The Real Life Partners Of The Young Sheldon Cast

Although what actual scientists think about "The Big Bang Theory" is mixed, there's no doubt that it is one of CBS's most successful sitcoms ever. It traded the usual family-themed dynamic for nerds navigating life as societal rejects, which helped garner a large fanbase. What's more notable was the popularity of the neurodivergent side character, Sheldon Cooper. Thankfully, Jim Parsons' portrayal of the "too smart for his own good" character prompted the network to create a prequel series titled "Young Sheldon." As the name suggests, "Young Sheldon" followed the life of the young genius before "The Big Bang Theory." CBS shockingly captured lightning in a bottle a second time as "Young Sheldon" grew to be a massive success like its predecessor. 

Throughout its 7-season run, fans grew attached to these fictional characters, ranging from George Cooper Sr. to Connie "Meemaw" Tucker, and the real-life actors who portrayed them. In addition to watching its young stars like Iain Armitage and Raegan Revord grow up fast, we watched each cast member go on to have fulfilling relationships outside of the show. Whether it be them marrying their life partners, beginning — or maintaining — their family dynamics, or simply just gushing over their significant others, it's been a treat to see just how healthy life has been for them after finding mainstream success. To learn more about their budding relationships, read on about the real-life partners of the "Young Sheldon" cast.

As Jim Parsons garnered popularity as Sheldon Cooper in "The Big Bang Theory," husband Todd Spiewak was oftentimes away from the public eye. Although he'd built a career in the entertainment industry as a graphic designer, it wouldn't be until 2012 that his romantic connection to Parsons became public. In an interview with the New York Times, Parsons came out as gay and suggested that he was in a "10-year relationship." During his interview with James Lipton on Bravo TV's "Inside the Actor Studio," Parsons spoke briefly about Spiewak, who was in the audience. Lipton turned to Spiewak and asked him about how the two first met at a karaoke bar in 2002. "My boss and Jim's best friend from grad school were friends — two women — and they hooked us up and they were with us on the first date, so we weren't alone," he recalled.

In 2017, Parsons and Spiewak would get married after 14 years. Following his wedding, Parsons went on "The Late Show with Stephen Colbert" to explain why it took them so long to tie the knot. For Parsons, he was in no rush to get married. Despite this, Parsons suggested that marrying Spiewak was the best decision of his life. "It was so much more meaningful in the moment to me than I predicted and it's been resonantly more meaningful to me afterward than I ever saw coming," he explained. 

As the daughter of Jeff Perry and Laurie Metcalf, Zoe Perry was accustomed to being in the public eye, given her parent's status in the entertainment industry. Zoe, however, opted to keep her personal life private, so her portrayal of Mary Cooper in "Young Sheldon" — alongside her overall acting career — was all the public generally spoke about. Luckily, her significant other, Gab Taraboulsy, led a private life as well. Though it is unclear how the two met, Zoe and Taraboulsy have been married since 2022, which the public learned about through Roberto Bentivegna's Instagram. What we do know is that Taraboulsy is a notable director and producer who has worked on various projects such as "The Grill Iron" and "The Kardashians." 

Although they haven't shared much information about their relationship, Zoe did give us insight into how the two became engaged. During a Zoom charity event for Field Team 6's "Celebrating the Heroes," Zoe praised Taraboulsy's ability to produce tear-jerking video packages. As she prompted viewers to contact her husband for his freelance services for whatever they occasion they may need him for — all while he was sitting next to her — she recalled that this was the method Taraboulsy used to propose to her. "In fact, I will share that, that was how this guy proposed to me," she said while pointing to her husband. "It's worth it!"

Outside of playing the late George Cooper Sr. in "Young Sheldon," Lance Barber has kept his personal life under wraps. As he kept the public's attention on his illustrious acting career, which saw him appear in comedies like "The Comeback" and "Faking It," he married Aliza Barber and became a devoted father to two kids. Aside from his mother's Facebook page filled with photos of the two and their kids, Edie and Arlen, dating over a decade ago, not much is known about Lance and Aliza's day-to-day life. What we do know is that the two are happily married. This tidbit was disclosed in a Chicago Tribune article covering the almost 10-year return of "The Comeback" in 2014. Lisa Kudrow — the lead for the show — told the publication that Lance has been a family man since the show's debut in 2005. "Yeah, somebody married him!" she stated. "He's got children that he's nurturing with! And he is, he's really nurturing with them."

According to Battle Creek Enquirer, Aliza doesn't work in the same industry as her husband. Instead, she is a chef and the two have been enjoying life together in Los Angeles, California. Though we're unsure whether this is the case in 2024, we're sure that Lance has been enjoying a low-key life with his family now that "Young Sheldon" is over. 

Annie Potts underwent a stunning transformation and found entertainment industry success before portraying Meemaw in "Young Sheldon." The same, however, couldn't be said about her dating life. By 1989, Potts had gone through three separate marriages, all ending in divorce. So, when James Hayman  — a notable television producer who has worked on a variety of shows like "Ugly Betty" and "NCIS: New Orleans" — met her on the set of "Breaking the Rules," Potts was turned off by the idea of dating someone (via Glamour). "By the time I met Jim, I was sort of done," she recalled. "It was like, 'Why did I think I needed somebody else?' I was totally self-sufficient and taking care of myself, and happy about it."

Despite this, Potts married Hayman in 1990 and stayed married for over three decades. Hayman proved himself to be a family man as well. From being a loving father to Potts' son Clay Samuel Senechal — which she had during her marriage to B. Scott Senechal — both Hayman and Potts introduced James Powell and Isaac "Harry" Hayman. As partners, parents, and even grandparents, the two never shied away from sharing their love for each other on social media. One example came in 2023 when Hayman posted a sentimental Valentine's Day Instagram post dedicated to his wife. Paired with a photo of him kissing Potts, Hayman wrote, "My one and only, Happy Valentine's Day darling."

Aside from playing Georgie Cooper in "Young Sheldon," Montana Jordan has maintained a great relationship with girlfriend Jenna Weeks. From meeting at a concert, the two have been romantically linked to each other, oftentimes showing their followers snaps of their lives together through their social media platforms. They would first go public in 2021 when Weeks posted a picture of the two on Instagram with the caption, "My whole heart." 

By January, Weeks took to Instagram to announce that they were expecting a baby girl. Paired with photos of the two holding up pictures of Weeks' ultrasound was a lengthy caption expressing her excitement for motherhood. "I can only hope that you share the best parts of both me and your Dad! I hope you get his big heart and contagious laugh," she wrote. "In a world that is so uncertain, there is one thing that is, your dad and I love you endlessly and unconditionally." On May 21, 2024, both Montana and Weeks welcomed Emma Rae Jordan to their family. To commemorate this new journey, Jordan used his Instagram page to introduce his new daughter to the world. "God has blessed me with a beautiful baby girl, Emma Rae Jordan," he said. "Momma and Daddy love you. Forever and always."

From starring in "Young Sheldon" to being romantically linked to several people, Emily Osment has been busy since "Hannah Montana" went off the air. However, her most notable relationship is with singer-songwriter Jack Anthony, which she made public through her Instagram in 2021. Despite the two opting to remain private about their relationship, Osment spoke candidly about her partner during her 2024 appearance on "The Drew Barrymore Show" (via YouTube). While there, she recalled meeting her beau at a concert. "He was dancing in the front row like a lunatic," she said. "I just pointed at him... And then I went over and introduced myself."

Their relationship hit a new high in 2023 as it was announced on her Instagram that she was "deliriously happy" after Anthony proposed to her (via People). With a special event on the horizon, October 2024 proved to be a monumental month for Osment. Days before her new show, "Georgie and Mandy's First Marriage," aired on CBS, Osment would get married to Anthony in a private ceremony. During her appearance on "CBS Mornings," Osment spoke briefly about the wedding and how grateful she is to be happily married. "It's great so far," she said. "These past four days have been glorious."

Before portraying Dr. John Sturgis in "Young Sheldon," Wallace Shawn met prolific writer Deborah Eisenberg in the early 1970s. Despite the two arguing about Chairman Mao on their first date, the two were seemingly drawn to each other. Shawn would even go as far as referencing Eisenberg throughout the 1981 film, "My Dinner with Andre," where he essentially played himself. 

While the two haven't tied the knot, Eisenberg has publicly made it known just how special Shawn is to her. In her 2021 biography piece on PBS, Eisenberg spoke candidly about how falling in love with Shawn had made her find a sense of self she was missing as an adult. From kicking a nicotine addiction to starting her writing career, Eisenberg credited Shawn for playing a pivotal role in her life early on. "I had not much been taken seriously and I didn't take myself seriously. I said, 'You know, I'm not a serious person at all.' And he said, 'No, You are a serious person, but there aren't that many people you can really talk to.' And you realize that more and more as you get into your late teens and early twenties," she stated. "And this was somebody I could talk to more than I'd ever been able to talk to anybody else. And that was amazing. I mean, we were just able to talk into our complete selves."

From finding success on "Young Sheldon," Matt Hobby has been romantically linked to Mary Grill. Like Hobby, Grill found success in the entertainment industry, having credits in comedies like "The Mindy Project" and "The Detour." While it is relatively unknown how the two met, Hobby and Grill have been married since 2011. In addition to this, both Hobby and Grill are loving parents to twins, whom they showcase on their social media accounts. 

2020 proved to be a significant moment for the two as they would get to "remarry" each other on "Young Sheldon." On the show, Hobby played the not-so-holy Pastor Jeff and Grill got to play Officer Robin. Their fictional counterparts mirrored their real life as the two got married in the episode "A Live Chicken, a Fried Chicken and Holy Matrimony." The timing almost worked out perfectly as the two used this moment to celebrate their 10th anniversary despite it only being 9 years. Nonetheless, Hobby took to Instagram to celebrate the occasion hours before the episode aired. "Tonight on 'Young Sheldon,' I get to remarry my true love, Mary Grill," he wrote. "In real life, we got married in 2011, not 2010, but I couldn't resist the 10-year thing. We are so fortunate to get to pretend together on this show. I love you Officer Robin!"

Aside from portraying Coach Dale Ballard in "Young Sheldon," Craig T. Nelson has had an illustrious career in Hollywood. After finding acting success, Craig was previously romantically linked to Robin McCarthy for nearly two decades. After his first marriage, Craig met Doria Cook and married her in 1987. Similar to her husband, Doria has made a name for herself throughout the entertainment industry, guest-starring in projects like "General Hospital" and even appearing alongside Craig in "Coach."

Craig and Doria have been happily married for over 30 years. In addition to being a stepmother to three of Craig's children — which he had from his previous marriage — Doria also spends her time teaching martial arts. According to Craig's interview with Closer Weekly in 2018, her diverse range of hobbies appears to be one thing he truly admires about her. When asked about why she still makes him smile, Craig spoke highly of her impact on his life and their connection together. "Oh, she's quirky and so funny — I love that," he explained. "I love her. I love her sense of adventure ... and the fact that she's got a life! She's been a performer, she teaches tai chi, and she facilitates a lot of things that I don't have time for, like thank-you notes, letters. She's one of the most compassionate people I know, and she's my best friend."

Long before finding success portraying Brenda Sparks in "Young Sheldon," Melissa Peterman fell in love with John Brady, who has a lengthy resume of work in the entertainment industry. Although information about where they met is unknown, the pair seemingly hit it off as they got married on June 5, 1999, in Minneapolis, Minnesota. By 2005, Peterman and Brady introduced their only child, Riley David Brady. 

While the two continued to find work, they've maintained a healthy family life off-screen. Peterman's dedication to Brady has been well-documented throughout her Instagram profile, as she frequently shares photos of her wedding day year after year. One of which saw her write a sentimental Valentine's Day post sharing her gratitude for marrying her other half. "Love comes in all kinds of packages," she said."Mine came in the funniest bald man I ever met. Happy Valentine's Day John. I love you more 22 years later and I will try to remember to close the cupboard doors." This wouldn't be the last we'd hear about her love for Brady, as in 2024, she'd post more pictures of their wedding day on Instagram for their 25th anniversary. "In the Olympics of marriage, we're silver winners!" she wrote. "Happy anniversary John Brady. 25 years!"

Ed Begley Jr. had the privilege of leading a successful acting career before portraying Dr. Linkletter in "Young Sheldon." Through this, however, he'd find himself rebuilding his personal life from the ground up due to problems with gambling, alcohol, and infidelity. After divorcing his first wife, Ingrid Taylor, in 1989, Begley fell in love with Rachelle Carson, an actor and environmentalist well-known in the entertainment industry. The two would first meet in a 12-step recovery program and later at an environmental event in 1993. Despite not liking each other at first, Begley told Closer Weekly in 2019 that their "common language and understanding of recovery" drew them together, culminating in their marriage in 2000.

From starring in their own reality show to raising their daughter, Hayden Carson Begley, Ed and Rachelle have been inseparable. According to Ed's 2023 interview with Closer Weekly, he worked hard at this due to his issues in the past. "Yes, in my first marriage, I thought the act of getting married would make me monogamous. I wanted to be monogamous, but I wasn't emotionally capable of it," he explained. "You have to put in the work, be a good partner, and it just comes down to honesty. ... But from '96 to date, it's just been us, and that's a pretty good way to live."