Move over George Clooney, Hollywood has a new star in town! Little Iain Armitage is the next big thing on TV and we’re here for it. He’s starring in the new Big Bang Theory prequel, Young Sheldon, which will premiere a special preview on September 25.
He’s said some Big Little Lies with Nicole Kidman and Reese Witherspoon, but Iain Armitage is set to make a big bang on TV as Young Sheldon. The new Big Bang Theory spin-off will feature the voice of Jim Parsons, the older Sheldon Cooper, as the narrator. The series will premiere in November, but we’ll be treated to a special pilot on September 25. Everyone’s been buzzing about the mini-Cooper playing Parsons’ character, especially after his big Emmy appearance. Here’s what you need to know about Jim Parsons’ mini-me in Iain Armitage’s wiki.
Pint-Sized Theater Critic
He may be small, but he knows a lot about theater —probably because of his parents. His mother, Lee Armitage, is a theater producer, while his father, Euan Morton, is a Scottish actor and singer with theater credits. Morton is most famous for playing Boy George in the musical, Taboo, which earned him a Tony nomination.
A four-year-old Iain’s first theatrical review went viral on YouTube when his parents uploaded it on the video sharing site. Now this Virginia native’s YouTube channel, Iain Loves Theater, has over 6,000 subscribers. Some of the shows Armitage reviewed include Hello Dolly, Hairspray, How to Succeed in Business, Gypsy, The Apple Tree, Beaches, A Gentleman’s Guide to Love and Murder, and many, many more.
While he tries to attend the theater whenever his busy schedule permits, his love for the stage earned him the best gig of his life so far. This little theater aficionado interviewed celebs on the red carpet for the Tony Awards in 2016 and 2017.
Career Breakthrough
A New York agent, Jamie Pillet, saw Iain Loves Theater on Facebook and was impressed by the kid’s talent. He contacted Lee Armitage and Euan Morton about a possible acting career for their son. Morton might not have needed much convincing, but Lee was hesitant.
They met Pillet in 2014 when the family was in New York on one of their theater-viewing trips. Iain, who was dressed as the Phantom of the Opera during the meeting, signed for an acting career after his mother was convinced.
In 2017, Armitage added a host of acting credits to his name. He has appeared in movies like The Glass Castle and Our Souls at Night —where he bonded with Jane Fonda— and on an episode of Law and Order: Special Victims Unit. His breakthrough role came with the HBO limited series, Big Little Lies.
The critically acclaimed drama starred stellar actors like Reese Witherspoon, Nicole Kidman, Alexander Skarsgard, Zoe Kravitz, and Adam Scott. The show won big at the 2017 Emmys, including Outstanding Limited Series. Armitage made his awards night debut at the Emmys where he live-tweeted about his experience with TV greats. His big night included hanging out with Oprah Winfrey, host Stephen Colbert, and Billy Eichner among others. He was even a presenter with Jim Parsons.
Boy Next Door
The nine-year-old is like any kid starring on a TV show. He avidly follows the happenings in theater, enjoys tap-dancing, and indulges in magic tricks in his spare time. Recently, he earned his blue belt in Tae Kwon Do. His most precious possessions include his Harry Potter wand, which he uses for his magic tricks.
He’s already picturing a life outside Hollywood when he’s older. When asked where he sees himself when he’s 20 or 30, he answered, “Hopefully I’m doing magic tricks in Las Vegas.”
Has Iain Watched TBBT?
TBBT fans are excited to see how Sheldon grew up into the geek-chic physicist we love. The show has garnered a huge following in the 10-year run since it began in 2007, a year before Armitage was even born. So did Iain ever watch the original Sheldon Cooper and his gang on TBBT?
“Well, it isn’t exactly appropriate for me,” says Armitage. “So I don’t really follow it, no.” But it was clear that he was made for the role when his mother sent Iain’s home video to Chuck Lorre, the man behind TBBT and Young Sheldon.
Jim Parsons says that it doesn’t matter if you’ve never watched TBBT, you can still enjoy Young Sheldon. And he is beyond moved by Armitage’s portrayal of his character in Young Sheldon. Parsons has already won multiple Emmys playing Sheldon Cooper. So it looks like Iain Armitage is on the right track.
Iain Armitage’s Young Sheldon special episode will premiere on September 25 at 8:30 p.m. EST on CBS.
