You Won’t Believe Which 90s Child Star Was Supposed to Play TBBT’s Leonard
Was the Home Alone actor not ready to become a TV sensation?
Although it feels like the cast of The Big Bang Theory was always meant to be the way it was, it was actually nothing more than a series of happy coincidences, just like with any other show.
The only casting decision that show creators Chuck Lorre and Bill Prady were certain about was Jim Parsons as Sheldon Cooper, and for everyone else, it was pretty much an open call. Kaley Cuoco, for example, didn't even have a role at the beginning because Penny didn't exist. She was going to be Katie, who was going to be played by another actress, Amanda Walsh.
Howard Wolowitz, on the other hand, was written specifically to showcase the acting abilities of another cast member, Kevin Sussman, but ended up being portrayed by Simon Helberg due to a scheduling conflict. And even Helberg came close to turning down the opportunity to do the show altogether.
One of the actors who was offered a major role in the show, but walked away from it, was Macaulay Culkin, the star of the 90's Christmas classic, Home Alone. The actor's charisma was exactly what Lorre and Prady needed for the character of Leonard, so they pitched the show directly to him.
They reflected on the conversation they had with Culkin in Jessica Radloff's book The Big Bang Theory: The Definitive, Inside Story of the Epic Hit Series:
“There’s a special ethereal quality to that actor that I thought might be great. We had a terrific meeting with Macaulay and then we heard that he had decided he wasn’t interested,” the show creators mentioned.
Although it was a surprising decision, it led to Johnny Galecki joining the cast and sweeping the viewers off their feet with his slightly awkward and nerdy, yet extremely charming Leonard Hofstadter.
It's hard to imagine Leonard being any different, and as much as we love Macaulay Culkin, it's safe to say that everything turned out the way it was supposed to. However, if you want to rewatch a few episodes of Leonard's reinvention just for the fun of it, you can stream The Big Bang Theory on Netflix or Max.
Source: The Big Bang Theory: The Definitive, Inside Story of the Epic Hit Series