Young Sheldon Cast: A Dramatic Transformation

Iain Armitage was eight when he won the role of Sheldon Cooper in “Young Sheldon,” but it was hardly his first acting gig. Armitage first gained recognition much earlier on the YouTube series “Iain Loves Theatre.” This helped him move forward in the industry, and he went on to work as a correspondent for Perez Hilton. After this, Armitage landed in “Law & Order: Special Victims Unit,” which he followed up by playing Ziggy Chapman in “Big Little Lies.”

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Armitage continued acting in “Big Little Lies” while simultaneously playing Sheldon in his eponymous show. It’s undeniable that Armitage was well cast to portray a younger version of Sheldon, as he affected Jim Parsons’ mannerisms from “The Big Bang Theory” to perfection. This was impressive, given his young age, and he had little trouble proving he had what it took to play a complex character with little understanding of social norms from one season to the next.

When “Young Sheldon” ended, Armitage set his sights on other interests, though he’s hardly retired from acting. He has several things in common with his on-screen counterpart, as he’s something of a polyglot. Armitage enjoys learning new languages and has picked up Armenian, Ukrainian, Russian, Arabic, and several others, though he’s not fully fluent in all of them. On top of that, Armitage loves flying, so he went out and got himself a pilot’s license, celebrating his first solo flight via an Instagram post in July 2024.

Zoe Perry has had an interesting career as an actor, thanks in large part to her mother, Laurie Metcalf. Her first credited acting role was in “Roseanne,” playing a younger version of her mom’s character, Jackie Harris. She established her career at a very young age, and she went on to appear in numerous television series, including “Private Practice,” “Grey’s Anatomy,” “The Family,” and many more. Perry also popped up in several movies in minor roles, but TV is where her career flourished.

Perry joined the cast of “Young Sheldon” as Mary Cooper, the titular character’s mother. It’s the role that made Perry famous, and as it happens, it’s similar to her first performance. Metcalf played Mary Cooper in “The Big Bang Theory,” and just like in “Roseanne,” she followed in her mother’s footsteps, playing a younger version of a character she popularized. She did a fantastic job and earned herself a Critics’ Choice Television Award nomination for her work as Mary in “Young Sheldon.”

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Perry kept things going in “Georgie & Mandy’s First Marriage,” so she won’t be finished with the character anytime soon. She’s also set to follow her mother once more. She joined the cast of “The Conners,” where she won’t play a younger version of Metcalf. Instead, she’ll finally have the opportunity to act opposite her, portraying a police officer in two episodes, where she’ll try to dissuade Jackie from rejoining the force because of her age.

Lance Barber had a walk-on role in “The Big Bang Theory,” playing Jimmy Speckerman, one of Leonard’s (Johnny Galecki) bullies in high school, before finding his way to “Young Sheldon.” That was one minor role in a long career, as Barber began acting in television in 2001. He’s appeared in numerous popular series over the years and has had several film roles.

He’s probably best known for playing Bill Ponderosa in “It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia,” where he’s appeared in about a dozen episodes. In “Young Sheldon,” Barber took on the role of George Cooper Sr., the Cooper family patriarch. George never seems to fully understand Sheldon, but it’s clear throughout the series that he cares for him a great deal. There are many touching moments spread throughout the show, which is made all the more disheartening for fans of “The Big Bang Theory.”

That’s because they knew going in that George wasn’t long for this world. Indeed, his character was killed off in the penultimate episode, leaving the finale for the family to deal with his loss. Because his character died, you’d think Barber would be finished playing him when “Young Sheldon” ended, but that’s not the case. He had the opportunity to return in a single episode of “Georgie & Mandy’s First Marriage.” in the episode “Typhoid George,” George Sr. returns via several dream sequences in a lovely homage to Barber’s popular character.

Montana Jordan first came to the world’s attention via “Young Sheldon,” but it wasn’t the young actor’s first role. That came in 2015 when he joined the cast of “The Legacy of a Whitetail Deer Hunter” as Jaden. Outside of that one film, which was released in 2018, Jordan’s entire career has largely revolved around “The Big Bang Theory’s” lore, including an episode of the series where he appears on an old VHS tape alongside Iain Armitage in the aptly titled “The VCR Illumination.”

Jordan played George “Georgie” Jr., rocking a pretty impressive mullet throughout the series run. Georgie’s character was based on an older version played by Jerry O’Connell in “The Big Bang Theory,” and Jordan did an exceptional job bringing his younger self to life each week. Georgie goes through many changes throughout the show, maturing from a wayward youth into a more responsible young man who gets married and has a baby before the show concludes.

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That set up Jordan’s future, as he continues to play Georgie in “Georgie & Mandy’s First Marriage.” That series is taking up much of his professional time, but it’s not all he has going on these days. Jordan met and dated social media personality Jenna Weeks, and they became engaged in January 2025. The couple welcomed their daughter, Emma Rae Jordan, into the world in May of the previous year, so Jordan’s real life has somewhat mirrored his character’s.

Raegan Revord was only nine when she took on the role of Sheldon’s twin sister, Missy Cooper, in “Young Sheldon,” but it wasn’t her first time in front of the camera. That came via “Modern Family,” where she played Megan in two episodes. She then went on to appear in several series, including “W/Bob & David,” “Grace and Frankie,” and “Teachers,” before making her way onto the TV show that would make her a star.

As Missy Cooper, Revord played a younger version of the character Courtney Henggeler first portrayed in “The Big Bang Theory.” Unlike her older self, as a child, Missy is more carefree and less academically inclined than Sheldon, but she’s a sweet little girl who cares for her family and puts up with her brother’s idiosyncrasies better than most adults can muster. Missy didn’t have as many story arcs as some of the other characters in “Young Sheldon,” but she’s transitioned as a guest in “Georgie & Mandy’s First Marriage,” so there’s more Missy to come.

Revord hasn’t retired from acting but doesn’t have anything on the horizon other than the spinoff as of early 2025. In the meantime, Revord, who is an avid reader, has published her first novel, “Rules for Fake Girlfriends.” Another thing she’s been doing since “Young Sheldon” ended is hosting her own book club, “Read with Reagan.” She started doing it because, as she told People, “I didn’t see that space for kids to fall in love with reading.”

Jim Parsons shot to superstardom thanks to his role as Sheldon Cooper in “The Big Bang Theory,” so it’s difficult to imagine him playing another. Still, he started acting years earlier, first in the theater and then in “Ed” before he transitioned to film in “Happy End.” He landed several roles in films and television in the early 2000s, including “Garden State,” “Judging Amy,” and “The Great New Wonderful” before finding the role that made him famous.

As Sheldon, Parsons established himself as the primary lead in a series that initially featured five co-leads. While everyone involved in the show certainly played a significant role, Sheldon cemented himself as the core of the group, even if the other folks around him didn’t like it. That’s the personality Parsons crafted in making Sheldon such a fascinating character, and he was one of the main reasons the series flourished.

Before it ended, Parsons took on the role of executive producer and narrator in “Young Sheldon,” covering the series in each episode as Sheldon looks back on his youth, explaining events from his point of view. Aside from a brief cameo in the finale, Parsons doesn’t make an appear appearance, as he’s portrayed by Iain Armitage, but his voice is a constant companion. When the show ended, Parsons decided to return to the theater, acting in several productions, including “A Man of No Importance,” “Mother Play,” and “Our Town” on Broadway.

Annie Potts’ career kicked off in the 1970s, and right out of the gate, she proved she had what it took to be an accomplished actor. She was nominated for a Golden Globe Award for her work in “Corvette Summer,” but is probably best known for her film acting in the 1980s, which includes “Ghostbusters,” “Pretty in Pink,” “Who’s Harry Crumb?” and many others. Potts’ biggest role during this time was on television, playing Mary Jo Jackson Shively in “Designing Women,” for which she was nominated for a Primetime Emmy Award.

Potts played Connie “Meemaw” Tucker in “Young Sheldon,” Mary’s mother and Sheldon’s grandmother. The character was previously played by June Squibb in “The Big Bang Theory,” and it’s clear that Potts took notes in portraying a younger version. Meemaw is an important part of Sheldon’s upbringing, and she’s one of the few characters who may not understand him, but she knows Sheldon’s unique personality and loves him for his quirks like only a grandmother can.

After “Young Sheldon,” Potts joined the guest cast of “Georgie & Mandy’s First Marriage,” and she also played Gigi in “40 Dates and 40 Nights.” Before the series concluded, she managed to reprise her role as Janine Melnitz in “Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire.” Potts is also active on Cameo, where she records videos for fans. Regarding retirement, as she explained to Glamour, “I don’t think I’ll ever get bored of it. I’ll never retire, ever.”

Emily Osment began acting as a child, appearing in “The Secret Life of Girls” and “Sarah, Plain and Tall: Winter’s End” in her first year. After that, she landed the role of Gerti Giggles in the “Spy Kids” franchise and gained widespread fame as Lilly Truscott/Lola Luftnagle in “Hannah Montana.” That role solidified Osment as an actor to watch, earning her a Teen Choice Award in 2009, and she went on to develop a significant career throughout her adolescence.

By the time she joined the cast of “Young Sheldon,” she had dozens of roles under her belt. Osment was cast to play Amanda “Mandy” McAllister in “Young Sheldon,” joining in the series’ fifth season. She’s older than Georgie, who lies about his age (she does the same) when they start dating. Georgie pursues her despite their age difference, and they wind up having a baby together and getting married.

This establishes the premise of “Georgie & Mandy’s First Marriage,” which is where Osment is spending most of her professional time post-“Young Sheldon.” Outside of acting, Osment’s love life has drawn public attention, but not for especially great reasons. Osment married Jack Anthony in October 2024, but after five months of marriage, she filed for divorce, citing “irreconcilable differences.” The couple got engaged in 2023 and appeared to be going strong. Despite issues in her personal life, she continues to play Mandy in her own series.

Wyatt McClure began acting in 2014, appearing in “Miss Meadows” in an uncredited role. His next two parts were also uncredited in “The Fault in Our Stars” and an episode of “Camp Nottahope.” McClure finally got credit in 2015’s “Between 2 Phat Kids,” and he spent much of the next decade appearing in a variety of TV series and films, including “The Terror of Hallow’s Eve,” “The Santa Clauses,” and more.

McClure played the Cooper family’s neighbor, Billy Sparks, in “Young Sheldon.” He appeared in 43 episodes in a minor role, often as an annoyance to Sheldon. Billy keeps chickens, which terrifies Sheldon and causes a rift between them. Also, Billy is the intellectual opposite of the future Nobel laureate, making him something of a humorous foil early in the series. Despite his humble IQ, Billy is a sweet child who is constantly smiling, which is also true of the young actor who portrayed him.

While he doesn’t have any acting credits after “Young Sheldon,” McClure isn’t sitting at home with nothing to do. Instead, he works as an advocate for people with disabilities, and he himself has cerebral palsy, which has limited his physicality. McClure doesn’t let it get him down, and you’d have trouble finding a picture of him without his signature smile on social media, where he often posts about what he’s up to and how he inspires others with limitations in overcoming them.