Key points
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Iain Armitage says his Young Sheldon costar, Wendie Malick, once compared him to Ted Cruz.
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Armitage says he was “very insulted” by the comparison until Malick realized she’d made a mistake.
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Armitage shares the anecdote in Young Sheldon: The (Juicier-Than-Meemaw’s-Brisket) Inside Story of the Hit Comedy.
Iain Armitage is reflecting on an awkward moment with a Young Sheldoncostar.
The cast of the Big Bang Theory prequel show discusses their memories of the sitcom in Jessica Radloff’s new book Young Sheldon: The (Juicier-Than-Meemaw’s-Brisket) Inside Story of the Hit Comedy.
In the book, Armitage, who portrayed Sheldon Cooper in the series, recalls an incident in which Wendie Malick, who played the president of Sheldon’s college on the show, made a surprising comparison between the young actor and a public figure.
“Once, when I was in my own clothes, Wendie said to me, ‘Wow, Iain, you look just like a young Ted Cruz,'” Armitage recalls.
The young star didn’t take the comparison as a compliment. “I was like, ‘Ew!'” he says.
Armitage then says that Malick had merely misspoken. “And when she realized what she said, she was like, ‘Oh no, no, no! Tom Cruise! Tom Cruise!'” he explains. “I was like, Did my face look that melty that day? What does that mean?“
He adds, “I was very insulted until I realized she meant Tom Cruise, not Ted Cruz.”
Armitage describes Malick as “so funny and raunchy in the best way.”
The actor previously made headlines when he addressed the rumors that he was “difficult” on set during his time on the show.
“It was a complete privilege to be on this show and play this character, but yes, it was a big undertaking for an 8-year-old,” the actor, now 18, says in an excerpt from the book published in Us Weekly. “I always did the best that I could, and sometimes kids are not perfect. I was grateful to the people who understood that and gave me grace.”
Annie Potts, who played Meemaw Connie on the show, also reflects on Armitage’s behavior on set.
“He was asked to work and carry the weight of something that would be difficult for an adult, and we know that a lot of behavior comes out in situations like that,” she says. “Yes, sometimes he was difficult. But I’ve worked with grown-ups who were a lot worse.”
She continues, “Sometimes I think he was tired, and sometimes I think he pushed people, and people were kissing his ass! It’s a very challenging situation to be 9 years old and be expected to work, behave, and think like a grown-up. And I say that with absolute love and respect.”
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Young Sheldon: The (Juicier-Than-Meemaw’s-Brisket) Inside Story of the Hit Comedy is available now.
Read the original article on Entertainment Weekly
