The Real Reason Jim Parsons Was So Sweaty During Sheldon And Amy's Big Bang Theory First Kiss
From Jamie and Claire's passionate make-outs in Outlander to Rachel and Ross'breathtaking (and long-awaited) first kiss on Friends, TV makes swapping spit look so out of this world romantic. But kissing for the screen isn't all it's cracked up to be, and that's mostly because — outside a handful of kisses that weren't supposed to happen — it's work and totally contrived. Despite many TV smooches being so dramatic you'll want to hit pause, you'd be surprised by how many are pretty awkward.
In the case of The Big Bang Theory stars Jim Parsons and Mayim Bialik — the two actors behind one of TV's slowest burns ever — the chemistry between their geeky characters Sheldon and Amy was already gawky. But when the time actually came for their big kiss, things got even more uncomfortable for the actors, who were working under some rather sickly circumstances.
Romance-averse Sheldon had kept physical affection to a skeletal minimum, so when Shamy finally took that step during the CBS comedy's seventh season in the form of an anger-turned-passion Valentine's Day kiss, it was a perfect encapsulation of the characters' awkward but cute chemistry. Even if it ultimately divided the fans of the show.
Behind the scenes, though, that peck was anything but ideal. That's because Parsons was sick with flu while filming the scene, according to USA Today. In an interview with the outlet, the two actors recalled the moment, with Parsons pointing out that his co-star "kept swishing around with Listerine or whatever to kill my germs."
Bialik quickly clarified that it was actually mouth wash. "Hydrogen peroxide," she said. "You were sweating. You had a fever. You were very sick."
In response, Parsons quipped that had it been his choice, and she was sick, "I would not have kissed you."
The story behind Shamy's first time is more sweet than snotty
While shooting that kiss wasn't so pleasant, when it came time for Shamy's first hook up in season 9, Bialik told Glamour that she found the news of their first time not only shocking but so embarrassing she didn't tell her mother. "I was honestly surprised. I didn't know if we were ready for it," she said. "There's so much that has gone on, but Jim [Parsons] and I were both surprised that the writers were ready to take it to this level right now."
How they found out provided a mix of surprise and laughs, with the actress sharing that she and Parsons learned of the relationship development the night before the episode's table read. Bialik said that while she typically waits to read the scripts "until the next morning right before we sit down at the table," this one time, she actually read it the night she got it. She was the first to learn the news, and broached it with her co-star.
"This one time, I started reading, and I passed Jim [Parsons] in the hallway, and I said, 'Did you read the script yet?!' He said, 'No. Do we do it?' and I said, 'YES!' He was like, 'What?!' He just threw it out there as a joke. We couldn't believe it," Bialik said.
Much like everything between the two, it was a balance between humor and sweet sincerity, with the actress telling Glamour that she realized the writers could have made "an ick' factor out of this" but opted for something more touching. "We explore more what it's like to have that kind of connection with someone that you've been so intimate with every other way," she said. "It's sweet. It's really sweet. And it's satisfying too."
The episode was a significant moment in the show and characters' history, and one both Bialik and fans could appreciate — even if Parsons was happy to be done with it. "It was ridiculous!" Bialik said. "Jim was like, 'I hope we don't have to do this again!'"