James Joseph Parsons (born March 24, 1973) is an American actor and producer. From 2007 to 2019, Parsons played Sheldon Cooper in the CBS sitcom The Big Bang Theory. He has received various awards for his performance, including four Primetime Emmy Awards for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series and the Golden Globe Award for Best Actor in a Television Series Musical or Comedy. In 2018, Forbes estimated his annual salary to be $26.5 million and named him the world's highest-paid television actor.
Parsons made his Broadway debut in 2011 portraying Tommy Boatwright in the play The Normal Heart, for which he shared a Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Ensemble Performance. He reprised the role in the film adaptation of the play, and he received his seventh Emmy nomination, this time in the category of Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Miniseries or Movie. Similarly, Parsons starred as party host Michael in the 50th anniversary Broadway production of The Boys in the Band, which won the 2019 Tony Award for Best Revival of a Play, reprising his performance (with the whole Broadway anniversary cast) in the 2020 film adaptation. In film, Parsons has voiced the lead character in Home (2015) and played supporting roles in Hidden Figures (2016) and Extremely Wicked, Shockingly Evil and Vile (2019).
Last Updated: June 9, 2021
