Things You Might Not Know About ‘Big Bang Theory’ Star Mayim Bialik

If you ask any fan of The Big Bang Theory they will agree that the addition of Mayim Bialik’s character Amy Farrah Fowler as a series regular was one of the best decisions the show could have made. Although she has been a wonderful and talented actress almost her entire life, there is so much more to the star and her abilities than many ever knew. From teenage star to neuroscientist to author and so much more, here are 10 things not widely known about Mayim Bialik:

10. First Kiss

Although TV fans now know actor Johnny Galecki and Mayim Bialik best as their characters on The Big Bang Theory, Leonard Hofstadter and Amy Farrah Fowler, the history between the two stars goes way back. From 1990-1995, Bialik starred in the hit NBC sitcom Blossom as the lead character, and in 1991, Galecki guest starred in the episode “Sex, Lies and Teenagers” where their characters shared a kiss. In an interview years later, Bialik also revealed that it was her first real kiss ever! “We were both 14. We kissed. It twas our first stage kiss for both,” Galecki told Conan in the 2016 interview with his fellow Big Bang Theory stars. That’s when Bialik added, “It might have been my first real life kiss also.” The two then proceeded to reenact the Blossom moment at the urging of their co-star Kunal Nayyar.

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9. Really Smart

Bialik may portray Dr. Amy Farrah Fowler who is a neuroscientist on The Big Bang Theory, but it is far from just an act. In real life, the actress is super intelligent and actually earned her Bachelor of Science degree in neuroscience from UCLA and minored in Hebrew and Jewish studies. After acting for a few years, she returned to school and earned her Ph.D. in neuroscience from UCLA in 2007.

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8. Early Life

Mayim Chaya Bialik was born on December 12, 1975, in San Diego, California, to Barry and Beverly Bialik. Mayim attended Walter Reed Junior High School and then North Hollywood High School which she graduated from in 1993. She had an interest in acting from an early age and landed her first role at the age of 12 in the series Beauty and the Beast.

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7. Religion

Aside from her many notable roles, and prestigious PH.D., Bialik also has also gained attention in Hollywood because she lives her life as an observant Jew. As both of her parents are Jewish, she was raised as a Reform Jew; however, after beginning her studies in Hebrew and Jewish studies, she became Modern Orthodox, and describes herself as a “staunch Zionist.” While she has stated that it is “close to impossible” to be an observant Jew in Hollywood, the actress makes it work and also revealed that one of the most difficult things is finding the right “Hollywood” style that respects her religion. “For me, though, it’s more the aspects of the ‘red carpet’ and needing to wear designer clothes that are strapless, and all those things that I don’t do and that are actually extremely stressful and difficult to work around because it is a big part of the industry,” Bialik stated. Bialik’s clothing restrictions are also what influence the decisions for Amy’s wardrobe in The Big Bang Theory, which luckily suits the character well.

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6. Other Talents

It really seems there is nothing that Mayim Bialik can’t do, and that may be true. As well as being a fan favorite actress, a real neuroscientist, and a mother, Bialik is also pretty talented when it comes to music. She can play the piano and trumpet and then took it upon herself to actually learn the harp for the moments her character plays it on The Big Bang Theory. To top it off, she is a devout vegan and somehow found the time to write her own vegan cookbook titled “Mayim’s Vegan Table.”

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5. Parenting Controversy

As well as being a well-known actress because of her famous roles, Bialik has also become known because of her views on parenting. Since becoming a mother, Bialik has adopted the practice of attachment parenting which includes co-sleeping and self-weaning which means a child is breastfed to a much older age than most other children. Her views on parenting and sharing her advice on a blog has led to a backlash from many people, and the actress has admitted that people would pick fights with her because of how she chose to parent her children. She also came under fire when it was understood that Bialik was in support anti-vaccinations when it comes to her children. Those rumors caused so much criticism for her that she had to speak out, stating, “I would like to dispel the rumors about my stance on vaccines. I am not anti-vaccine. My children are vaccinated. there has been so much hysteria and anger about this issue and I hope this clears things up as far as my part.”

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4. Music Video

Through her many notable accomplishments in both her personal and professional life, she has one thing on her resume that may surprise every fan. As it turns out, Bialik actually appeared in a music video for none other than Michael Jackson. Bialik can be seen for a few seconds in the music video for Jackson’s “Liberian Girl.”

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3. Personal Life

Mayim Bialik married her college boyfriend Michael Stone on August 31, 2003, in Pasadena, California. In 2005 while still grad students they welcomed their first son Miles Roosevelt Bialik Stone and in 2008 welcomed their second son Frederick Herschel Bialik Stone. Michael was a stay-at-home dad for the two boys, and together he and Mayim decided upon home-schooling their sons. In mid-November of 2012, Bialik announced that, after nine years of marriage, she and Stone were divorcing, but were remaining amicable.

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2. Net Worth

Mayim Bialik first began acting on-screen as a teenager in 1987, and quickly gained recognition when she was cast as a young CC in the 1988 film Beaches. After more and more roles on TV, she landed the title role on NBC’s Blossom which ran for five years and catapulted her to success. While she took a break from acting to finish her education, she returned with a recurring role on The Secret Life of the American Teenager and now, of course, is on The Big Bang Theory. Over her nearly 30 years in the industry, Bialik has racked up 52 acting credits to her name and has an estimated net worth of $25 million. Bialik is reportedly making $450 thousand per episode of The Big Bang Theory.

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1. The Accident

In August of 2012, the actress was involved in a very serious accident that almost left her without a couple of fingers. Bialik was driving in downtown Hollywood when she was hit by someone making a left turn and was left with extreme damage to her right hand. It was first reported that she was at risk of losing her thumb and perhaps one of her fingers, but Bialik dispelled those rumors and luckily surgeons were able to repair everything. Although she returned to work on The Big Bang Theory the very next day, she had to undergo rigorous physical therapy in order to regain complete use of her hand once again.