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Jim Parsons is widely known as a main character in one of the most commercially successful comedy show The Big Bang Theory. Jim Parsons was a vital part of the show that he was greatly compensated for it. The show became a huge hit that by the time they reached the 4th season, he was reportedly earning $200,000 per episode. By the time the show reached the 8th season, he is already paid $1 million per episode. This has helped him accumulate a massive net worth of $160 million.
Jim Parsons revealed that he auditioned for about 15 to 30 TV pilots, some hired him but eventually failed to take off. After Parsons read the script for The Big Bang Theory, he knew that he would be a great fit for the role of Sheldon Cooper. Take a look at how he went from being a bank teller to landing the role of Sheldon Cooper.
Parsons Developed An Interest In Acting Because Of The Elephant's Child
Jim Parsons, whose real name is James Joseph Parsons, was born on March 24, 1973 at the St. Joseph Hospital in Houston, Texas. He was raised in the northern suburbs by his father Milton Joseph Parsons Jr. and mother Judy Ann McKnight. Parsons grew up in a pretty normal household.
At the early age of six years old, he already had an interest in joining the entertainment industry. Parsons played as the Kola-Kola bird in The Elephant's Child at their school production which he enjoyed a lot and realized that he wanted to become a performer. With the goal of becoming an actor someday, Parsons continued studying diligently.
Parsons attended the Klein Oak High School in Spring, Texas. While attending the said high school, Parsons actively joined clubs and organization that are theatre related. During his junior year, he joined the play Noises Off which became a pivotal point in his life.
Joining the play made him so determined in pursuing an acting career. He said "I fully connected with the role I was playing and started to truly understand what it meant to be honest on stage."
Aside from his theatrical experiences, he was also heavily influenced by the sitcoms he regularly watch such as TV series Family Ties, Three's Company and The Cosby Show.
Jim Parsons Earned A Special Two Year Course
As soon as he graduated from High School, Parsons decided to pursue a Bachelors degree in Theatre Arts from the University of Houston. He further gained experience in the theatrical works as he devoted his free time actively joining organizations. In the span of 3 years, he has appeared in 17 plays.
He was so motivated by his passion for acting that he was even a founding member of the Infernal Bridegroom Productions where he regularly appeared at the Stages Repertory Theatre. He soon earned his degree and went on to pursue graduate school at the University of San Diego in 1999.
His enthusiasm in acting can be seen through his works. With his skills, he was able to land a special two-year course in classical theater. The said program was in partnership with the Old Globe Theater and he was one out of the seven students who are accepted into it.
The directors of the program saw the potential of Parsons despite him having some sort of personality. Program director Rick Seer said "Jim is a very specific personality. He's thoroughly original, which is one reason he's been so successful. But we worried, 'Does that adapt itself to classical theater? Does that adapt itself to the kind of training that we're doing?' But we decided that he was so talented that we would give him a try and see how it worked out."
Trying His Hand At Banking Before Landing A Role In 'The Big Bang Theory'
Parsons eventually graduated and decided to move to New York. Despite his enormous acting talent, luck wasn't on his side. With no luck in the entertainment industry, he tried his luck as a bank teller. Parsons revealed that it was his first ever job and he admitted that he was not a good bank teller. He confessed that he almost never balanced his drawer.
He worked as a bank teller for years until he finally booked some theatre gigs. He started working in some Off Broadway productions and soon made some TV appearances. After doing numerous TV shows, he initially gained fame following his appearance at a much talked about 2003 Quiznos commercial where he played as the man who was raised by wolves. He soon booked a recurring role at the TV show Judging Amy as Rob Holbrook.
This was followed by a few minor roles in the big screen including Garden State, Height, The Great New Wonderful, The King's Inn, Short film, 10 Items or Less and a lot more. With so much talent and perseverance, Parsons was chosen as one of the cast members of the show The Big Bang Theory which later on became his breakthrough role in the industry.
Parsons revealed that he auditioned for about 15 to 30 TV pilots, some hired him but eventually failed to take off. After Parsons read the script for The Big Bang Theory, he knew that he would be a great fit for the role of Sheldon Cooper.
Parsons impressed Chuck Lorre during the audition since he could flawlessly deliver his lines. Parsons credits his two-year training at the University of San Diego that gave him the right tools to break down the lines of Sheldon. He was critically applauded for his performance on the show that he was even mainly credited for the show's success.
Despite earning huge amount of money from the show, Parsons announced in 2018 that he will no longer renew his contract for the show which reportedly entails $50 million earnings for 13th and 14th season. In lieu of his departure, the producers decided to end the show after 279 episodes to give the series an epic and creative close.
After the show ended, Jim Parsons decided to also work behind the camera as a producer. He is still actively working as an actor but he's more active as a producer these days.
Sources: Success Story, Focus Features, Celebrity Net Worth
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