Jim Parsons | |
---|---|
Parsons at the premiere of Hidden Figures, December 2016
|
|
Born |
James Joseph Parsons March 24, 1973 Houston, Texas, U.S. |
Residence | Los Angeles, California, U.S. |
Alma mater | |
Occupation | Actor |
Years active | 1994–present |
Partner(s) | Todd Spiewak (c. 2002–present) |
James Joseph "Jim" Parsons (born March 24, 1973) is an American actor. He is known for playing Sheldon Cooper in the CBS sitcom The Big Bang Theory. He has received several awards for his performance, including four Primetime Emmy Awards for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series and the Golden Globe Award for Best Actor in a Television Series Musical or Comedy.
In 2011, Parsons made his Broadway debut portraying Tommy Boatwright in the play The Normal Heart, for which he received a Drama Desk Award nomination. He reprised the role in the film adaptation of the play, and received his seventh Emmy nomination, this time in the category of Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Miniseries or a Movie.
Jim Parsons was born at St. Joseph Hospital in Houston, Texas, and was raised in one of its northern suburbs, Spring. He is the son of Milton Joseph "Mickey/Jack" Parsons, Jr. (February 6, 1949 – April 29, 2001) and teacher Judy Ann (née McKnight). His sister Julie Ann Parsons is also a teacher. He attended Klein Oak High School in Spring. Parsons points to a role in Noises Off during his junior year as the first time "I fully connected with the role I was playing and started to truly understand what it meant to be honest on stage." After playing the role of the Kola-Kola bird in a school production of The Elephant's Child at age six, Parsons was determined to become an actor. The young Parsons was heavily influenced by sitcoms, particularly Three's Company, Family Ties, and The Cosby Show.