsive Disorder and Prader Willi syndrome as my thesis. My initial idea when my husband and I went to grad school was to be a research professor.”
It was the birth of the couple’s first son that prompted her to return to acting.
“We very quickly decided that we wanted a life that would allow me to be the primary care giver for our boys for a longer period of time than for what a research professor might have allowed,” she points out. “That’s why I decide to return to a lifestyle that, believe it or not, was more flexible schedule wise.”
No question The Big Bang Theory would still be a clever show without Bialik, but with her added to the cast, it’s a much funnier sitcom.