What scene from "The Big Bang Theory" had Mayim Bialik feeling immensely stressed out
and self-conscious?
Keep watching to find out what happy character moment felt like a nightmare for the actor.
"The Big Bang Theory" was one of television's longest-running and most successful sitcoms.
Starring Johnny Galecki, Jim Parsons, Kaley Cuoco, and Mayim Bialik among others, the
show featured a bunch of nerds stumbling through life and love, trying their best to find their
own personal happiness.
The show was adored by millions of fans worldwide during its run, running for an astonishing
12 seasons before finally coming to an end in 2019.
But making the show wasn't without its difficulties for Bialik, especially when it came to filming
the show's iconic wedding scene.
Bialik played the brilliant and Dr. Amy Farrah Fowler, who meets Dr. Sheldon Cooper, played
by Parsons, on an arranged date.
She and Sheldon start out a bit rocky, as tends to be the case with most relationships
Sheldon gets into throughout the show, romantic or otherwise.
But as they get to know one another, their budding friendship eventually turns into something
more.
She makes him a better man, and once he finally matures just enough to realize that, he proposes.
At the end of Season 11, Amy and Sheldon finally get married.
But while fans of the show were jumping for joy, behind the scenes, it was extremely difficult
for Bialik to pretend to be a smiling, happy bride.
In a blog post published on Grok Nation the night before the episode aired, she revealed
that it really affected her on a personal level because,
"As a divorced woman, it's hard to revisit that moment and those decisions."
She also revealed that prior to filming the scenes, she had been out sick for a month.
The illness was treated with antibiotics which promoted weight gain.
She wrote that she, quote, "felt ashamed" and that she felt like people were judging
her weight and appearance despite the fact that she had no control over it.
She wrote,
"Even though everyone said I looked beautiful, I didn't feel completely beautiful."
Feeling down and out regarding her appearance during her wedding episode of "The Big Bang
Theory" wasn't the only issue Bialik had to contend with.
Like many performers, Bialik has been open about her battle with anxiety.
She spoke about it at length during a 2021 episode of her podcast, "Bialik Breakdown."
While speaking with her "Big Bang Theory" costar Kevin Sussman, Bialik said,
"With acting stuff, my level of anxiety surrounding performing is very, very high."
And unfortunately it's only heightened when she does improvisational acting, something
she was called upon to do occasionally on "The Big Bang Theory."
She explained,
"And when I've tried to do things like improv — things that are very, kind of, free form,
I freeze.
I literally freeze.
It's like an instant knot in your throat [...] it's stuck and there are tears there.
Like, I want to cry."
Many other celebrities, including Ryan Reynolds and Emma Stone, have also opened up about
dealing with anxiety as individuals who have to perform for a living.
Even for the most successful stars, it's not easy, and Bialik went on to discuss how specifically
it impacted her time on "Big Bang Theory."
"I've had this a handful of times when working on 'Big Bang Theory' when there was a certain
way they wanted a line delivered, and I was like, 'Oh okay, I got that.
I'll do that in the next take.'
And I do it, but it's still not right.
And sometimes it's like the audience isn't laughing, you know it's not funny [...] I
can usually do about four takes or five takes before my throat starts to do that thing."
While discussing her social anxiety, Bialik revealed on her YouTube channel that she has
made the decision not to take medication.
"I choose to live with it, and to struggle through it, and to find new ways that I can
feel freer to be myself."
Fortunately, there are other ways in which Bialik manages her anxiety.
She revealed that she goes to therapy and practices meditation.
She's also a big fan of weighted blankets.
It may have been tough; fortunately, resources are available to those who struggle with anxiety,
and Bialik was able to do phenomenally during her time on "The Big Bang Theory."
Check out one of our newest videos right here!
Plus, even more Looper videos about your favorite stars are coming soon.
Subscribe to our YouTube channel and hit the bell so you don't miss a single one.