‘The Big Bang Theory’ Star Talks Impact Of Contract Dispute

The Big Bang Theory’s Mayim Bialik has opened up about the contract dispute that threatened to delay production on the show.

Johnny Galecki, Jim Parsons, and Kaley Cuoco signed new deals in July after several weeks of negotiations, which had delayed production on the eighth season for a few days. The trio of actors are now each being paid $1 million per episode for their work, and even Simon Helberg and Kunal Nayyar, who play Howard Wolowitz and Raj Koothrappali, were given a huge wage increase, too.

Now Bialik, who plays Amy Farrah-Fowler on the hit CBS comedy, has opened up about the impact of the contract dispute. The actress, who wasn’t involved in the negotiations as she and Melissa Rauch, who stars as Bernadette Wolowitz, had already singed new deals a few months previously, explained to Parade: “We were all still on hiatus when all that started up and I think everyone was just excited to get back.”

She then added: “I was not part of negotiations, my contract has been done since last year, so we were all just ready to go back to work.”

Bialik went on to discuss how she feels overjoyed to simply have job security working on the sitcom. “Every week is different,” she declared. “I’m very happy to be an employed actress and to have job security, that’s important no matter the industry you are in.”

Earlier this week Parsons, who plays Dr. Sheldon Cooper on the hugely popular sitcom, also discussed his work as the character. Parsons, who recently won his fourth Emmy for his depiction of the equally loveable yet also hugely annoying scientist, admitted that he isn’t “bored playing Sheldon.”

“You get used to it,” he admitted, “and that’s good, too… it can help to deepen things, but it’s so nice to have a reminder of the remarkable character you’ve been given a chance to inhabit.”

Parsons even opened up about the payment dispute that threatened the upcoming season, insisting that the actors never walked out of negotiations. “You see the word ‘strike’ – ‘They’re walking out!’ – but there was nothing to walk out from,” he declared. “That’s always hard, because part of you wants to explain to people what’s really going on. ‘Don’t worry, we’re not leaving, we want to do the show.'”

Details over the upcoming first episode of the eighth season have recently emerged, while pictures showing a pant-less Sheldon and Penny’s new haircut have also been released.