One Of The Main TBBT Cast Members Would've Been Fired Right After Pilot If Not for Chuck Lorre
The Big Bang Theory gained worldwide success thanks to a multitude of funny yet edgy jokes and a unique concept that revolves around likable nerdy characters, who were brought to life by the talented cast.
So, it would be hard to imagine anyone else taking on the roles of the characters the audience has come to love. But little did we know, there's one cast member who would've been fired after the pilot episode if not for showrunner Chuck Lorre.
Since its premiere, TBBT garnered a lot of attention as it stood out from all other sitcoms that came before it, and the characters were at the very center of it.
Whether it was due to their sense of humor or quirky traits, the characters were the real driving force behind the show's success. And this was not only thanks to the writers of the sitcom but also to the actors who made these roles their own and delivered a stand-out performance.
But while we see their depiction as seamless and natural, not everyone was so sure about the delivery in the show's early days. In fact, it turns out Kunal Nayyar was almost dismissed from the series after the pilot.
Showrunner Chuck Lorre revealed in the new book The Big Bang Theory: The Definitive, Inside Story of the Epic Hit Series how he discovered during the show's upfronts that a CBS executive had single-handedly decided Nayyar wasn't the right person for the job. Not only that, but he was, in fact, going to be recast. Unsurprisingly, Lorre didn't respond well to this unexpected decision, which was made without consulting him.
"If you go back and watch the pilot, we didn't really give him much of a chance in that episode. It wasn't because Kunal didn't deliver, it was because we still hadn't quite landed on his character," he stated.
Convinced that Nayyar didn't have a proper chance to adapt to the role, Lorre didn't let it slide. So, he called the executives and told them they couldn't fire the actor as he believed in him and that he would take responsibility for his decision. He added, "I wasn't about to recast that part because someone else made a decision. It seemed so unfair to cut the actor from the series based on what—the two lines where he whispered to Wolowitz?"
And as time has shown, Lorre made the right call fighting for Nayyar. If it wasn't for him, we wouldn't have been able to watch him thriving as Raj for 12 whole seasons!