“The Big Bang Theory” is the most-watched sitcom on network television right now, but star Mayim Bialik admits she had never watched the wildly popular comedy before landing the role of Amy Farrah Fowler.
Speaking at the #BlogHer2016 Experts Among Us Conference in Los Angeles on Friday, she admitted of the show: “I had never seen it. I had heard about it and thought it was a game show, ’cause someone told me I was mentioned on it, I think in the first season.”
The one-time “Blossom” star, however, does not have the typical actor’s résumé, having temporarily turned her back on showbiz to raise her children while obtaining a PhD in neuroscience.
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In fact, she admits the oddball acting résumé she brought along with her for the audition probably helped her land the role. “Under miscellany, it said, like: ‘Speaks Spanish, Hebrew, Yiddish. PhD in neuroscience.’ Because I felt like it should go on a résumé. Like, I worked seven years for that.”
She added that “Big Bang Theory” co-creator Bill Prady “was at my audition, and he’s like: ‘Is this for real?’ And I was like, ‘Yeah,'” she told the audience with a shrug.
As the writers were still developing the character when Bialik was cast, Amy wound up being a neuroscientist.
“Bill Prady was quoted somewhere as saying, ‘We made her a neurobiologist so Mayim could fix things if they’re wrong,'” she added. “Any good actor has to pretend to be what they’re not, so I actually feel like they must not have thought very much of me.”
