Interview With Mayim Bialik From Big Bang Theory

It is with great pleasure that I introduce Mayim Bialik to all my readers on SDCC.CO. Mayim has been very kind and agreed to a celebrity guest interview! For those who live under a rock and don’t know who she is….  She is best known for her lead role as Blossom Russo in the early-1990s NBC sitcom Blossom and for her role as Amy Farrah Fowler in the TV sitcom The Big Bang Theory.

How do you promote yourself? Do you have a twitter, facebook account, website, etc? What’s the easiest way for a fan to contact you?

Haha, well I actually have my publicist “promote” me but I do interact with my fans. The best way for someone to contact me is through my official Mayim Bialik facebook page. Yes I also have a twitter but it is more of a personal account. Follow me on twitter @missmayim

I am also a regular writer for Kveller.com which helped me find my writing voice. I also have a book coming out in March 2012 which is titled “Beyond The Sling.” I am really excited about the book and cannot wait until it is released. If anyone is interested, you can pre-order the book right now RIGHT HERE through Amazon.  

Do you send autographs to fans? Or reply to fan mail?

No, I currently don’t send any autographs to any fans due to many security reasons. Things changed in the 80’s and 90’s. People were able to send fan mail to their favorite actors and get an autograph in return but that all changed. 99% of the fans would be considered “normal” it’s the 1% of the other type that makes actors weary about sending out pictures, etc. However that can all change.

I remember doing the Chiller Festival in New Jersey which was a blast and allowed me to interact with my fans and show them my appreciation.

You have been in many great sitcoms/shows – How did you get started in acting and how old were you? You were a successful child actor – unfortunately some are not today as adults – How did you keep yourself grounded?

 I started acting when I was 11 years old and my parents got me an agent when I was 12. My parents can be considered “old fashioned” and played a vital role in my life.  They kept me grounded and encouraged me to have a life outside of acting and that the world is full of mysteries. They told me to complete my schooling and realize that there are things besides acting. 

You have a degree in Neuroscience which is VERY impressive!  What drove you to obtain a degree?

I feel in love with science while I was in high school. Blossom ended and I wanted to study something that interested me. I decided to study the brain and neuro system and got my degree in Neuroscience.

Do you ever see yourself pursuing work related to your degree? Or is it sort of a “fall back” plan?

My original plan was to be a research professor. However being a research professor puts a strain on your normal life and does not allow you to do certain things. I met my husband in a calculus class and after having my first child I was very glad that I chose not to be a research professor. I wanted to live a life that allowed me to spend as much time with my children as possible.

The Big Bang Theory is an awesome show and has a tremendous following – In the show you play Amy Farrah Fowler – a nerdy, brainy girlfriend.

How do you like this role?

It’s great! However it is very difficult to be the possible girlfriend of a character that no one ever wanted to have a girlfriend. The writers have done great job implementing my character with Jim Parson’s character to show the world how he really is

How does this role compare to others you have played in the past?

I did 8 episodes of Webster playing a “nerd” – who is basically modeled after the church lady from SNL. This character is a similar “super nerd.” She is extremely fun and is considered an adult nerd.  And I don’t mean “nerd” in a negative way – I am referring to it as a “smart academic female.” Webster helped me in playing Anna Fowler since I know more about the role.

What message are you trying to convey through your character?

My job is to entertain people and keep their interest. One interesting item about the show is they are walking a very fine line but not making fun of people who like comic books and being nerds.  The show is trying to demonstrate a different perspective on a term that has had a bad connotation forever. Today it seems as if being considered a “nerd” is a cool/hip thing as opposed to a few decades ago.

I grew up watching 90210 which did not portray a positive image. It was basically a show about people having sex and how teens should live their lives to be considered “cool” and not a “nerd.” It was filled with many permutations that did not convey a positive image to viewers.

Can you relate to her in real life? Is there anything your character does that you do as well?

Amy’s social skills are much different than mine – She has a very hard time fitting in with people but tries hard to make herself noticed.

She is more outrageous than I am.

Do you feel that many people still stereotype “nerds” “geeks” “dweebs” etc, today?

There is more of a hip factor today than when I was called a nerd. I can remember my first day of class in college; one girl asked me why I wanted to study neuroscience. I told her that it interested me and I want to pursue a degree in a field that does not bore me.  She had a very awkward look on her face and flat out called me a nerd. I did not get offended but embraced it and from that point on I decided to make my official college email: nerd@ucla.edu.

Being called a nerd today is more embraceable than in the past – it’s still a complicated term – but is much more accepted and looked upon than before. Ultimately being called a “nerd” or “geek” today is a way of living one’s life.

Do you use your degree or anything technical in the show?

Has there ever been a time that you knew something was not technically correct while filming?

Yes I get a twitch when something is wrong. If it’s not right then I do my best to fix it. The writers of the show spend a lot of time researching material to make sure it is correct but sometimes it is wrong. It is much easier for me to memorize my lines when I know things are correct.

I was told that you (along with The Big Bang Theory) attended the 2011 Sand Diego Comic Con –

How did you like SDCC? Was this your first time to a comic convention? Will you attend next year?

Yes, this was my first year at the San Diego Comic Con and it was great – I loved it and really want to go back next year. I Strong desire to be as a spectator and not be a speaker so that I can enjoy the entire convention. Being a guest speaker was great because I get to speak with fans, but I really want to walk around and enjoy everything!

I grew up going to comic book shops so this concept was not really new to me. I would have loved to walk around anonymously but my tight schedule did not aloe me to. I literally flew in the morning and flew out later in the night to go back home to my husband and children.

I plan on attending the 2012 SDCC and bring my oldest son who is 7 years old.

What was your favorite part of the con? Did you walk the floor and have people come up to you? (if you have any pics from SDCC, I would LOVE to post them!!)

Hmm, there were many things but my favorite would have to be meeting the actors from LOST which was extremely cool. I was also able to do some great photo shoots. The after party was also a blast!

You do NOT let your children watch TV, correct? What is your reasoning behind this?

Yes that’s true – our feeling is that there is an appropriate age for children to start watching TV. There are too many stimulations and distractions when children spend their time watching TV. TV can be very over stimulating and cause a child’s attention span to shift. Some children drown out their imagination since they spend most of their time watching TV. We have a general idea and we believe that children who don’t watch TV play and act differently than kids who watch TV.

TV is somewhat like a good drug which will eventually lead people to want more and more of it.

Watching TV gives parent’s a great break but they should do it in moderation.

Do your kids ever ask you to watch TV? Would you ever let them watch an episode of “The Big Bang Theory” and say “Hey kids look – that’s your mom on TV?”

I firmly believe that youngsters today spend WAY too much time playing video games, watching TV, texting, etc and not using their imagination anymore.

Will there be a transition point of slowly introducing TV into their lives? If so, at what age? Do you or your husband watch TV? Finally – do you own a TV?

We practice Waldorf schooling which recommends no TV for first 7 years of a child’s life.

This has been working out extremely well and allows my son to use his imagination and creativity. He loves pirates and LEGO’s. He has a very vivid, natural imagination.

At around the age of 10, we will slowly start introducing him to TV. Just because he does not watch TV does not mean he does not know about it. He is very familiar with many favorite kid shows such as Spongebob, etc.

Yes we own a TV but it does not get used much 😉

What do you see yourself doing 5 years from now? Do you want your kids to follow your footsteps and get into acting? 

In 5 years we will be parents of an 11 and 8 year old.  My life will (and does) revolve around my kids.

As far as my career, well I have no idea. I might be working on a movie or doing a shot – Working in Hollywood is very unpredictable and it is extremely hard to figure out what I’ll be doing in 1 year let alone 5 years.

A parent needs to be involved to get their child into acting. I don’t know if they have the obedience to listen to a director. I have a hard enough time getting them to smile in front of a camera.

Can you explain what you do for Chai Lifeline and the Holistic Mother’s Network. How did you get started with these 2 organizations?

Sure Chai lifeline is an organization that raises money to send seriously ill children to summer camp.

The Holistic Moms Network is a non-profit organization connecting parents who are interested in holistic health and green living. It encourages moms to trust their instincts, parent from the heart, use their innate sense of what is best for their children, live in balance with the Earth, and learn about the pros and cons of all healthcare and parenting options.

I got started in both of these organizations because I wanted to make an impact and help change someone’s life.

What is one thing that the world does NOT know about you? Also, if you can do one thing to change the world, what would it be?

One thing that most people do not know about me is that I am a very nervous performer and am very socially shy. Red carpets, events, and acting in front of an audience are very challenging and most people might not see that when looking at me.

I want to personally thank Mayim for taking time out of her busy schedule to do this interview! I also want to thank Heather from Much and House PR.