‘Young Sheldon’ Cast: Then and Now
The Big Bang Theory spinoff Young Sheldon quickly became a hit series when it began airing on CBS in September 2017.
Young Sheldon follows a young and gifted Sheldon Cooper, played by Iain Armitage, as he grows up with his family in East Texas in the late 1980s. Jim Parsons, who originated the character of Sheldon on The Big Bang Theory, serves as narrator. Lance Barber, Zoe Perry, Annie Potts, Montana Jordan, Matt Hobby, Wyatt McClure, Emily Osment and Raegan Revord round out the cast.
In November 2023, CBS announced Young Sheldon would wrap up after seven seasons in 2024. Despite the series’ conclusion, a source exclusively told Us Weekly in January 2024 that it was in talks to do another spinoff with Young Sheldon producers Steve Holland, Steven Molaro and Chuck Lorre for a multi-camera sitcom featuring Jordan’s character, Georgie, and his on screen love interest Mandy, portrayed by Osment.
Scroll through for a look at how the cast members have changed over the years:
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Iain Armitage
Prior to booking the role as Sheldon Cooper in 2017, Armitage played Ziggy Chapman on HBO’s Big Little Lies. Since landing the starring role, the young actor has done a fewvoice over roles including Scooby Doo in 2020’s Scoob! and Chase in 2021’s PAW Patrol: The Movie.
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Zoe Perry
Perry starred as a younger version of Mary Cooper on Young Sheldon, a role initially held by her mom, Laurie Metcalf on Big Bang Theory. Before landing her breakout role, Perry guest starred on multiple shows including Law & Order: Criminal Intent, Scandal and The Family. She also appeared in numerous theater productions such as 2013’s The Other Place on Broadway beside her mom and 2015’s Anna Christie at the Odyssey Theatre Ensemble alongside her father, Jeff Perry.
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Lance Barber
Barber played George Cooper Sr., Sheldon Cooper’s dad, on Young Sheldon after initially appearing as Jimmy Speckerman on one episode of The Big Bang Theory in 2011. Barber began his career as part of The Second City improvisational comedy troupe in Chicago, before moving to Los Angeles and landing his first TV role on On the Spot in 2003. He later appeared in 2005’s The Comeback, and landed the recurring role of Bill Ponderosa on the hit show It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia from 2012 to 2018. Barber has also appeared on several notable shows including How I Met Your Mother, Gilmore Girls, Californication, Monk, The Mentalist and Grey’s Anatomy.
Lance married wife Aliza Barber in 2018 and the twosome share two children.
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Montana Jordan
After Jordan wass cast as Sheldon’s older brother, he made his film debut in 2018’s The Legacy of a Whitetail Deer Hunter. In 2017, Jordan was also nominated for a Young Artist award for Best Supporting Teen Actor Performance in a TV Series.
Jordan began dating social media personality Jenna Weeks in 2021 and the couple announced in January 2024 they were expecting a baby girl.
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Raegan Revord
Before Revord starred as Sheldon’s twin sister, Missy, on Young Sheldon, she appeared in several other TV series including Modern Family, Grace and Frankie and Teachers. During her time on the CBS series, Revord also landed a guest starring role on Disney’s Alexa & Katie in 2019.
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Jim Parsons
Parsons, who starred as Sheldon Cooper on The Big Bang Theory from 2007 to 2019, serves as the narrator for Young Sheldon as well as executive producer on the series. Parsons received numerous awards for his role as Sheldon in the original series including four Primetime Emmy Awards for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series in 2010, 2011, 2013 and 2014 and the Golden Globe Award for Best Actor in a Television Series in 2011.
After finishing The Big Bang Theory in 2019, Parsons starred in the 2020 television miniseries Hollywood, which earned him an Emmy nomination. He has also appeared on the big screen in 2019’s Extremely Wicked, Shockingly Evil and Vile, 2020’s The Boys in the Band and 2022’s Spoiler Alert.
Parsons married Todd Spiewak in 2017 after over a decade of dating.
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Annie Potts
Potts took over the role of Meemaw, the mother of Mary Cooper, from June Squibb. Before joining the cast of Young Sheldon in 2017, Potts was an acclaimed actress and appeared in several notable films including 1978’s Corvette Summer, 1981’s Heartaches, 1984’s Ghostbusters and 1986’s Pretty in Pink. She also starred in television series’ such as Designing Women, Love & War and Any Day Now. Additionally, Potts has done some voice over work and portrayed Bo Peep in the first, second and fourth films of the Toy Story franchise.
Potts was married to Steven Hartley from 1973 to 1978 before moving on with Greg Antonacci. The actress and Antonacci were married from 1978 to 1979. In 1981, Potts tied the knot with Scott Senechal and the twosome welcomed son Clay together that same year. Following the pair’s divorce in 1989, Potts married James Hayman in 1990 and the couple welcomed son Doc in 1992 followed by son Harry in 1996.
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Wyatt McClure
McClure landed the role of Sheldon’s neighbor, Billy Sparks, in Young Sheldon. Before his breakout role, McClure appeared in 2014’s The Fault in Our Stars, 2015’s Between 2 Phat Kids, 2017’s Psychos and 2017’s The Terror of Hallow’s Eve. In 2023, McClure also starred as Grog on Tim Allen’s Disney+ series The Santa Clauses.
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Matt Hobby
Hobby starred as Jeff Difford, a pastor of the church, in the CBS show. The actor has appeared in numerous television series such as Mom, Don’t Trust the B**** in Apartment 23, Onion Sports Dome, Fresh Off the Boat and Your Pretty Face Is Going to Hell.
Hoby shares two children with his wife, Mary Grill.
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Emily Osment
Osment began starring as Mandy McAllister on Young Sheldon in season 5. Osment started her acting career as a child actress playing Lilly Truscott on the hit Disney Channel series Hannah Montana from 2006 to 2011. Osment later starred on shows such as Almost Family, Young & Hungry and The Kominsky Method.
Osment announced her engagement to Jack Anthony in June 2023 after two years of dating.