The Stunning Transformation Of The Young Sheldon Cast

Similar to the scientific concept it was named after, "The Big Bang Theory" birthed a fictional universe that would successfully span the better part of a decade. From notable actors like Johnny Galecki and Kaley Cuoco helping it stand out from its competition to award shows recognizing it as one of the greatest sitcoms of all time, its success was undeniable.  Among the star-studded cast was Jim Parsons, whose portrayal of the "too smart for his own good" theoretical physicist, Sheldon Cooper, quickly made him a fan-favorite. Ultimately, this resulted in CBS green-lighting a spin-off dedicated to the character: "Young Sheldon."

Since its debut in 2017, "Young Sheldon" focused on a young Sheldon Cooper navigating his adolescence as a brilliant student. Given the show's premise, its seven-year run was a sight to behold as each of its cast members went through their own beautiful transformation. Whether it be watching an 8-year-old Iain Armitage suddenly grow up before our eyes, or seeing notable names like Annie Potts reinvent themselves time and time again, it's been interesting to watch how each of our favorite characters has led their lives outside of their full-time gig. To learn more about the cast's never-ending growth, here is the stunning transformation of the "Young Sheldon" cast!

While "Young Sheldon" was the first time most of the public saw the 8-year-old actor, you may have already recognized Iain Armitage from his other roles. When he starred in "Big Little Lies," it was clear Armitage was a gifted child from the start, and his portrayal of a young Sheldon Cooper only solidified this. Whether he was practicing different languages, learning Tae Kwon Do, or even reviewing Broadway shows, Armitage was no stranger to maintaining several hobbies throughout his full-time acting gig.

Once "Young Sheldon" came to an end in 2024, Armitage told People that while he was grateful for growing up on the show, he was looking forward to starring in different acting projects. "I would love to do something Indie, maybe something action, maybe something sci-fi, just something super different and weird," he said. Armitage kept his adventurous mindset, not only booking voice-acting gigs but also officially flying his own plane after the end of the series.During his appearance on "The Art of Kindness" podcast, he would even tease a possible return for season 3 of "Big Little Lies." "I think there will be a third season at some point, one that I would love to be on." he stated. "But I have no idea of anything aside from the fact there's a very solid chance it would happen."

As Jim Parsons split his time as executive producer and cast member on "Young Sheldon," he was also dipping his toes into other ventures outside of the CBS series. Throughout his seven-season run on "Young Sheldon," Parsons was balancing being a husband, co-owning a production company, and furthering his career by starring in projects like "Extremely Wicked, Shockingly Evil and Vile," and "The Boys in the Band." 

By September 2024, Parsons was slated to return to theater for Broadway's revival of "Our Town." In it, Parsons was slotted to play the role of the stage manager, who essentially narrates the story to the audience. With its star-studded cast ranging from Zoey Deutch to "Dawson's Creek" star Katie Holmes, this was surely an opportunity of a lifetime for Parsons. During his 2024 interview with Today, he shared that same notion, suggesting it was a role he couldn't pass up. "I was like this is one of those opportunities when somebody comes and asks you to do it that — I feel as an actor — you just do it," he stated. "And you hope for the best, and it has been the most incredible experience so far."

After first appearing in "Modern Family," Raegan Revord found major success portraying Missy Cooper in "Young Sheldon" at only 9 years old. Though her seven-season run on the show kept her busy from 2017 to 2024, Revord used her time away from the cameras to indulge in literature. As she grew up, Revord became so synonymous with reading that fans of hers would frequently ask for book recommendations that suited young readers. These requests resulted in Revord starting her book club, "Reading with Raegan" in 2019. 

While other notable figures had explored this venture before, Revord wanted her book club to be focused on young adult literature (via TikTok). "I'd seen that Miss Oprah was doing a book club and Miss Reese was but I didn't see one for children my age," she explained. "And I was like, I should show YA books that I'm reading that other kids can read, and I did it, and here we are!" By pairing the book club with social media platforms, Revord has kept her finger on the pulse of all things literature. She'd even go as far as to write her own YA novel under Wednesday Books titled "Rules for Fake Girlfriends," which was set to release in September 2025.

After joining the cast at just 14 years old, Jordan focused on "Young Sheldon" for its entire duration on-air.  As he grew, Jordan mirrored his fictional counterpart, George "Georgie" Cooper Jr., and became a devoted family man at just 22. In 2021, Jordan made his relationship with girlfriend Jenna Weeks public, and by January 2024, he'd take to Instagram to announce they were going to have a baby. On May 21, 2024, Jordan then introduced their daughter, Emma Rae Jordan, to the world. During an interview with People in September of that year, Jordan couldn't help but gush over his fatherly duties. "She's 4 months old now and I've got two little nieces, a 5-year-old niece and a 2-year-old niece. So I've been around kids and I've always loved them, but I can give my nieces back. I can't give mine back. I'm stuck with her," he quipped. "I'm just kidding. No, but she's great, man. There's nothing better than freaking being a dad."

In addition to portraying a more mature George Cooper in the "Young Sheldon" spin-off, "Georgie & Mandy's First Marriage," Jordan gave his Instagram followers a glimpse into his own first marriage in January 2025. Paired with photos of the two embracing each other, Jordan announced that he and Weeks were officially engaged. "I love you to the moon and back a million times and more," he wrote in the post's caption. "I can't wait to see what the future brings for us and our family."

Though she'd first appeared in "Young Sheldon" at just 12 years old, Mckenna Grace had already built a credible acting resume before portraying Sheldon Cooper's arch nemesis, Paige Swanson. After getting her start in Disney's "Crash & Bernstein," Grace earned global recognition through films such as "Gifted" and "I, Tonya." As of early 2025, the 18-year-old had transitioned into thrillers with a role in the "Scream" series. 

Alongside her prolific acting career, Grace has also become a notable songwriter with over 400,000 monthly listeners on Spotify. From her songs being featured in films like "PAW Patrol: The Mighty Movie" to performing at Lollapalooza in 2024, it's clear that Grace has put her time away from the big screen to good use. Even so, Grace suggested to Mxdwn in 2022 that there are more things she wants to accomplish. In doing so, she credited her adventurous spirit as the reason her music and acting career flourished simultaneously. "I just, I love to constantly be going, but I think it's a beautiful and a weird thing. ...As I've gotten older, I've gotten a lot more of an appreciation for acting and the beauty of film and storytelling. I really want to move into directing, and producing, and writing, and all sorts of things,"  she said. "It's been crazy. It's been beautiful. It's been nice. I love it."

From "Designing Women" to "Ghostbusters," Annie Potts underwent a stunning transformation from the '80s to 2025. As far as her career goes, she'd already experienced heights others could only dream of before snagging the role of Connie "Meemaw" Tucker in "Young Sheldon." Still, Potts kept herself busy even after becoming the mother of three boys and devoted wife of James Hayman. 

Once "Young Sheldon" ended, Potts used her newfound free time to fully commit to her philanthropic organization, The Heart Channels. Founded in 2022, the organization is dedicated to helping those less fortunate find stability in their lives. Some of their services include housing assistance, granting funds for college students, and offering programs for children with special needs. Despite facing her own set of harsh circumstances throughout her life, Potts shared in a 2024 Facebook video that her encounter with a little boy named Kemarley who didn't know how to speak was the reason she became "hooked on helping." "His face was so emblazoned on my memory, I just started doodling on iPad ... and I ended up making a book of the drawings and selling them on the island to help that little boy and his family," she recalled. "I continued to help him and his family, and he now has language skills, and he's just incredible."

As the daughter of notable actors Jeff Perry and Laurie Metcalf, Zoe Perry is no stranger to being in the public eye. With acting credits ranging from "Private Practice" to "My Boys," her venture into "Young Sheldon" made it all the more grounding. Through portraying Sheldon Cooper's mother, Mary Cooper, for all seven seasons of the show, Perry amassed plenty of fans, who wondered what would be next for the actor after the series ended. 

Shockingly enough, Perry would go on to lead a life away from the spotlight. Aside from reprising her role in "Georgie & Mandy's First Marriage," Perry wasn't in a hurry to land any major acting gigs after "Young Sheldon" ended. In 2022, she married Gab Taraboulsy in a private ceremony that only those close to her knew about. The public would learn about this through Robert Bentivegna's Instagram posts. Paired with the photo of the three at the wedding, Robert wrote, "Viva gli sposi! Memories of Umbria celebrating my beautiful friends. Love you guys." Though she'd remain relatively quiet in the months following the end of "Young Sheldon," Perry did reunite with her fictional son, Iain Armitage in 2024 when they both were invited to the White House. Armitage took to Instagram to share this moment, deeming it a "happy day" for him and that the visit served as the "best excuse to see Mama Zoe again."

From appearing in sitcoms like "It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia" to "The Comeback," Lance Barber became a familiar figure in various comedies. Though he'd initially guest-star in "The Big Bang Theory" as a different character, he'd later join the franchise as George Sr. Cooper in "Young Sheldon." Since snagging the role in 2017, it became his main gig throughout the show's entirety, with him starring in only a few other comedic projects like "Raunch and Roll" and "Fool's Paradise." 

Similar to Zoe Perry, Barber remained relatively private in the months following the finale of "Young Sheldon." From getting married to Aliza Barber to becoming the father of Edie and Arlen, he's continued to lead a life that prioritized his privacy. This, however, doesn't mean there wasn't anything new on the horizon for Barber. In 2025, Deadline reported that Barber was confirmed to make a guest appearance in "Georgie & Mandy's First Marriage." Given his character's fatal end in "Young Sheldon," his appearance in the spin-off was supposed to be the result of a dream George had about disappointing his late father. According to creator Steve Holland — who confirmed his guest appearance — this story arc felt like an ideal way to bring a beloved character back to the series. 

Despite Ryan Phuong finding success as Tam in "Young Sheldon," acting wasn't his first love. After learning to dance at the age of 6, Phuong was primarily known for his skills on the dance floor. As a pre-teen, his unique talent was displayed in "Just Dance Kids 2" and the World of Dance YouTube channel in 2012. He maintained this passion throughout "Young Sheldon," which, according to his interview with Voyage LA, was a shock to most of the fans of the show. "It's really funny to see people comment on my social media saying that 'Tam can dance,' and I find it funny because a lot of people don't see that side of me," he said.

In 2020, he enrolled in USC Glorya Kaufman School of Dance, where he'd continue to sharpen his skills as a dancer. By 2024, he'd have a bachelor's degree in hand and a wide array of skills he intends to use to further his career. "I think the one thing that sets me apart from others is my ability to adapt into whatever field I'm in and at a young age, I have always had that ability," he told Voyage LA. "But over the years, I've been honing my craft and dabbling in multiple fields, such as acting, dancing in Cinematography, and I think being a diverse individual in general will make you have an edge."

Though Wyatt McClure garnered notable acting credits as a child actor, his portrayal of Billy Sparks in "Young Sheldon" marked a highlight in his career. As a recurring character, the actor sustained relative success through the show's seven seasons. McClure, however, also kept himself busy booking gigs in projects like "Teachers" and "The Santa Clauses" while upholding his acting obligations to the CBS series.

By the show's seventh season, it was clear McClure had not only grown up but became close to his cast-mates. Just hours before the final episode of "Young Sheldon" aired, the 16-year-old took to Instagram to express his gratitude for working closely with his co-stars, deeming them "lifelong friends." Once it was time to move on from the series, McClure appeared to maintain these friendships. An example of this happened on July 15, 2024, when he dedicated a Happy Birthday post to Iain Armitage on Instagram. This wouldn't be the last of their close-knit interactions, though; just ten days later, McClure uploaded a picture of holding a map in London on Instagram, asking for interesting landmarks. "London friends I need help! Best places to visit while I'm here," he wrote. "[Iain Armitage], send me your tips! This is a big map!" In response, Armitage encouraged McClure to enjoy himself in London, recommending that he see a play and to eat at a restaurant known as Dishoom.

In 2022, Emily Osment was introduced as Mandy McAllister, George Cooper Jr.'s partner, in "Young Sheldon." Despite how late her inclusion in the series was, Osment's performance quickly made her a favorite among fans and showrunners alike, making it all the more shocking to learn that her role was initially supposed to be short-term. According to her exclusive interview with People, Osment was quickly called on to be a recurring character. "I was just supposed to do one guest star appearance. That was my deal. It was one episode, and then they brought me back for two more, and then they brought me back for seven more," she explained. "Then they brought me on as a regular."

Her full-time gig appeared bittersweet as the series came to an end just two years after she got on board. Luckily, by March 2024, CBS greenlit a "Young Sheldon" spin-off with her as the lead, titled, "Georgie & Mandy's First Marriage." Osment unveiled this to her followers on Instagram, thanking the showrunners for allowing the opportunity to become a reality. "So thrilled to finally be able to celebrate this wonderful news I share with the best fake husband a girl could ask for, [Montana Jordan]. ... Stick around y'all, the story continues," she wrote.

Melissa Peterman found sustained success when she joined the cast of "Young Sheldon" as Brenda Sparks. Prior to booking the role, Peterman was a notable face in sitcoms. Aside from starring in shows like "Baby Daddy" in 2012, Peterman's portrayal of Barbra Jean Booker Hart in "Reba" was the role that made her a known figure in the acting industry. In addition to maintaining a marriage and becoming a mother, Peterman continued to work as an actor over the years, both before and after joining the "Young Sheldon" cast. 

By 2024, it was announced that Peterman would play Gabby in "Happy's Place," which started as a "Reba" reboot. Nonetheless, the sitcom seemingly served as a reunion. Peterman and her former co-star Reba McEntire have shared how they feel about each other off-screen and appear to have a good relationship. During her 2024 appearance on "The Talk," Peterman suggested that working with Reba felt the exact way it did in 2001. "It feels like going home, you know. It sort of feels like no time has passed. I mean, we've been in contact all the time because we are really good friends," she explained. "So it just felt like riding a bike. I told her it feels like we're riding a bike except we're older and our tires need to be inflated, but it's lovely."