The Big Bang Theory Drama That Led to Parsons and Cuoco Falling Out
Fans of the Big Bang Theory, which ran for 12 seasons, may not have anticipated or suspected cast members falling out with one another – but that's exactly what happened when Jim Parsons shocked nearly everyone by announcing his intention to quit the show.
Parsons, who played Sheldon, had been thinking about leaving over the summer of 2018 but had only confided in Simon Helberg, a close friend and co-star. And contracts hadn't yet been discussed. Obviously, had they been discussed, that conversation would have forced the issue of his impending departure to be raised.
All of this meant that when the cast and crew sat down for the first read-through, everybody apart from Parsons (and to some degree Helberg) thought everything was set to carry on as normal.
To address the matter, Parsons called a meeting with Chuck Lorre and Steve Molaro, the executive producers. Molaro and Lorre decided almost immediately that that would be the end of the show. But they said nothing to the rest of the case. Neither did Parsons.
So, you can imagine their shock when, six days later, they were summoned to the producer's office for what they thought were contract talks but turned out to be the death knell for the show.
The story goes that the office was awash with tears that afternoon. But by the following morning when they all got together on set, the air was thick with animosity. Molaro got a text from Kaley Cuoco confirming that she was upset with Parsons and wasn't sure she could work that day. Johnny Galecki had said much the same thing to Lorre.
Shooting went ahead nonetheless, with the atmosphere on set described as "icy" with very little chat or banter between scenes. Indeed, insiders said, "Kaley could barely make eye contact with Jim (Parsons) during the run through".
Fortunately, the issue (at least on the surface) had calmed down a bit by the time of the next run-through. Molaro said Parsons and Cuoco were once again "talking and laughing" between takes, and that the actors seemed far happier to be around each other.
Cuoco apparently had fond memories and didn't want the show to "end ugly." And, by his own account of the matter, Parsons never wanted to fall out with his colleagues and blamed Lorre and Molaro for the problems that arose. He seemed to think it was their handling of it, rather than his decision, that turned things sour.
In the end, though, things turned out just fine. Parsons got his wish and moved on to other things, and Kaley Cuoco has just announced that she is pregnant. So, all's well that ends well.