Jim Parsons
Jim Parsons, the son of a teacher and a plumbing supply company president, showed an early aptitude for the arts with piano lessons beginning in kindergarten. After writing scripts and staging productions at home throughout childhood, he filled his teen years with high school plays and studied his craft at the University of Houston. After earning a master's degree at University of San Diego in 2001, he headed for New York and eventually found work off-Broadway, on "Judging Amy" and in the film "Garden State." In 2006, he auditioned for the part (Twice!) that has made him a household name and one of the highest paid sitcom stars ($1 million an episode) — socially awkward and super smart theoretical physicist Sheldon Cooper on "The Big Bang Theory." The show debuted in 2007 and Parsons has taken home four Outstanding Lead Actor in A Comedy Emmys for the part in 2010, 2011, 2013, 2014. During his hiatus, he often retreats to films ("The Muppets" and ("Wish I Was Here") or Broadway. He starred in a 2011 revival of AIDS drama "The Normal Heart," which led to him being cast in the Emmy-winning TV adaptation alongside Julia Roberts and Mark Ruffalo. In 2012, he quietly came out in a New York Times article that mentioned. He has been dating Todd Spiewak for 12 years.
