Initially introduced as a rival to Jim Parsons’ Sheldon, Wil Wheaton continued to make frequent appearances in the hit show The Big Bang Theory, playing a fictionalized version of himself. Throughout his journey on the show, one particular moment stood out as truly unforgettable.
In Episode 11 of Season 9, the group eagerly awaits the premiere of a new Star Wars movie. When Sheldon opts to spend the evening with Amy, leaving one seat vacant, the group invites Wheaton to join them. And his appearance in the scene left the cast and crew in stitches.
Wil Wheaton’s Star Trek Surprise That Had Cast and Crew in Stitches
After the group invites Wil Wheaton to join them for the Star Wars film premiere, the actor decides to playfully mock the Star Wars franchise by showing up in Star Trek’s Spock attire.
Wheaton, known for his role as Wesley Crusher in Star Trek: The Next Generation, encountered boos from the audience. When questioned by Leonard, he quipped, “I was on Star Trek, just rooting for the home team.”
In response to an audience member’s criticism of Star Trek, Wheaton humorously invoked Spock’s famous catchphrase, saying, “Live long and Suck it.” Speaking to Express.co.uk, he revealed that his surprise appearance caught everyone off guard.
Only some of the writers knew, no one from the studio knew, none of the crew knew. So I come out and the explosion of like pants-s****ing laughter that comes out in that moment was genuine and it came from the entire cast and crew.
“When you can kill the crew on a sitcom, it feels really, really, really good. It’s like hitting a home run,” Wheaton said describing the surprised reactions that made it a cherished memory for him.
How Will Wheaton Was Cast in The Big Bang Theory
After joining the sitcom in Season 3, Wil Wheaton appeared in 17 episodes throughout The Big Bang Theory. Reflecting on how he landed the role, Wheaton revealed he initially thought the offer was a prank.
In a conversation with Larry King, he shared that he loved the show and received the offer to join it after he expressed his appreciation for the sitcom on X (Twitter). He said,
I was talking on Twitter about how much I loved the show and how I thought it was really funny and Steven Molaro… contacted me and he said, “Hey, I’m a writer on the show if you ever want to come to a taping, let me know.”
Initially dismissing it as a joke from a friend, Wheaton ignored the message. However, upon receiving the email again the following day, he decided to follow up on it.
It turned out that the showrunners were indeed interested in casting him as a nemesis for Sheldon, portraying an antagonistic version of himself in the series.
Wheaton was delighted with the offer and accepted it. Over time, his character evolved from a nemesis to becoming an ally of Sheldon Cooper, a transition that pleased Wheaton and the show’s fans alike.
The Big Bang Theory is available to stream on Max.
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