On “The Big Bang Theory,” Stuart Bloom forms a bond with Raj Koothrappali (Kunal Nayyar) over their loneliness. But in real life, Kevin Sussman and Mayim Bialik are kindred, anxiety-prone spirits. During an installment of “Mayim Bialik’s Breakdown,” the two are very candid about their respective mental health struggles and the impact these experiences have had on their acting careers.
For Sussman, he’s able to calm his nerves before a big filming day by fully preparing and getting into character. But for “The Big Bang Theory,” which ran on a very tight schedule, he didn’t always have this luxury. Shooting took place three days a week, which meant the cast only ran lines a few times. He told Bialik, “I tenaciously guard any preparation time that I can get … It’s less getting up in front of people, that’s not what creates the anxiety for me. It’s feeling unprepared.”
Swallowing an unexpected duck beak could have easily thrown Sussman’s focus off course, especially since he was due on set directly after. Thankfully, he was able to confide in Bialik and immerse himself in the role of Stuart, beak breath and all.