How Lance Barber Really Feels About Playing Two Different Characters In The Big Bang Theory Universe

Highlights

• Many celebs appeared on The Big Bang Theory, but not all loved it like Charlie Sheen did.
• Lance Barber played a bully on TBBT before landing a leading role on Young Sheldon.
• Despite mixed fan opinions, Barber enjoyed playing two different characters in the TBBT universe.

Since its debut in 2007, The Big Bang Theory has become one of the most popular sitcoms of all time. The show was such a big success that more than 18 million people tuned in to see its series finale.

Throughout its successful 12-year run, TBBT had numerous celebrity cameos. Examples of celebrities who appeared on the show include Mark Hamil, Stephen Hawking, Bill Gates, and Bob Newhart, who only accepted being on the show under two very specific conditions.

While most of these stars had a great time on the show, some others didn’t love being a part of this popular sitcom. For instance, Charlie Sheen bashed his experience on TBBT, labeling it as “stupid” and “lame.” Likewise, Lance Barber recently admitted that his Big Bang Theory cameo was rather awkward. Keep reading to learn how this actor feels about his appearance on this beloved sitcom.

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Lance Barber Played A Bully On The Big Bang Theory

You probably recognize Lance Barber for playing George Cooper Sr., Sheldon’s dad, in Young Sheldon. But years before this show premiered, Barber played a minor role in The Big Bang Theory. Barber played Jimmy Speckerman, Leonard Hofstadter’s (Johnny Galecki) high school bully, in the Season 5 episode “The Speckerman Recurrence.”

In this episode, Jimmy (Barber) comes across Leonard’s Facebook profile and asks him to meet up because he needs his help. Leonard agrees to meet up with Jimmy for drinks, but only so that he can "say all the things he wanted to say in high school."

However, the conversation takes another turn because Jimmy greets him like an old friend and proceeds to remind Leonard of their school days. Ultimately, Jimmy tells Leonard that he needs help with making glasses that convert non-3D movies into 3D. At this point, Sheldon stepped in to remind Jimmy of all the atrocious things he did to Leonard back in school.

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Most fans agree that this is one of the worst guest star cameos on The Big Bang Theory. It also didn’t help that Barber’s character in the show ended up being the complete opposite of the role he would go on to play in the show’s spin-off series.

How Lance Barber Really Feels About Playing Two Different Characters In The TBBT Universe

Five years after “The Speckerman Recurrence” aired, Young Sheldon was released. Surprisingly, Lance Barber had a leading role in this Big Bang Theory spin-off, playing none other than Sheldon’s father, George Cooper Sr. Of course, die-hard fans couldn’t help but notice how contrasting Barber’s role in TBBT was to his role in Young Sheldon. But Barber has nothing but good things to say about both roles.

In an interview with Entertainment Weekly, Barber admitted that he knew fans would have mixed opinions about his role in Young Sheldon after playing a bully in The Big Bang Theory. But he admitted that playing these two incredibly different characters was a great experience.

“It was fun for me because when that happened, and I got that job, it was apparent to me that that was going to be noticed, especially from how deep the fans are of those shows. So it wasn't going to go unmissed by the fandom,” he explained.

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The actor admitted that he was impressed by some of the theories fans created about his crossover between both shows. “I have heard some and there's been some weird stuff like is this a multidimensional universe,” he explained. “It's nonsense. It's an actor playing a different part!"

While his role in The Big Bang Theory was very small, Barber’s role in Young Sheldon was the complete episode. By starring in this popular sitcom for seven seasons, Barber and the rest of the Young Sheldon cast have amassed quite a fortune. As of today, Barber has a $1 million net worth.

Lance Barber Isn’t The Only Young Sheldon Actor With A Close Connection To The Original TBBT Series

While Lance Barber has a minor cameo on The Big Bang Theory, he isn’t the only Young Sheldon star with a close connection to the original series. Zoe Perry, who plays Sheldon’s mother, is the daughter of Laurie Metcalf. If this name sounds familiar, it’s because she’s the actress who plays Mary Cooper in The Big Bang Theory.

While playing a character that her mom had already played was a big challenge, Perry decided to give it a go.

“I went in knowing that I had this odd connection on my side,” Perry revealed in a 2017 interview with The Hollywood Reporter.

“Odd meaning that I am my mother’s daughter, and there was a character already established by her. I knew I had to prove to them that [casting me] would be a good idea and showcase what they were envisioning in this character in a different stage of life.”

It’s no surprise she got the role. She’s done such an incredible job playing Mary Cooper, it’s hard to imagine anyone else in this role.