American actor Jim Parsons is best known for his Emmy-winning role as Sheldon Cooper on CBS’s sitcom The Big Bang Theory (TBBT). His portrayal of the eccentric, socially awkward genius turned him into one of the most recognizable faces on television for over a decade. At the peak of his stardom on TBBT, Parsons was the world’s highest-paid television actor, according to Forbes.
However, not long before Jim Parsons was catapulted to superstardom, he auditioned for a very different role. Interestingly, if he had landed the role, it might have changed the trajectory of his entire career. Looking back now, it’s one of those “what if” Hollywood stories that makes you wonder how television history might have turned out had things gone another way.
Jim Parsons Tried Out for Barney Stinson
It’s fascinating to think about how different How I Met Your Mother (HIMYM) could have been with Jim Parsons in the mix. Parsons auditioned for the part of Barney Stinson on How I Met Your Mother (HIMYM), the legendary sitcom role that eventually went to Neil Patrick Harris. Before The Big Bang Theory came along, Jim Parsons was a struggling actor looking for a big break. Like many performers in Hollywood, Parsons auditioned for countless roles, hoping one would stick.
Parsons revealed in Jessica Radloff’s The Big Bang Theory: The Definitive, Inside Story Of The Epic Hit Series that he initially gave the Barney role his best shot but ultimately couldn’t convince himself and the casting directors he was the right fit. He admitted that while he read the part, he struggled to see himself as the “big lug of a guy” the casting breakdown required for the character. In hindsight, Parsons himself has joked about how miscast he would have been as Barney Stinson. Even he recognized that his strengths as an actor leaned more towards intellectual, offbeat characters rather than smooth-talking playboys. While it might have undoubtedly been a disappointment at the time, the rejection ultimately worked in Parsons’ favor.
Why Jim Parsons Would Have Been a Very Different Barney Stinson
It’s worth imagining what Jim Parsons as Barney Stinson might have looked like. Parsons has an understated delivery style and excels at playing quirky, analytical characters. Sheldon Cooper, the role that made Parsons famous, is the complete opposite of Barney Stinson, an ultimate extrovert. Neil Patrick Harris’s performance leaned heavily into physical comedy, charisma, and improv-like energy. While Parsons could certainly have brought humor to the role, it would have been a different kind of humor.
His would have been more deadpan and less flamboyant. Without Harris’s manic energy, Barney may never have become the cultural phenomenon he was. In short, the chemistry of the cast could have been completely different, altering the legacy of the series. The casting of Barney Stinson was crucial to HIMYM’s identity, with the character becoming a fan favorite thanks to Harris’s over-the-top charm and courageous schemes.
How Missing Out on Barney Led Jim Parsons to Sheldon Cooper
As disappointing as that failed audition might have been at the time, Jim Parsons has openly acknowledged that it was a blessing in disguise. Chuck Lorre was looking to create a new sitcom after Two and a Half Men turned out to be a success. According to the casting breakdown for Sheldon Cooper’s character, the actor would need to be able to “rattle off line after line of tightly composed, rhythmic dialogue, as well as then do something with his face or body during the silence that follows.”
While many actors would have found this challenging, Jim Parsons, unlike his hesitation with Barney Stinson, fell in love with the prospect of Sheldon Cooper. The role turned out to be tailor-made for him, playing into his strengths as an actor with impeccable timing, a unique voice, and a sharp comedic instinct. Parsons went on to star as Sheldon Cooper for 12 seasons, winning four Primetime Emmy Awards and a Golden Globe.
Parsons began The Big Bang Theory with a salary of $60,000 per episode in 2007. By the final season, he and other top cast members earned $1 million per episode and one percent of the show’s earnings. In a way, television history owes a debt to that failed Barney Stinson audition. Neil Patrick Harris got the chance to embody the iconic character, freeing up Jim Parsons to be available to audition for Sheldon Cooper in The Big Bang Theory sitcom.
Follow Us
