Awkward Thing Johnny Galecki Did To Get Judd Hirsch To Play His Father On TBBT
Sometimes you'll go to great lengths to get what you really want.
The Big Bang Theory became a hit for many reasons. The first, of course, is its plot, which is actually quite innovative even for the nerd-centric genre. The show's focus on four geeky friends was actually a fun way to introduce viewers to the world of physicists.
The second thing on the list (but certainly of equal value) is actually the cast of the show who, over time, simply became so invested in their characters that it was hard to imagine anyone else playing them.
But we are not just talking about the main cast of the show. The supporting cast has also done a lot to make the show a success. And as it turns out, sometimes the credit for adding another iconic actor to the show had to be given to the sitcom's regulars.
So Johnny Galecki, who brilliantly played Leonard for 279 episodes, was actually responsible for getting Judd Hirsch to appear on the show as Leonard's father, Albert Hofstadter.
But the way he asked the iconic actor to join the show was actually a little awkward, Galecki recalls.
The conversation between the two happened at some event, and Johnny just couldn't help but ask Hirsch to become a part of the sitcom. But the words he used were kind of wrong...
"I said, "You want to play my dad? Do you want to play my dad?" And I realized he might have no idea what show I was talking about, or even that I was an actor," he said in an interview with Stephen Colbert.
Still, this bizarre and embarrassing story ended well. Judd Hirsch later commented that even though Galecki was staring at the floor while talking to him, he actually thought it was a great idea.
In the end, Judd Hirsch became the perfect choice to play Leonard's father on The Big Bang Theory.