TV - Movies
The Big Bang
Theory Scene That
Unexpectedly Left
Johnny Galecki
In Tears
By CHRISTIAN SCHOON
One of the primary reasons Leonard Hofstadter so perfectly filled the role of touchstone for viewers of “The Big Bang Theory” lies in Johnny Galecki's approachable, utterly believable performance. And as revealed in a recently published book taking fans behind the scenes of the iconic show, one scene left the actor in tears after filming but ended up being vital to his relatable portrayal of Leonard.
In Season 1, Episode 6 titled "The Middle Earth Paradigm," Penny throws a big Halloween party in her apartment. Leonard shows up as a pointy-eared Hobbit, hoping to show Penny he can fit into her circle of friends. But things take a disappointing turn when Leonard manages to insult Penny’s ex-boyfriend Kurt's marginal intelligence and he hoists Leonard off his hairy Hobbit feet.
As Galecki says in the new book, the scene took him back to his youth. "Him picking me up as Leonard really affected me to the point where I think I cried after we shot the episode. [...] it really dug up some old schoolyard stuff for me." However, Galecki walked away ultimately feeling good about it and stated that was the moment he really began to understand and relate to the character.