Art imitates life for Emmy-winning actor Jim Parsons.
The Big Bang Theory star married his longtime partner Todd Spiewak at the Rainbow Room in New York on Saturday night, his representative Jillian Roscoe confirmed to USA TODAY. New York Post's Page Six first reported the nuptials Sunday.
In November, Parsons posted on Instagram that he met graphic designer Spiewak 14 years earlier, and "it was the best thing that ever happened to me, no contest."
A post shared by Jim Parsons (@therealjimparsons) on
Parsons, 44, came out as gay in a 2012 New York Times article that referenced his work in the Broadway play The Normal Heart. The play centered on gay men dying of AIDS in New York in the 1980s.
Parsons' real-life wedding occurred just days after his popular Big Bang character, Sheldon, proposed to Amy (Mayim Bialik) on Thursday's Season 10 finale of the series, which has been extended for two seasons. Big Bang has been such a ratings hit for CBS that a spinoff prequel called Young Sheldon is expected in the fall.
Co-creator Chuck Lorre says the growth of the relationship between Sheldon and Amy and others — resulting in breakups, marriages and a baby — is a key to the success of Big Bang (averaging 18.7 million viewers).
“The best way to explore a character is to put that character into a relationship,” says Lorre. "We started with these (brilliant scientists) who were extremely stunted in terms of their ability to connect with other human beings, especially women. And look where we are now. It's kind of mind-boggling."
Parsons, who has won four Emmys for playing Sheldon, says of the plot development, "It worked out beautifully, it's the same thing with life-changing storylines. I've never felt they were done at a time when we we were starving for something."
As for Young Sheldon, which focuses on the genius' Texas upbringing and features a new cast and no studio audience, Parsons will narrate the series, set to air this fall right after Big Bang.
"It's more of an origins story than a close cousin to Big Bang," he says. "It's more like the beginnings of a superhero, which in this case is a genius nerdy kid."
Contributing: Bill Keveney
