The Big Bang Theory missed out on one of Hollywood’s most iconic child stars—twice

It's tricky to think of The Big Bang Theory without Johnny Galecki's Leonard Hofstadter, the character who was soft-spoken and wore glasses. However, what would your reaction be if we shared with you the information that one of Hollywood's most legendary child actors almost played him?

Yes, Macaulay Culkin, the Home Alone star—the cool kid who, with the help of the famous paint cans and the festive mood, outsmarted two burglars—was approached three times, not once, to play Leonard. And every time, he rejected the offer.

Of course, as someone who has been watching the show for a long time, it's quite out of this world to picture someone else besides Galecki being there, standing in front of Sheldon Cooper, and being bamboozled by such antics while he simultaneously juggles his abashed feelings for Penny, but it was very close to happening. And to be absolutely honest, we are a little curious.

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Macaulay Culkin didn’t get the joke—literally

During an interview with The Joe Rogan Experience, Culkin shared his thoughts on the offer he got from The Big Bang Theory. The actor said that he found the proposal unconvincing because it

“They pursued me for The Big Bang Theory, and I said no. The way the pitch was, 'Alright, these two astrophysicist nerds and a pretty girl lives with them. Yoinks!’”

Culkin openly confessed that apart from a few aspects of the show, he felt zero connection to the storyline and that he was not able to laugh. Culkin was unwillingly forced to quit the show because mere promises of real scientists coming to the set with physics lectures and Q&A sessions didn't turn his decision. After numerous discussions with producers and a bit of push from his manager, still, it wasn't the case.

It was his absolute right to reject the offer. Culkin has always been a bit of a loose cannon, preferring those projects that inspired him to fame common among people. However, even with that knowledge at hand, it still is hard to not visualize the situation of Kevin McCallister, who worked hard to be a physicist at Caltech and finally got there.

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Regrets? Maybe just a little

Although he wasn't shaken by it at the time, Culkin has confessed that giving up The Big Bang Theory implied a fortune had to be given up.

The revenue-sharing model of the later seasons of the show had Johnny Galecki's pockets full all the time, when he was getting $1 million per episode. That’s Friends money. That’s “never work again” money. Culkin took part in this bet:

“I'd have hundreds of millions of dollars right now if I did that gig. But at the same time, I'd be bashing my head against the wall.”

He was open with us as his followers. He definitely missed the font of funds and went on with something more substantial, right? Nevertheless, to us, he welcomed our spirits and shared jokes in the most candid way. True, a vast majority of people don’t figure in the role of being the funny one in a science-based sitcom.

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Why Galecki was the right choice in the end

As interesting as it sounds, Macaulay Culkin was still not Leonard; however, we can agree that Johnny Galecki was Leonard.

What happened was, after he was found taking part in a play in a Broadway theater (The Little Dog Laughed, which brought him a Theater World Award), Galecki was at first invited to try out for Sheldon Cooper. In a turn that now looks like fate, he requested to be considered for the part of Leonard instead.

That choice created the Leonard we got to like: the kind, a bit embarrassed, and, at the same time, very much the voice of reason physicist who kept Sheldon’s mad genius in the real world. Through his acting, Galecki brought the fullness and warmth of the character to life—the one who was as big a fan of Battlestar Galactica as he was of Penny.

Moreover, just like Culkin, Galecki had once been a child actor, and he actually did not miss being an actor in a few episodes of Roseanne. That is exactly the reason why he was a perfect choice for the role.

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The sitcom that could have been—and the one we got

Now when I think about it, it looks like it was all for the best. The Big Bang Theory series showed up for 12 seasons, made a huge impact on pop culture, and lifted off two spin-offs (with a third one on the way). It has already joined the sitcoms hall of fame and stands right alongside Friends and The Office.

More importantly, as much as Culkin never took the part of Leonard, he remains an undisturbed legend. He is the one who created Kevin McCallister for us. He is the one who created Richie Rich for us. He is responsible for Bunny Ears—his satirical lifestyle brand that takes a satirical look at celebrity culture. He was living his life in his way, keeping his weird and wonderful spirit.

Uh-huh, The Big Bang Theory skipped one of the most famous child stars of Hollywood—yeah, twice. But that was how it found the Leonard that we could not have dreamed we needed.

I wouldn't change a thing, as a fan, even.