Mayim Bialik's Directorial Debut Features A Surprising Big Bang Theory Star

Mayim Bialik often praises the cast of "The Big Bang Theory" for being talented. When it came time to write and direct her very first movie, 2022's "As They Made Us," Bialik called upon one of them to appear — and not the one you'd imagine. Simon Helberg, who played Howard Wolowitz in "The Big Bang Theory," was cast as Nathan, a prodigal son who is estranged from his family and copes poorly with fitting back into the fold when his father (Dustin Hoffman) is placed in hospice care. Dianna Agron stars as Nathan's sister Abigail, who is a struggling divorcee, and Candice Bergen plays Barbara, their sometimes difficult mother.

Being a drama film, you could argue that the part of Nathan is more suited to Jim Parsons, who played Bialik's on-screen partner Sheldon Cooper in "The Big Bang Theory." However, as she revealed to Variety, Bialik actually tailored the role especially for Helberg. "It was very, very special to work with Simon; I basically wrote with him in mind, but I never thought he would do this movie," she said. "It also was very important to have someone who knew me when my father passed away, who knew my family, and it felt like having a friend there." Helberg turned in a great performance that was praised by critics, as was the film in general, earning a solid 81% rating on Rotten Tomatoes.

Simon Helberg isn't the only former "The Big Bang Theory" star that Mayim Bialik has kept close professional ties with. In 2025, she appeared alongside Melissa Rauch in the third and final season of the "Night Court" reboot, playing herself in the episode "Mayim Worst Enemy." Rauch, who played Bernadette Rostenkowski in "The Big Bang Theory," stars as Judge Abby Stone, a magistrate who does the night shift at Manhattan Criminal Court. Abby is a fan of Bialik thanks to her '90s sitcom "Blossom" (which won't be getting a modern-day reboot) and is excited to meet her, but she becomes paranoid that her new friend has lost her mind and may be trying to kill her.

Interestingly, the inspiration for the storyline came from real life, with Rauch having been a huge fan of "Blossom" growing up. Speaking to People, Rauch recalled how she wrestled with telling Bialik about her love of "Blossom" when the latter joined the cast of "The Big Bang Theory" as Amy Farrah Fowler. "I was in this dilemma of, 'Do I let her know now that I am a super fan?' I have pictures of me as Blossom for Halloween as a kid, I knew the whole dance." When she did eventually tell Bialik, she was "so kind and gracious," Rauch said. The pair remain close friends to this day.

Bialik has also continued to work with Jim Parsons. Not only do they sometimes spend time together off-screen, with Bialik attending Parsons' wedding, he co-executive produced her Fox sitcom "Call Me Kat." On top of that, they appeared together as Sheldon and Amy in the series finale of "Young Sheldon." If you missed it and you want to know what happened to them, here's how Amy and Sheldon's lives have changed since "The Big Bang Theory."