'I was not happy': Jim Parsons admits his run in 'The Big Bang Theory' was 'miserable' at times
Jim Parsons, who played neurotic fan-favorite physicist Sheldon Cooper in The Big Bang Theory, recently admitted that his role made him extremely unhappy at one point.
Speaking in the podcast All Out with Jon Dean on July 13, Parsons, 53, said he was "miserable" at the height of The Big Bang Theory's fame.
"I look back now and realize that there were many ways, at some of the best moments of my life, I was miserable...I was not happy. I was stressed," Parsons said.
"I listed things basically in my head that I had to get done in order to be comfortable and know that I could do my job right, which I don't think was true," he added.
The show ran for 13 seasons, from 2007 to 2019, during which Parsons won a Golden Globe and four Emmy Awards for his role.
When the series started to take off, Parsons said he put too much pressure on himself to stay disciplined.
"I felt that there were so many plates I was supposed to be keeping in the air and that the success and the good things of life that were happening were only due to this overworking," Parsons said.
Although people could argue that Parsons just had a strong work ethic, the actor called it "obsessive behavior, basically."
"Yes, I was disciplined. Yes, I had a good work ethic. But a lot of it was because it was kind of OCD in nature," he said.
According to the National Institute of Mental Health, OCD, or obsessive-compulsive disorder, is a long-lasting mental health condition defined by uncontrollable, unwanted thoughts, or obsessions, and repetitive behaviors, or compulsions.
The psychological difficulty Parsons experienced was too much that the actor shared he wouldn't do a second run.
"I wouldn't do that again and for any amount of money," he said. "It was stressful and miserable at times. I made myself miserable."
As a result, he said he "missed tons of life."
Still, Parsons acknowledged how the show ultimately propelled him to his current circumstances.
"I wouldn't be where I am right now if I hadn't had that time of life and that somewhat self-tortured nature was part of it," he said, adding that his sharing of that time of his life was not him complaining.
"This is not a complaint. This is just me having the grace to myself to admit it and look at it cleanly, or as clearly as I can," he said.
Since he played Cooper for over 10 years, Parsons admitted he would long be recognized as the fictional physicist. But he has adjusted his relationship to the role. This change has allowed him to get back on the path to happiness.
"It's evolving, and it gets better all the time. What I feel is better, what I feel is healthier," he said.
Parsons is currently starring in Titanique on Broadway as Ruth DeWitt Bukater, Rose's mother.
