A Big Bang Theory Star Flew Under The Radar In Some Of The Best 2000s Comedies

While he wouldn't become an official main character until Season 8 — and even then, typically found himself on the periphery of the show's central friend group — Stuart quickly became a fan favorite among viewers of "The Big Bang Theory." Initially just the meek comic book store owner that the guys would sporadically interact with, an unscripted line from actor Kevin Sussman made Stuart a more interesting and complex character from that point on.

There's no doubt that Stuart is Sussman's most well known character, and with the perfectly-titled upcoming spinoff "Stuart Fails to Save the Universe," that isn't likely to change anytime soon. However, the actor has been prolific outside of the "Big Bang Theory" franchise, not just on television but also in movies. In fact, Sussman's film credits include a few beloved comedies from the 2000s. 

The actor's second film credit saw him play a small role in "Almost Famous," which he immediately followed up by starring in the ensemble cult comedy, "Wet Hot American Summer." Then, in 2008, just before the debut of "The Big Bang Theory," Sussman showed up in the underrated Coen brothers gem "Burn After Reading."

Don't be surprised if you didn't realize Kevin Sussman was in "Wet Hot American Summer," as that movie had an absolutely stacked cast of contemporary and future comedy heavyweights and superstars who were still on the rise. The incredible ensemble included Paul Rudd, Michael Showalter, Amy Poehler, Elizabeth Banks, David Hyde Pierce, Molly Shannon, Janeane Garofalo, and Bradley Cooper in his film debut. Sussman had a small role as Steve, a guy who seemingly possesses the power to control the weather as demonstrated during the talent show. Sussman reprised the role for the 2015 prequel series, "Wet Hot American Summer: First Day of Camp."

Admittedly, Sussman's roles in both "Almost Famous" and "Burn After Reading" were even smaller, and his character actually doesn't have a name in the latter. That being said, the actor's comedy film output in the 2000s doesn't end there. Sussman spent that decade quietly building up his body of character work in films like "Sweet Home Alabama," "Hitch," "For Your Consideration," "Kissing Jessica Stein," and "Taking Woodstock." He also had a role in the first season of "Ugly Betty" in 2006.

Sussman's roles weren't limited to comedies, either. The actor also appeared in the Stanley Kubrick-turned-Steven Spielberg sci-fi movie "A.I. Artificial Intelligence," the Ben Affleck and Samuel L. Jackson legal thriller "Changing Lanes," and the direct-to-video horror movie "Insanitarium."