Before Jimmy Fallon declared her character of Winnie Cooper to be “the coolest girl in any TV show ever,” Danica McKellar was just a kid taking weekend acting classes at the Lee Stratsberg Institute in Los Angeles. She landed her most prominent role on The Wonder Years in 1988, and the show ran until 1993. On the ABC sitcom, McKellar played the love interest of young Fred Savage, and her first kiss was actually on camera. It was exactly as nerve-racking as it sounds!

Since leaving The Wonder Years, Danica McKellar has spoken of her struggle to move from being a child actress to an adult actress. She’s been able to find work but mostly in small supporting roles, rarely lasting more than a few seasons. In 2005, McKellar dressed in lingerie for a feature in Stuff magazine, later saying it was an attempt to get “grittier” roles. On top of acting, McKellar has also written four books which encourage middle schooler kids to take an interest in mathematics.

Geena Davis got her big break back in 1982. She was working as a model when director Sydney Pollack decided to cast her in the role of a soap opera actress for his comedy film Tootsie. She then portrayed Wendy Killian in just two seasons of the short-lived local television sitcom Buffalo Bill. Buffalo Bill ran from 1983-1984. Throughout the early years of her career, Davis was also featured on episodes of Knight Rider, Riptide, Family Ties, and Remington Steele.

Through the late 1980s and into the 1990s, Geena Davis made a successful transition from television to film, with feature roles in Fletch, The Fly, and Beetlejuice. Davis won an Oscar as Best Supporting Actress for her role in 1988’s The Accidental Tourist. Davis disappeared from television in the 1990’s only to return in 2000 for 22 episodes of her self titled show, The Geena Davis Show. In recent years, Davis has appeared in Stuart Little, Commander in Chief, and several low-budget projects.

Soleil Moon Frye began her acting career at just two years old. Her first television movie was titled Missing Children: A Mother’s Story and was released in 1982. Frye continued work as a child actress in made-for-TV movies until she landed the role that defined her career as a child actress. At seven years old, Frye auditioned for the title role of NBC’s Punky Brewster, and beat out over 3,000 girls. While the series struggled with ratings, Frye’s character, Punky, was a big hit among kids.

Punky Brewster ran for just two seasons with NBC before being canceled and subsequently picked up by Columbia Pictures Television, where it ran for another two seasons. Soleil Moon Frye has also done her fair share of voice over work voicing the lead role in It’s Punky Brewster, as well as the character of Zoey in The Proud Family. She had a handful of sitcom guest-appearances throughout the 1990s and in recent years, has also added directing and writing to her resume.

Marisa Tomei began her career as an actress when she dropped out of Boston University to take a brief gig on the CBS soap opera As the World Turns from 1983 until 1985. She portrayed Marcy Thompson, a controversial teenager who accused Dr. Bob Hughes of inappropriate conduct. Tomei then moved on to a regular role in A Different World, a spin-off of The Cosby Show. She portrayed Maggie Lauten for 21 episodes in 1987 before moving on to bigger and better things.

As one of the most relevant and recognizable names on our list, Marisa Tomei is no stranger to the big screen, having been featured in numerous major motion pictures almost every year since the 1990s. Some of her most famous credits include 1992’s My Cousin Vinny, 2003’s Anger Management, 2008’s The Wrestler, and 2016’s Captain America: Civil War. With nearly twenty major movie awards already won and two 2018 films already in post-production, Tomei is showing no signs of slowing down.

Before getting her big break, Nancy McKeon was featured in numerous commercials alongside her brother Philip. She also took some minor roles in soap operas in the 1970s before moving to Las Angeles with her family in 1975. McKeon was offered the role of tomboy Jo Polniaczek on The Facts of Life after impressing a casting director with her ability to cry on cue in a Hallmark greeting cards advertisement. On The Facts of Life, McKeon’s character, Jo, was short-tempered, mischievous, and somehow lovable.

Following her time as Jo Polniaczek, Nancy McKeon was almost cast as the title role in the TV adaptation of Working Girls. The role ended up going to the then-unknown Sandra Bullock. In 1994, McKeon auditioned for the role of Monica Geller in Friends, but again missed by a hair, this time to Courteney Cox. A year later, McKeon starred in her own series, Can’t Hurry Love, which only lasted one season. Her last role was in the 2011 TV film Love Begins.

Justine Bateman, the older sister of famous actor Jason Bateman, began her acting career playing the superficial Mallory Keaton on Family Ties from 1982 until 1989. During her sitcom stint, she also appeared on 1984 episodes of Tales from the Darkside and It’s Your Move in addition to hosting a 1988 episode of Saturday Night Live. While her successful career as an actress would continue on for many years, the part of Mallory Keaton will always be her most notable role.

After Family Ties, Justine Bateman had great success in the film, television, and theater industries. Through the 1990s she starred and guest-starred in several television shows including Lois & Clark, The New Adventures of Superman, and Men Behaving Badly. Bateman has also appeared in a number of television episodes for various programs throughout the 1990s and 2000s including Rugrats, Arrested Development, Desperate Housewives, Californication, Psych, and Modern Family among others. On tope of acting, Bateman has also remained busy writing, producing, and directing.

Pam Dawber is actually famous for roles in two different 1980s sitcoms. She first starred as Mindy McConnell alongside the then-unknown Robin Williams in Mork & Mindy from 1978 until 1982, and then played Samantha Russel in My Sister Sam from 1986-1988.

While she was best known for her work in television, Pam Dawber also has a few movie roles under her belt, having starred in numerous films including 1992’s Stay Tuned and 1999’s I’ll Remember April. In her most recent work, Dawber reunited with the late Robin Williams in 2014 in an episode of his comedy series The Crazy Ones. Unfortunately, the show was canceled shortly afterward. She also made a guest appearance in a 2016 episode of The Odd Couple.

Before blonde bombshell Donna Dixon was a sitcom starlet, she represented the State of Virginia in the 1976 Miss USA Beauty Pageant and came up short. A year later she returned to the Miss USA Beauty Pageant, this time representing the District of Columbia and won the 1st runner-up Miss World USA. Dixon landed her first major television role on the ABC sitcom Bosom Buddies, alongside Tom Hanks and Peter Scolari. Bosom Buddies lasted for two seasons and ran from 1980 until 1982.

Donna Dixon’s first job following the cancelation of Bossom Buddies was a star role in the film Doctor Detroit. While filming the 1983 comedy, Dixon met and married Dan Aykroyd. The two would go on to work together for numerous films and television shows. Throughout her career, which lasted for 17 years, Dixon was featured in Twilight Zone: The Movie, Spies Like Us, Wayne’s World, Exit to Eden, and The Nanny. She retired in 1997 and now has three daughters with Aykroyd.

In 1979, Mindy Cohn joined the cast of The Facts of Life as Natalie Green, one of Edna Garrett’s students. Cohn stayed on the sitcom for its entirety, until 1988. Her role as Natalie was very progressive and broke several boundaries which sitcoms that came before would rarely go near including body-image, relationships, and adoption. While Natalie Green was known for her full-figure, she was confident with a healthy self-image, saying, “Who wants to be a skinny pencil? I’d rather be a happy Magic Marker!”

Mindy Cohn’s work as Natalie on The Facts of Life earned her the 43rd spot on VH1’s List of 100 Greatest Kid Stars. Following The Facts of Life, Cohn appeared in 1986’s The Boy Who Could Fly as well as several appearances in other popular TV shows including Charles in Charge and 21 Jump Street. In her most recent work, Cohn was the voice on Velma Dinkley in the Scooby-Doo franchise from 2002 to 2015. She also plays Thelma in 2017’s Hollywood Dirt.

While she may be best known as the rebellious older sister of Kevin Arnold in The Wonder Years, Olivia d’Abo got her start in acting with the supporting role of Princess Jehnna in the 1984 film, Conan the Destroyer. Not long after, d’Abo appeared in the not-so-critically acclaimed romantic drama film, Bolero. D’Abo then took portrayed hippie Karen Arnold in The Wonder Years for the show’s first four seasons from 1988 to 1991 and returned as a guest star twice in the final two seasons.

D’Abo has made appearances in television since her time on The Wonder Years including small roles in Star Trek: The Next Generation, Law & Order: Criminal Intent, The Twilight Zone, and Eureka. She has also acted on Broadway, taken on supporting roles in films such as The Spirit of ’76, Greedy, and The Big Green, and provided voice-over work for numerous video games and animated series. A jack-of-all-trades, Olivia d’Abo has also added a music career and weekly podcast to her growing resume.

Nicole Eggert landed her first movie role when she was just eight years old in Rich and Famous. That same year, Eggert performed the voice of Margaret in the first animated version of the Dennis the Menace trilogy, titled Dennis the Menace in Mayday for Mother. No stranger to ’80s sitcoms, Eggert held a reoccurring role on Who’s the Boss? as a close friend of Alyssa Milano’s character, before landing her most notable role as Jamie Powell in Charles in Charge.

Following the finale of Charles in Charge in 1990, Nicole Eggert moved on to a role as a lifeguard in Baywatch. She has starred in numerous made-for-TV and straight-to-video movies in addition to hosting the 1989 Nickelodeon Kids’ Choice Awards, and guest-starring on The Super Mario Bros. Super Show!. In recent years, Eggert has appeared on shows such as Boy Meets World, Gilmore Girls, and the 2010 season of Celebrity Fit Club. In 2014, Eggert opened her own ice-cream truck business.

At just seven years old, Alyssa Milano was taken to an audition for a national touring production of Annie by her babysitter. Her parents never knew she did the audition until she beat our over 1,500 girls for one of four parts. Her acting career had officially launched and, upon returning from the Annie tour, Milano appeared in television commercials, off-Broadway productions, and her film debut in Old Enough. She then landed a part in the ABC sitcom Who’s the Boss?.

On Who’s the Boss?, Alyssa Milano became a teen idol with her portrayal of Tony Danza’s daughter, Samantha Micelli. As one of the most recognizable names and faces on our list, Milano has stayed relevant in Hollywood, with work in music videos, animated series, major motion pictures, and television. Her biggest and most recent credits include roles in Hall Pass, New Year’s Eve, My Name is Earl, Wet Hot American Summer: Ten Years Later, and the upcoming Netflix series Insatiable.

Priscilla Barnes got her big break after Bob Hope spotted her at a local fashion show in 1973. Soon after, she moved to Los Angeles and began taking small parts in films such as The New Original Wonder Woman, The Seniors, and Delta Fox. In 1981, Barnes was cast as Terri Alden, the permanent replacement for Suzanne Somers, on Three’s Company. While she had previously struggled to break through into big roles, Barnes became instantly recognizable when she joined Three’s Company.

In 1998, Priscilla Barnes was featured on E! True Hollywood Story, where she revealed that her time on Three’s Company was the “three worst years” of her life, that she constantly felt “uncomfortable” on the set, and that she even asked to be released from her contract, a request which was denied. While Terri Alden will always be Barnes’ most prominent role, she has certainly had her fair share of success, with consistent supporting roles in both television and film.

Shelley Long began acting with a Chicago comedy troupe called The Second City. In 1975 she wrote, produced, and co-hosted a local program called Sorting it Out, for which she won three Regional Emmys. Long also appeared in a number of advertisements through the 1970s and guest starred on an episode of The Love Boat. Her big break came with a role in 1979’s The Cracker Factory. This lead to several big opportunities, including her most famous role as Diane Chambers on Cheers.

After five seasons, Long left Cheers, stating that she felt the show was too repetitive. Long then acted in the film Troop Beverly Hills, and returned to television in 1990, with a strong performance in Voices Within: The Lives of Truddi Chase. Long had several roles throughout the early 1990s and in 1993 returned to Cheers for the series finale. She has guest starred in a number of recent television series and even produced and acted in the 2016 film Different Flowers.

Crowned as “Queen of the Deadpan”, actress and comedian Jane Curtin came on the scene as a cast member of Saturday Night Live in 1975. During her time on SNL, Curtin was praised by the show’s writer, Al Franken, for her work ethic and “strong moral center.” While most SNL stars eventually move on to the big screen, Curtin chose to remain on television, starring as single mother Allie Lowell in Kate & Alley alongside Susan Saint James from 1984 until 1989.

After Kate & Alley, Jane Curtin joined the cast of another long-running television series in 3rd Rock from the Sun in 1996. She then went on to narrate two episodes of Understanding in 1997 and starred alongside Fred Savage in a short-lived ABC sitcom called Crumbs, which only ran for 13 episodes in 2006. Most recently, she’s appeared in major films I Love You, Man, and The Heat as well as in episodes of The Good Wife and Broad City.

At age 20, Susan Saint James launched her acting career with a role in the 1966 TV movie Fame Is the Name of the Game and the series that followed two years later. Through the late 1960s, she had a few other television appearances. While Saint James had begun to make a name for herself, appearing in numerous 1970s TV movies, it wasn’t until 1984, when she landed a part in Kate & Alley, that she had truly become a well-established actress.

In 1986, Susan Saint James took an unexpected job, joining Vince McMahon to commentate for the Word Wrestling Federations’s WrestleMania 2. For her role in Kate & Alley, which ran for five years, Saint James received three Emmy Award nominations, but announced her retirement from acting following the sitcom’s finale in 1989. In recent years, Saint James has been highly involved with the Special Olympics and has occasionally appeared on TV shows such as The Drew Carey Show and Law & Order: Special Victims Unit.

Actress Lisa Bonet got her acting start following a short career in beauty pageants. As a child, she appeared in a few television guest spots which ultimately paved the way for her big break when she was cast as Denise Huxtable on The Cosby Show. While the show ran from 1984 until 1992, Bonet abandoned The Cosby Show in 1987 to star in the spinoff series, A Different World, which followed the life of Denise Huxtable as she left for college.

Following the announcement of her pregnancy in the midst of filming A Different World, Bonet left the series but returned to The Cosby Show a year later, only to be fired in 1991 for “creative differences.” Bonet then went on to take a number of jobs in straight-to-video productions. Since then, she has appeared sparingly on TV and in movies through the 1990s and 2000s. On her 20th birthday, Bonet eloped in Las Vegas with singer Lenny Kravitz but divorced in 1993.

Mary Tyler Moore’s television career began with the role of “Happy Hotpoint”, a tiny dancing elf featured in commercials for Hotpoint appliances in the 1950s. Moore continued working in minor television roles until Carl Reiner cast Moore in The Dick Van Dyke Show in 1961. Four years after the show’s end, Moore pitched her own sitcom along with her husband Grant Tinker and CBS liked what they saw. The Mary Tyler Moore Show ran from 1970-1977, with ratings in the top 20 for six years.

Mary Tyler Moore remains a household name to this day. She continued to act in television, film, and theater throughout the 1980s, 1990s, and early 2000s. On January 25, 2017, Moore sadly passed away from cardiopulmonary arrest due to pneumonia at the age of 80. She will forever be remembered as an amazing actress who pushed boundaries with characters who broke the stereotypical images of women and denounced gender norms. She was also an active philanthropist and advocate for animal rights.

Tempestt Bledsoe is best known for the role she landed when she was just 11 years old in 1984 on the NBC sitcom The Cosby Show as Vanessa Huxtable, the fourth child of Cliff and Clair Huxtable. Bedsoe stayed on The Cosby Show, appearing on a regular basis until its final season in 1992. She was also featured as her original character Vanessa in A Different World, a spin-off of The Cosby Show, which ran from September 1987 until July 1993.

Starting in the mid 1990s, Tempestt Bledsoe hosted her own daytime talk show called The Tempestt Bledsoe Show. She has appeared in Oxygen’s Husband for Hire, Disney Channel’s animated series, The Replacements, and VH1’s Celebrity Fit Club. The Style Nework reached out to Bledsoe in 2010 and she became the new host of Clean House. Bledsoe holds a bachelor’s degree in finance from New York University and is currently in a relationship with Darryl M. Bell who co-starred on A Different World.

Meredith Baxter started her career as an actress in 1972 with a break-out role in the CBS sitcom Bridget Loves Bernie. While the series was short-lived, only lasting one season, she would go on to marry her co-star, David Birney. The couple married in 1974 but divorced in 1989. In the early years of her career, Baxter also appeared in episodes of The Young Lawyers, The Doris Day Show, and The Partridge Family. She is most well-known for her role on NBC’s Family Ties.

Meredith Baxter portrayed Elyse Keaton on Family Ties from 1982 until 1989. Prior to Family Ties, Baxter’s role as Nancy Lawrence Maitland on Family earned the actress two Primetime Emmy nominations. Throughout the 1990’s and 2000’s, Baxter has appeared all over the place in made-for-tv films like One More Mountain, soap operas like The Young and the Restless, sitcoms like Spin City, and reality shows like Hell’s Kitchen. In 2009, Baxter publicly came out as lesbian and in 2013, married Nancy Locke.

At just eight years of age, Tina Yothers began her acting career appearing in an episode of The Wonderful World of Disney. It was the following year though, in 1982, when she would catapult into superstardom with her role in the hit sitcom Family Ties. She starred alongside the likes of Michael J. Fox and Justine Bateman as the younger sister Jennifer Keaton. A gentle individual, Tina shares her parents’ liberal views and has a complicated relationship with her siblings.

Although she certainly made a big impression with her role as Jennifer, Tina Yothers ultimately decided to take a break from the world of acting in order to focus on a potential music career. She started a band with her brother called Jaded and in 2002, she tied the knot and has since had two kids. In more recent times, Yothers has made appearances on a number of reality shows such as Celebrity Wife Swap, Celebrity Fit Club, and What Not to Wear.

While John Stamos and Bob Saget certainly had big parts to play in Full House‘s success, so did the younger star of the show, Candace Cameron. DJ Tanner is the eldest child of the family and is consequentially the most sensible sibling, giving advice to the younger members of the family. While some of the characters came and go, Cameron was a member of the main cast throughout the show’s entire run and was certainly a fan favorite all the way up until 1995, when the show ended.

Despite Full House ending during the early ’90s, Candace Cameron continued to find work over the next few decades. She became a prominent figure in the Hallmark Channel, starring as the titular character in shows based on the Aurora Teagarden novel series. In 2014, Cameron competed on season 18 of Dancing with the Stars, in which she went nearly all the way, finishing in third place. A few years later, she was the co-host of the talk show The View and has since reprised her role as DJ Tanner in Fuller House.

There is no denying that Judith Light brought feistiness to Who’s the Boss? with the iconic role of Angela. A driven, independent woman, Angela is attracted to housekeeper Tony and vice versa, which becomes a recurring storyline throughout the show’s run. Although they eventually profess their love for each other, producers decided against having the lovebirds tie the knot on the show in order to ensure that viewers didn’t lose interest. Light had previously appeared on shows such as One Life to Live and St. Elsewhere.

Long after Who’s the Boss? came to an end, Judith Light continued to stay relevant in the world of TV, appearing on shows such as Law & Order: Special Victims Unit. She also had a recurring role in the hit series Ugly Betty, and which earned her a nomination for a Primetime Emmy Award in 2007. Light has also had success on Broadway, starring in shows such as Lombardi, Other Desert Cities, and The Assembled Parties. In 2019, Light was awarded a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.

From a very early age, Lisa Whelchel became a recognizable face on TV, first appearing on The New Mickey Mouse Club as a Mouseketeer. By the age of 15, she had already appeared in a remarkable 130 episodes of the Disney show. Most people though will recognize Whelchel for her role as Blair Warner in The Facts of Life, playing the character for nine straight seasons. Blair is a little rebel, who was both vain and shallow but also funny and kind, in equal measures. Whelchel also appeared as Blair in a couple of episodes of Diff’rent Strokes.

As soon as the ’80s were over, Whelchel’s acting career also took a long-running hiatus. This seemed to coincide with her marriage to Steven Cauble, who she had three kids with but ultimately separated from in 2012. Interestingly enough, it was this very same year that Whelchel competed on the hit competitive reality series Survivor: Philippines, where she finished in second place. She also received $100,000 after being voted the fan favorite. These days, Whelchel does a lot of work as a motivational speaker.

Sara Gilbert first burst onto the TV scene through her role as Darlene in the hit series Roseanne. She plays the daughter of Dan and the titular character and developed a reputation for being an unconventional, tomboyish, young female sitcom character. Apparently, producers nearly didn’t cast Gilbert because they thought she wasn’t cute enough. There is no denying that it was the right call though as Gilbert brought a level of gravitas to the role that most child actors probably couldn’t.

Throughout the years, Sara Gilbert has stayed busy in the world of TV, appearing on shows such as 24, ER, and Twins, to name a few. Of course, the talented actress has won a completely new audience through her work as Leslie Winkle in the hit sitcom The Big Bang Theory, reuniting with her Roseanne co-star Johnny Galecki. She also reprised her role as Darlene for the spinoff series of Roseanne, The Conners, which has since received rave reviews.

Before Kirstie Alley took on her best know role of Rebecca Howe in the NBC sitcom Cheers, she played Lieutenant JG Saavic in 1982’s Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan. Alley started on Cheers in 1987 and stayed until the series finale in 1993. For her portrayal of Rebecca Howe, Alley won both a Primetime Emmy Award as well as a Golden Globe. Alley also had a number of roles in movies during the late 1980s and through the 1990s.

Following her work in film during the 1990s, which included roles in Sibling Rivalry, It Takes Two, Deconstructing Harry, and Drop-Dead Gorgeous, Kirstie Alley returned to NBC to star in another sitcom called Veronica’s Closet. Through the 2000s, Alley appeared in a number of reality shows about her life. From 2004-2007, Alley was a spokesperson for Jenny Craig and her dramatic weight fluctuations were highly publicized. Her most recent movie role was in 2002’s Back by Midnight and 2015’s Accidental Love.

Prior to her most famous role as Dorothy “Tootie” Ramsey, Kim Fields co-starred in a sitcom called Baby, I’m Back, which only lasted 13 episodes and didn’t even air until the late 1980s. Fields also appeared in a Mrs. Butterworth’s commercial and in 2 episodes of Good Times. From 1979 until 1988, Fields acted on The Facts of Life. Fields was actually so short that the producers put her on roller skates most of the time to avoid difficult camera angles.

During her time on The Facts of Life, Fields sang and released two songs, “He Loves Me He Loves Me Not”, and “Dear Michael”, both of which became minor hits. Today, Fields boasts an impressive resume as both a talented actress as well as director. Most recently, she joined the cast of Bravo’s The Real Housewives of Atlanta for season eights but did not return for season nine. She also participated in season 22 of Dancing with the Stars, finishing in 8th place.

Phylicia Rashad first began acting in Broadway theater in the late 1970s and has continued through the 2000s, with numerous credits including The Wiz, August: Osage County, Cat on a Hot Tin Roof, Gem of the Ocean, and Raisin in the Sun. Her television career began when she joined the cast of One Life to Live in 1983. A year later, she landed her most recognizable role as Clair Huxtable on The Cosby Show, which ran for eight years until 1992.

Since her time on The Cosby Show, Phylicia Rashad has appeared in numerous movies but even more so in television. Her credits include episodes of Everybody Hates Chris, Psych, the television film adaptation of A Raisin in the Sun, and Empire. In 2017, she appeared in sports doping mockumentary film, Tour de Pharmacy, in addition to five episodes of the Amazon Studios action comedy-drama series Jean-Claude Van Johnson. She has been nominated for three Emmy Awards and has won three NAACP Image Awards.

The Big Bang Theory has been making audiences laugh since its premiere in 2007, when we were first introduced to the geeky but brilliant crew of CalTech researchers and their neighbor, Penny. After 10 years on the air, here’s what the cast looked like then and now.

Kevin Sussman was introduced to the show as Stuart during the second season, as the owner of comic book store that the guys frequent in Pasadena. Though he isn’t one of the core members of the group, Stuart often pops up during their misadventures, though the character struggles even more than they do to fit in. Stuart is characterized by his often depressed demeanor that is usually the result of some mishap or another.

Kevin has been working for a long time prior to starting The Big Bang Theory. His prior roles included appearances on Ugly Betty, as well as working on the film A.I. Artificial Intelligence, which Steven Spielberg directed in 2001. Kevin’s real life isn’t exactly similar to the struggling existence he portrays at Stuart. In addition to his regular work on The Big Bang Theory, Sussman reprised his role as Steve in the Netflix series, Wet Hot American Summer: First Day of Camp in 2015.

Sara Gilbert is another actress who got her start on Roseanne that went on to appear on The Big Bang Theory. Playing Leslie Winkle, essentially the female version of Leonard, the two got to re-live their onscreen relationship when Leonard asks Leslie out in Season 1, fearing that a girl like Penny would never go out with him. Leslie, however, often clashed with Sheldon, making the relationship difficult to maintain. Leslie would eventually go on to have a dalliance with Howard as well.

Though it has been several years since Sara has appeared on The Big Bang Theory, she is still most often recognized for her years playing Darlene Connor on Roseanne, a role she has agreed to reprise in the upcoming revival that is set to be released in 2018. Sara will also be serving as an executive producer on the new production. Sara is also the co-host of CBS’s The Talk and is married to wife Linda Perry, with whom she is raising three children.

Sheldon has been charming audiences with his bumbling social mishaps since the very first episode of The Big Bang Theory. He works alongside Leonard at CalTech as a theoretical physicist, an occupation he often finds superior to Leonard’s experimentation. Jim Parsons perfectly captures Sheldon’s misguided sense of superiority that earned him a Ph.d at an exceptionally early age, but fails to recognize the nuance of social situations. Despite his lack of social mores, his friends continue to stick by his side.

It can be hard to believe sometimes that Sheldon proved to be Parson’s big break, given his facile performance on the show. He has gone on to win a number of prestigious awards for playing Sheldon, including four Primetime Emmy Awards for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series and one Golden Globe. Parsons made his Broadway debut in 2011 in A Normal Heart, and has parlayed his popularity into a salary of $900,000 per episode alongside his costars.

When Stephanie was introduced, she was yet another woman Howard was trying to make a move on. A sassy surgical resident at Fremont Memorial Hospital, she has no interest in Howard, but sets her sights on Leonard instead. Though Howard was initially upset, Leonard and Stephanie proceed to get into a serious relationship, until Leonard realizes that she has essentially moved into his room little bit little. Leonard ends the relationship by dumping her over text message.

Sara hasn’t appeared on The Big Bang Theory since she and Leonard broke up in 2008, but she has been working consistently on television ever since. She spent three years playing Brenda on Rules of Engagement between 2010 and 2013, followed by a run on Mom as Candace. From 2015 to 2017, Sara played Karen Delfs on Bones, which just wrapped recently. Next year, she will appear in a number of episodes of the Netflix show, A Series of Unfortunate Events as the Librarian.

The character of Alex is introduced as a doctoral student placed with Sheldon as a research assistant, but Sheldon often gave her busy work, rather than actually allowing her to help him. When he brings her back to the gang with him, she develops a noticeable crush on Leonard, which Penny takes note of, though Leonard remained oblivious. She eventually tries to ask Leonard out, but he maintains his fidelity to Penny and turns her down.

Prior to her run on The Big Bang Theory, Margo Harshman was a regular on the Disney Channel show, Even Stevens, when she played Louis Stevens’s friend, Tawny Dean. Margo has been working consistently since she finished her arc on The Big Bang Theory. Her most notable role since then has been Delilah Fielding on NCIS, a run which began in 2013 that is ongoing as of this year. This year she also appeared in Love on the Vines as Diana Armstrong.

Barry Kripke established himself from the get go as one of Sheldon’s many nemeses from his first introduction in season two. Aside from constantly antagonizing the gang as a rival physicist, though one who studies plasma and string theory, Barry is still beloved for his sarcastic quips that are always punctuated by his speech impediment that prevents him from properly pronouncing his r’s. John Ross Bowie has made appearances as Barry in every season since his introduction.

John Ross Bowie has had an extensive career on screen from long before he began working on The Big Bang Theory. Bowie has been working in comedy for years, as both a performer and as a writer, prior to moving into film acting. Bowie has continued to participate in a number of other acting projects in the time he’s not filming The Big Bang Theory. Most recently, he has began starring as the father in Speechless, Jimmy DiMeo.

.

As the child star of Star Trek, Wil Wheaton was the perfect actor to play an exaggerated version of himself on The Big Bang Theory. His entrance as a celebrity Sheldon had been dying to meet was played perfectly when he turned out to be less than kind, disappointing Sheldon so much that he became yet another of Sheldon’s enemies, for a time at least. Though the two have seemed to set aside their differences now, it’s not always easy being Sheldon’s friend.

Richard William Wheaton III, better known as Wil Wheaton began acting as a child when he was cast in Stand by Me. He followed up the role with a long run as Wesley Crusher on Star Trek: The Next Generation. Wil has been acting consistently since his start, and he also often works as a voice over artist. In addition to his current work on The Big Bang Theory, he also  hosts his own YouTube series, titled TableTop.

As written on the show, Mary Cooper, played by another Roseanne alumna, Laurie Metcalf, Mary is almost the antithesis of her genius son Sheldon. Mary is an extremely religious Christian, whose beliefs often directly contrast with Sheldon’s. Even so, she’s a caring mother, always showing up to help Sheldon when he’s most in need, usually when alerted by a concerned Leonard. Metcalf has been playing Mrs. Cooper since the character’s introduction.

Laurie Metcalf has had a prolific career over the years, ever since her role as Roseanne’s sister Jackie on the sitcom, Roseanne. She has also appeared on a number of other shows including Desperate Housewives, Getting On, and more recently, the short-lived The McCarthy’s. She has also voiced Andy’s mom in all three of the Toy Story movies, in addition to several other film roles. Most recently, Laurie won a Tony award this past spring for her work on Broadway.

The inimitable Christine Baranski has been appearing on The Big Bang Theory since 2009 when she was cast as Leonard’s psychiatrist mother, Dr. Beverly Hofstadter. Leonard and his mother don’t exactly have a close relationship, as Beverly often considers Leonard a psychiatric experiment before she sees him as a son. He was often humiliated by her use of him as a parenting experiment, and has been constantly working for her approval his entire life.

If you’re as consistently impressed by Christine’s stellar performances as the icy Beverly, it might be because she trained at the exclusive Juilliard School in New York City. Though she excels as the steely psychiatrist on The Big Bang Theory, Baranski has an incredible amount of range as an actress, both on the stage and on film. She has appeared in several musicals, including the film adaptations of Chicago and Mama Mia!. She recently wrapped The Good Wife, and will be seen in its spin off.

Johnny Galecki has been playing Leonard Hofstadter since day one, when audiences were introduced to the experimental physicist sharing an apartment with the eccentric Sheldon Cooper.  He quickly became lovestruck by their new neighbor, the beautiful Penny.

Johnny may have been known to audiences since the early 90s when he was on Roseanne, but with his role on The Big Bang Theory, he was introduced to a new crowd. His performance has earned him several award nominations, including one for a Primetime Emmy for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series. Since 2014, he has been earning $900,000 for each episode of future seasons he films, which he downgraded from $1 million per episode so Mayim Bialik and Melissa Rauch could receive equal pay.

Brian George has been playing Raj’s hilarious father, Dr. V.M. Koothrappali since the beginning when he appeared in season one. Given that Raj’s parents are still living and working in New Delhi, they are often seen only over video chat, and usually together. We finally get to meet the senior Dr. Koothrappali, who is a well regarded gynecologist, rather than a Ph.D in an episode of season eight. George has had one appearance per year for the past several seasons.

Brian George has certainly had an interesting life. He was born in Jerusalem to parents who had emigrated from India, but was mostly raised in London. Brian has managed to build an incredible acting resume for himself, and is possibly best known for his run as Babu Bhatt on Seinfeld. In addition to The Big Bang Theory, Brian has recently been appearing as Arjun Avasarala in the series The Expanse, a role he began playing in 2015.

Lucy and Raj first meet at Stuart’s comic book store during a singles event he threw in honor of Valentine’s Day. Like Raj, Lucy also suffered from severe social anxiety to the point that she would often run out in the middle of their first few dates without so much of a hint as to her intentions. They began their relationship in season six, but got off to a rocky start as Lucy needed to the relationship to progress more slowly than it was.

Kate had been working as an actress for a while prior to being cast on The Big Bang Theory, with roles on Scrubs, ‘Til Death and Motorcity. She has also done an extensive amount of voiceover work for animated features and television shows including Clayface in Lego Batman Movie. Micucci is also one half of the musical comedy duo that is known as Garfunkle and Oates. Recently, she’s been voicing Sara Murphy in Milo Murphy’s Law.

We may have never known what Howard Wolowitz’s mother Debbie actually looked like, but the descriptions the characters gave throughout the seasons only made her off screen comments more hilarious. Characterized as the quintessential Jewish mother, who must have been born and raised in the heart of New York City, she showed her love for her son by smothering him. Howard was so dependent on his mother that he even lived in her house until his marriage to Bernadette.

Sadly, Carol Ann Susi passed away from lung cancer in 2014 at 62. Though she always remained off screen, Debbie Wolowitz was a beloved and integral character to The Big Bang Theory throughout the years. The show memorialized her by having the character pass away as well, which allowed the actors to pour their very real grief into their work. Following her death, the producers wrote on the vanity card, Mrs. Wolowitz, every time you spoke, we laughed. You’re in our hearts forever.”

Raj’s younger sister, Priya, who is studying law was introduced to the gang beginning in the fourth season. She and Leonard developed a romance that they tried to keep hidden from Raj, though he eventually discovered them. Priya unfortunately was still jealous of Penny and told Leonard that he didn’t to cut her out of his life. In the end, it didn’t matter as Raj and Priya’s parents made her move back to India when they found out about the relationship.

Since her appearances on The Big Bang Theory,  she has been working consistently on various TV shows. Some of her roles include Maria Monrow on Suits, as well as appearing as Agent Laura Kenney in an episode of Scandal. Lately, she has made an appearance on Grey’s Anatomy as Holly Harner, and has just finished shooting to films. One, called Sharon 1.2.3. is due out later this year, the other, Love Sonia is scheduled for release next year.

Laura Spencer plays the slightly morbid dermatologist that Raj meets via online dating during the seventh season of the show. She becomes entangled in a love triangle with Raj and another woman he’s dating, Lucy, but Emily is unfazed. The two enjoy watching horror movies together, and she entertains Raj with macabre jokes. They eventually enter into a fairly serious relationship, but Raj finds in the end that he is still struggling with commitment.

Raj wasn’t the only one two timing, as Laura Spencer was also appearing in Bones as Jessica Warren, which recently wrapped production. While it’s unclear whether or not Laura will reprise her role as Emily in the near future, as Raj recently broke up with her again, she doesn’t seem to have ruled out the possibility. In the meantime, Laura recently filmed a short film called Vitality, where she plays the role of Christine.

Though often looked down upon by Sheldon because he ‘only’ holds a Master’s degree in engineering from MIT, Howard eventually manages to parlay his expertise into becoming an astronaut for NASA. In the early seasons, Howard was often trying and failing to score a date with a variety of different women, That all changed with Penny introduces him to her coworker Bernadette in season 3, who was working at the Cheesecake Factory in order to pay for grad school.

Simon is another one of the original cast who has been with The Big Bang Theory since day one, when he was introduced as the nerdy mama’s boy, still caught under his overbearing mother’s thumb. Recently, Simon has also managed to fit in several film appearances in addition to his work on The Big Bang Theory, including a turn as the pianist Cosme McMoon in Florence Foster Jenkins, which also starred Meryl Streep and Hugh Grant.

Raj is the final piece of the original geek squad who has been with the show since the very start. Raj is an astrophysicist from New Delhi, who is closest to Howard. During the early seasons of the show, Raj had such severe social anxiety that he would be unable to speak whenever a woman was in the vicinity, a problem he discovered would diminish when he was drunk. Eventually, he managed to recover from his crippling anxiety.

Like his fellow costars, Kunal is best known for his work on The Big Bang Theory. As his character Raj has progressed, Kunal has had more exciting storylines to portray on the show. Along with Simon Helberg, he is now commanding a salary of $750,000 per episode for the current season. In addition to his work on The Big Bang Theory, Kunal was recently in the movie, Dr. Cabbie, where he played Tony. He has also done some voiceover work as Guy Diamond in Trolls.

Penny is the only one of the girls who has been on The Big Bang Theory since the pilot first began airing in 2007. A very pretty, aspiring actress who financed her ambitions by working at The Cheesecake Factory. Leonard developed a crush on her almost immediately, but never expected her to return his affections. To his surprise, Penny also developed feelings for Leonard and after several road blocks to their relationship, they eloped in Vegas in the ninth season.

Kaley Cuoco started acting as a teenager when she was cast as Bridget Hennessy, John Ritter’s daughter in the sitcom, 8 Simple Rules for Dating My Teenage Daughter. Kaley is one of the best paid female actress on television right now, though that list is still topped by Sofia Vergara. Kaley’s personal life hasn’t been quite as smooth as Penny’s, but she’s still doing pretty well for herself with a $900,000 per episode paycheck for the upcoming seasons.

We’re first introduced to microbiologist Bernadette in season three when Penny offers to set her up with Howard. The pair struggled to find common ground early in their relationship, until Bernadette realized that Howard’s mother was similar to her own. The two eventually married, making Howard the first of the gang to settle down and to start a family. Bernadette quickly became an integral part of the formula on The Big Bang Theory and was Penny’s first regular female companion on the show.

Melissa Rauch got her start working as a stand up comedian in New York City, while she studied acting at Marymount College. Though she had performed a successful solo show in New York City, The Big Bang Theory was her breakout role. During the course of her run on The Big Bang Theory, she has also had roles in several other TV shows and films, including True Blood and The Bronze. She also voiced Francine in 2016’s Ice Age: Collision Course.

Mayin joined the cast of The Big Bang Theory at the end of season 3 as Amy when the guys conspired to set up a dating profile for Sheldon. Her sometimes tenuous grasp on social situations made her a good foil for Sheldon, as they had relationship experiences and expectations that were more on par with one another. Amy is neurobiologist, a degree that actress Mayaim Bialik actually holds in real life. The show has developed Amy and Sheldon’s relationship slowly throughout the seasons.

Mayim has been acting since she was 12 years old, and prior to The Big Bang Theory was best known as Blossom, from the TV show with the same name. Mayim is the only cast member to hold a Ph.D in real life as well as on the show, where she gets to bring her scientific expertise into her role. She is also very vocal about her religious Jewish observance as well as her veganism.