Premiering in 2007 and concluding in 2019, The Big Bang Theory was one of the most successful sitcoms ever made. Running for 12 seasons, the show introduced us to a gallery of characters and the splendidly funny actors who played them.
Of The Big Bang Theory cast, Jim Parsons and Johnny Galecki may have had the most screen time, but the supporting cast more than held their own when it came to the laughter stakes. Kaley Cuoco lit up the screen as Leonard and Sheldon's neighbor Penny, and Kunal Nayaar delighted audiences as the socially awkward but very funny Raj.
Simon Helberg also did much to tickle the funny bone as Howard. With his sometimes sexist pick-up lines, his character came across as a little creepy and weird during the early seasons of The Big Bang Theory. But over time, his character became one of the much-loved parts of the show, and this was partly thanks to the hilarious relationship he had with his mother.
Despite being unlucky in love for much of the series, Helberg's character did eventually get married. The relationship between Howard and Bernadette became one of the best parts of the show so it was great that there was a happy ending for both of them.
But what about Helberg himself? Did life work out for the actor after leaving the series? Let's take a closer look at the actor's career, with a quick glimpse at what he did before playing Howard Wolowitz and what he did after.
Helberg's Career Didn't Start With A Big Bang
The Big Bang Theory may have made Simon Helberg a household name but the actor's career didn't begin and end with the CBS show.
He made his acting debut in the 1999 movie Mumford with an uncredited role as 'college roommate' and went on to make small appearances in other projects. These included minor roles on television in shows such as Cursed and Sabrina The Teenage Witch. He also took small roles in several successful movies, including National Lampoon's Van Wilder, Old School, and A Cinderella Story.
However, it was Helberg's work on the sketch comedy series MADtv that brought him the most critical appreciation early on in his career. He showed the world how funny he could be on the show and this might be why he was considered for The Big Bang Theory, the show that would change his life forever.
When he wasn't starring as Howard on the geeky comedy series, Helberg was busy becoming a movie star with roles in A Serious Man and Florence Foster Jenkins. He also starred in and directed the movie We'll Never Have Paris. His movie work gave him the image makeover he needed, letting him prove to the world that he was more than just the aerospace nerd that delighted television audiences. And it's thanks to his work on movies such as these that has landed Helberg his next project.
What Simon Helberg Did Next
Next up for Simon Helberg is the movie musical Annette. First announced by Deadline in 2019 the movie is set to be released this summer, making it one of the first major releases of the year.
Directed by Leos Carax, the movie stars Marion Cotillard and Adam Driver as the seemingly perfect couple whose lives are changed after the birth of their first child, the 'Annette' of the title. The girl has an exceptional destiny, according to the synopsis, but little is known beyond that at the moment
Helberg co-stars as The Conductor, and you can catch a brief glimpse of his character in the trailer below.
The movie will open at the Cannes Film Festival in July and will be released in theaters soon after. Amazon will be distributing Annette in the US so lucky Prime subscribers will get the chance to see the star-studded musical from the comfort of their own homes.
In a recent press release for the movie, Pierre Lescure, Cannes Film Festival president had this to say:
"Every Leos Carax film is an event. And this one delivers on its promises! Annette is the gift that lovers of cinema, music and culture were hoping for, one that we have been yearning for during the past year."
The movie certainly sounds very promising and as musicals are very much in vogue at the moment, it will surely find an audience.
This isn't the only movie project that Helberg is involved in. Currently in pre-production is As Sick as They Made Us, a family ensemble drama that also stars Dustin Hoffman, Candice Bergen, and Dianna Agron.
Hoffman and Bergen are the parents, Helberg is the brother, and Aggron is the sister trying to hold her family together. The movie is being directed by Mayim Bialik, a name familiar to fans of the The Big Bang Theory, as she played the role of neuroscientist Amy Farrah on the hit sitcom.
Helberg is certainly very busy. As to what he will do next, little is known yet. Kaley Cuoco has teased a 'Big Bang' reunion, so it might be that we will see him back on the small screen as Howard Wolowitz in the not-too-distant future. From there, we are sure his career will continue to evolve, be that on the small or the large screen.