‘Big Bang Theory' star Kunal Nayyar gets candid on if he'd be open to a reboot
We'd love to put this plan into motion.
After starring as astrophysicist Raj in 'The Big Bang Theory' for 12 seasons from 2007 to 2019, Kunal Nayyar would love to get the gang back together.
But, it might be too soon to be shouting 'Bazinga!' just yet.
12 Kunal Nayyar attends the 'South Asians at the Oscars' Pre-Oscars Party.
Getty Images for A-Game Public Relations
'First of all, I would be game because I'd love to spend more time with people who are my family,' Nayyar, 44. 'But look, we only ended in 2019. I'm not sure you're legally allowed to have a reunion. What? Six years after the show ends!'
'I think that would obviously have to mature a little bit,' the 'A.J. Fikry' alum continued. 'Even though the show ended in 2019, it's still on every single day, so it feels like even though the show is over, it's still on. So I think some time would have to pass, and hopefully, if I'm not too old to wear a t-shirt or a sweater vest, yes, I would love to come back on.'
The CBS sitcom followed a group of best friends and roommates and also starred Kaley Cuoco as Penny, Jim Parsons as Sheldon Cooper, Johnny Galecki as Leonard Hofstadter, Simon Helberg as Howard Wolowitz, and Mayim Bialik as Amy Farrah Fowler.
12 Kunal Nayyar and Simon Helberg on 'The Big Bang Theory.'
©CBS/Courtesy Everett Collection
When the show went off air, fans weren't completely out of the 'Big Bang' universe, as the spinoff 'Young Sheldon' started in 2017, which followed Sheldon Cooper growing up in East Texas.
'There is an entire generation of people who are watching 'Young Sheldon' for the first time, and then they realize there is an entire 12 years of a show after 'Young Sheldon,' so it's the greatest gift,' Nayyar gushed, 'and it was one of the greatest periods of our life, and we are all so lucky to have lived it.'
If the network were to get the cast back together for one more hoorah, the actor knows exactly what the close-knit friend group would be up to.
12 Beth Behrs, Kunal Nayyar on 'Big Bang Theory.'
©CBS/Courtesy Everett Collection / Everett Collection
'I think we would just be sitting on the couch eating Chinese food like we always have. That's the family, and the family always stays together,' the actor told The Post.
Looking back at his time on set, the comedian admitted that it was hard to stay in character while dealing with a room full of hilarious stars.
And one funny man, in particular, is to blame.
'You know, Simon Helberg, who played Wolowitz, is still the funniest human to have ever lived,' Nayyar stated. 'Any time I'm in a scene with him, he would just do something that would set me off. I'm not sure I was pissing them off, but we show up in front of a live audience. You have to get it right. You can't mess around. I was quite embarrassed because I would always break, and I would wait for the camera to turn to the other actor, and then I would break and come back.'
12 Nathan Fillion, Johnny Galecki, Kunal Nayyar on the CBS sitcom.
©CBS/Courtesy Everett Collection
'But I was terrible so I'm apologizing to everyone,' he added. 'We were very lucky to have a really loving and happy set for 12 years.'
These days, the 'Criminal: UK' star is still in touch with 'everyone,' explaining that their bond is one for the books.
'You can't go through a run like that without being [close],' confessed Nayyar. 'I spent more time with them than I did with my actual family. So I'm in touch with everyone. We are all still very close.'
12 'The Big Bang Theory.'
©CBS/Courtesy Everett Collection / Everett Collection
Although, don't expect this cast to have a text chain.
'It's individual text,' Nayyar teased, 'I have like 70 family group chats, so no more group chats!'
Over the years, the tech creator has taken on a variety of roles but has one genre in mind that he'd be open to exploring next.
'I would love to do true crime detective, badass kind of work,' revealed Nayyar. 'Just to explore that world, obviously, because I played one specific character on television for so long. I did a TV show on Netflix called 'Criminal: UK.' I got nominated for a BAFTA for that. I did a show for Apple called 'Suspicion.' I did a movie called 'A.J. Fikry.' Predominantly, mostly dramatic work, but it's something different and nice to explore.'
12 Laura Spencer, Kunal Nayyar in 'The Big Bang Theory.'
©CBS/Courtesy Everett Collection
Nayyar also shared who his dream co-star would be, although he couldn't pick just one.
'If Philip Seymour Hoffman were alive, he'd be my greatest guest star of all time,' Nayyar detailed. 'I love Jeffrey Wright, Tom Hanks, all the classic actors who I really, really look up to. I would love to work opposite of.'
Along with being a seasoned actor, Nayyar is proving he's more like his on-screen character than some may think, having created the new app IQ121 (pronounced IQ One-Two-One).
'I think all of us actors will admit that we bring aspects of our personality to all the characters we play,' Nayyar said about playing Raj. 'If that means a part of me is nerdy, I am happy to accept it.'
12 Kunal Nayyar's new app designed to help individuals, families and professionals organize, manage and safely store essential life documents and digital assets.
12 Kunal Nayyer in season 2 of 'Criminal: UK.'
©Netflix/Courtesy Everett Collection
12 Kunal Nayyar in 'Criminal: UK.'
©Netflix/Courtesy Everett Collection
'Biggest similarities, there are quite a few, obviously,' he expanded. 'Obviously, we are very different in real life. I have no issues talking to women. I've been married a long time now, but there are a lot of similarities. I am obsessed with 'Star Wars,' I am a big comic book nerd; there are many ways in which we are similar, and of course, there are many ways in which we are different.'
When it comes to putting his all into this work, as long as their is a creative outlet involved that he's passionate about – Nayyar is all in.
'I don't really differentiate between creating an app or acting – for me, it's all a creative process,' he shared. 'I love the idea of creating this app, and I love the idea of being on set and shooting a movie or shooting a TV series, so I don't think there is one or another. I feel, in my heart, I am going to do it with the purest energy I can.'
12 Kunal Nayyar in 'The Storied Life of AJ Fikry.'
Vertical Entertainment
12 Kunal Nayyar.
Vertical Entertainment
Nayyar's new app, meanwhile, was created while he was on a flight from London to Los Angeles, thinking of all the info he needed to get his parents before he booked their trip.
'IQ121 was actually born because I live between Los Angeles, London and New Delhi, and I have family scattered all over the world,' he explained. 'And every time I needed to book a flight for my parents to come visit me, it's like, 'Can you please scan your passport? Can I get your license? I've got to fill this out. So, I was like, why don't we have one place, a digital storehouse for the family, where we can create a place that is safe and encrypted for us to share sensitive documents.'
In this day and age of technology, it's more important than ever to have a safe and easy space to access and share documents, as well as pictures and personal information.
12 Kunal Nayyar attends the Royal Film Performance and Global Premiere of 'Gladiator II.'
Getty Images for Paramount Pictures
'That is sort of how this came together,' he added. 'For me, it was more out of a necessity. I was like we need to create something so families scattered all over the world [can access it]. This is exactly why I created this and why it's very important for our times.'
Nayyar hopes users will use IQ121 for years to come for a multitude of reasons.
'It's not just a digital storehouse for sensitive, familial documents; it's also a place [where] you can upload photographs and memories. I hope ultimately it becomes a digital file you can then hand down to generations in the family.'
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
2 hours ago
- Yahoo
You can now pre-order Pokémon Legends: Z-A for the Switch and Switch 2
Pokémon Legends: Z-A, the much-awaited follow-up to 2022's Pokémon Legends: Arceus, is now available for pre-order. You can get the digital version for the old Switch for $60 or for the new Switch 2 for $70 from Nintendo's website. In case you have no plans to get the Switch 2 anytime soon and you do get the game for the first Switch console, you can purchase an upgrade pack for $10 to get access to better graphics and higher frame rate for Nintendo's new system later on. Pre-ordering lets you pre-load the game so you can play it as soon as it becomes available on October 16. The action role-playing game is not just a follow-up to Arceus, but also a sequel to Pokémon X and Y. It's set in Lumiose City, introduced in X and Y over a decade ago, and features three available starters: Chikorita and Totodile from Gold and Silver, as well as Tepig from Black and White. Its gameplay is a mix of the real-time capture mechanics on Arceus and the old-school turn-based gameplay of traditional Pokémon titles. The game is also bringing back X and Y's Mega Evolution mechanic, which can temporarily transform a Pokémon into a much stronger monster, boosting its power and sometimes even changing its type. The physical version of Pokémon Legends: Z-A is now also available for pre-order from retailers like Walmart (Switch, Switch 2) and Best Buy (Switch, Switch 2.). It's not clear if pre-ordering the game will get you any bonuses, but the Walmart listing URLs hint at an "exclusive gift with purchase."
New York Post
4 hours ago
- New York Post
‘Miami Vice' star Don Johnson admits to smoking weed in White House during Carter administration
Don Johnson pulled the curtain back on some wild visits to the White House. Johnson, 75, claimed he once smoked a joint at the White House, and got former President George H.W. Bush to gamble on a game of golf. During an appearance on 'Jimmy Kimmel Live!,' host Jimmy Kimmel showed the actor a photo from 1975 featuring Johnson with President Jimmy Carter and musicians Chuck Leavell and Dickey Betts taken at an Allman Brothers concert. 'I don't remember that photo, but we were all stoned,' Johnson admitted. He clarified that Carter was likely not stoned. 'Well, I don't know about him,' Johnson said. 'I don't want to cast any aspersions on the former president. God rest his soul.' Johnson landed his invite to the White House after working with the Allman Brothers on a concert for Carter's presidential campaign in 1976. 'Then the fun began,' he told Kimmel. 4 Don Johnson appears on 'Jimmy Kimmel Live!' on June 4, 2025. The late-night show host questioned what kind of fun they had at the White House. 'Nobody has fun at the White House,' Kimmel said before adding, 'I have heard Willie Nelson had fun there.' 'Is that the kind of fun you had there?' he asked Johnson. 'Did you smoke at the White House?' The 'Miami Vice' star seemingly struggled to answer. 'I don't know how to answer this. Well, yes… I guess I did,' admitted Johnson. According to the veteran actor, he's visited the White House during each president's administration since Carter. Johnson continued to tell Kimmel about his escapades, including a time he played a round of golf with Bush. 'He wanted to gamble when we played golf out at Camp David,' Johnson said. 'And so I took his money,' he recalled to laughter and applause from the audience. 4 A photo from 1975 featuring Johnson with President Jimmy Carter and musicians Chuck Leavell and Dickey Betts taken at an Allman Brothers concert. 4 Don Johnson and Patti D'Arbanville attend a state dinner at the White House in Washington, DC, on Sept. 10, 1985. Penske Media via Getty Images 'I'll tell you something else: He's a trash talker, and he ran into a buzzsaw, because so am I.' When questioned about how much Bush bet, Johnson said 'it wasn't that much.' 'Eighteen or 20 bucks,' he told Kimmel, adding, 'But that's the best 18 or 20 bucks you'll ever get.' Johnson isn't the first celebrity to share wild stories from the White House. Country legend Willie Nelson originally claimed he smoked weed with someone in Carter's administration during his infamous trip to the White House. However, Carter later clarified that Nelson actually smoked with his son, James Earl 'Chip' Carter III. 4 According to the veteran actor, he's visited the White House during each president's administration since Carter. 'When Willie Nelson wrote his autobiography, he confessed that he smoked pot in the White House one night when he was spending the night with me,' Carter said in the 2020 documentary, 'Jimmy Carter: Rock & Roll President.' 'And he says that his companion that shared the pot with him was one of the servants in the White House. 'That is not exactly true — it actually was one of my sons, which he didn't want to categorize as a pot-smoker like him.'
Yahoo
6 hours ago
- Yahoo
WWE SmackDown results, highlights (June 6): John Cena hit with R-Truth chants
John Cena finally went out with the last word on one of his final WWE TV appearances. (Photo by Georgiana Dallas/WWE via Getty Images) WWE returned to Bakersfield, California, for "WWE SmackDown" before the big weekend of action in Los Angeles. The time for talk about the Money In the Bank briefcases is over, and beatings to get the upper hand were dealt. Those were mostly delivered by the faces trying to run the place over on "WWE Raw." ⚔️ Crossover of the Night An appearance from the "Sethriders" wasn't expected to open "WWE SmackDown," but that's exactly what happened, and they ran roughshod throughout the night. Advertisement It instantly became a turf war when Seth Rollins, Paul Heyman, Bronson Reed and Bron Breakker were interrupted by Solo Sikoa, Jacob Fatu and JC Mateo. That was an unexpected cherry on top of what was already transpiring. Rollins' promo beforehand was nothing special other than your typical pre-Money In the Bank "I'm going to win the briefcase" claims. This was all a fresh, pleasant surprise, though. Sikoa and Rollins' sides did an incredible job of creating tension without ending the segment in a brawl. Well done, Triple H. I'll give you your flowers for avoiding the implosion between two heel stables — something rare enough in its own right. That's the beauty of matches like the Money In the Bank ladder match. Sikoa shined in this interaction, saying Rollins had his own version of The Bloodline, and questioned which roles his henchmen were. He specifically called back to Reed's history, teaming together at War Games. That only further added to how silly and nonsensical Reed being with Rollins was, but there clearly won't be a reasonable explanation too soon. Advertisement Ultimately, this whole opener made me want Fatu vs. Breakker as soon as possible, and preferably on a PLE so that it doesn't end in a bogus DQ finish. WWE teased that match heavily, so fingers crossed that it happens one day. Another feud I never knew I needed was LA Knight vs. Rollins. 🙄 DQ of the Night Not that a reminder was needed of how good he is when speaking, but Knight received some solid mic time before his match with Aleister Black to cut a fantastic promo for Money In the Bank. He targeted all the participants and highlighted how he and Rollins haven't interacted much, which added to the intrigue of that pairing. Advertisement Then there was the surprise that shouldn't have been a surprise, which was Rollins giving Knight the win over Black with a DQ when he attacked him. Every. Single. Show. It's so damn annoying, man. Any match between decently pushed talent can't end cleanly on TV anymore. It takes the wind out of everything beforehand. 🫠 Miss of the Night WWE had the opportunity to keep all this Rollins momentum going after his trio took out Penta and Andrade. Heyman jumped on the mic to cut a promo and get cut off by Cody Rhodes, which led to the final segment between him, Uso, John Cena and Logan Paul. Advertisement You know what Rollins and crew did? They hit the bricks and just left the ring. What? They attack numerous wrestlers throughout the night, then decide not to be a part of the "biggest" angle in the company. In kayfabe, that couldn't have made less sense. Once Cena arrived, the crowd erupted with the loudest cheers of the night. Some heel champion, huh? Outside of Cena and Paul coming out on top for a change, hitting finishers on Uso and Rhodes, it was another nothing interaction, with Cena repeating everything he has already said in recent weeks. He's going to ruin wrestling, they're humble, blah, blah, blah. Fittingly, it was all capped off with "We want Truth" chants. Cena then appeared to riff off the cuff, saying, "You can't handle the truth." That was the best part of all of this, but still, the absence of Rollins was absurd. Somehow, the closing segment wasn't the... 😂 Joke of the Night WWE has to have some inside rib going on with the attempts to make as many Zelina Vega vs. The Secret Hervice matches as possible. This time, it was Vega vs. Piper Niven in a "Bakersfield Brawl." It's absolutely stunning to see the level of repetition that there's been in this women's U.S. title scene. Thankfully, this has to be the end. Advertisement Vega won with the help of Giulia, powerbombing Niven through a table. Then she attacked the champion. Overall, it was whatever. Before the match, the teasing between her and Giulia continued, which was enough evidence that Giulia won't win her ladder match tomorrow night. Regarding Giulia, she had one hell of a night overall. 👑 Uncrowned Gem of the Night 👑 The women's Money In the Bank ladder match is the better of the two on tap for the event, and with that much talent packed into one match, that should be no surprise. Put each half of the match against each other in a trio match, and you're destined for a banger. That's what we got as a little appetizer before Saturday. Advertisement The babyface squad of Rhea Ripley, Alexa Bliss and Stephanie Vaquer got the win over Roxanne Perez, Giulia and Naomi when the latter let Perez get hit with the Riptide. It was a smart move, honestly, and the commentary team pointed it out. There was essentially no point to that match other than for one team to weaken some of the competition, which was what Naomi did despite it being her partner. It was just a great match from start to finish, with everyone getting their hits in, mixing some together for fun spots. Circling back to Giulia, however there was a reference from Wade Barrett on commentary to Giulia possibly cashing in on Vega if she wins the ladder match after what she did earlier. With Vega as one of the weakest champions in recent memory, I don't know if a stupider and more unnecessary booking decision could possibly come to mind. 👍 FRIDAY NIGHT FIRE 👍 1. Interferences and dirty finishes are almost mandatory in WWE now, so if they're done even somewhat creatively, it's a plus. And that's what happened when Jimmy Uso defeated Mateo with a roll-up after Sikoa and Fatu's failed distraction attempt. Advertisement Mateo clocked Fatu off the apron, furthering the dissension in the group. That's all the match was good for. 2. To springboard off that latter highlight, Sikoa talking smack behind Fatu's back was too good not to give a separate bullet. When this guy gets really into character, it's hilarious, man. 3. The King and Queen of the Ring tournaments are back starting next week. WWE appeared to give us a possible tease for the Queen of the Ring finals between Jade Cargill and Charlotte Flair. I know the fans certainly won't like that with Flair's side, but that's a great match and rivalry we need to see, especially with Cargill going over. 4. All of the top tag teams on "WWE SmackDown" gathered around backstage with general manager Nick Aldis to try and solve the Wyatt Sicks problem. This was pretty clever and cool to see, actually. It ended with Fraxiom being the ones to call for a match first. Nothing was made official, but I'm very curious to see how this whole overbooked tag team scene is handled. 🤷 IT HAPPENED 🤷 1. Penta and Andrade defeated American Made. This was a great match and showed how awesome of a team Penta and Andrade can be together. Why isn't this an overall positive, though? Because they're not a real tag team like the Creed Brothers are. So, the Creeds were just used at the expense of Chad Gable and his story. It's fine and to be expected at this point, but it would be better to see them secure wins for the division, as "WWE Raw" is currently lacking. Advertisement To make it even worse, and more hilarious, considering what happened to Knight, Rollins and crew attacked Penta and Andrade afterward. Poor American Made isn't even worth enough of a damn to Triple H to lose via his beloved DQ. 👎 DOWN & OUT 👎 1. Regarding the Wyatt Sicks, a cryptic and non-explanatory vignette preceded the tag team meeting with Aldis. All Bo Dallas said was that he and his crew were now family, and would take what they're owed. OK. Honestly, Dallas resembling a young Jack Black was more distracting than anything. 2. Jey Uso legitimately felt like nothing more than a meme, catchphrase wrestler next to Rhodes. 👑 This "WWE SmackDown" was really weird, and you felt the three hours. As usual, a lot of mixed feelings. I give this show a Crown score of: 6/10. 👑
