Stephen Hawking

While referenced numerous times throughout the series' 12 seasons, world renowned physicist Stephen Hawking made seven guest appearances on the show. One of the episodes was even named for the scientist, titled "The Hawking Excitation," during which Sheldon Cooper finally gets to meet this idol and faints after Hawking points out an error in Cooper's paper that makes it all incorrect.

James Earl Jones

Playing himself, the famous actor and distinguished voice artist is exactly who Sheldon Cooper is looking for when he decides to host his own sci-fi convention after being unable to get tickets to Comic-Con, but his night out with James Earl Jones turns out to be nothing like what he expected.

Carrie Fischer

The famed Star Wars actress made an appearance as herself when Sheldon Cooper and James Earl Jones get caught playing Ding Dong Ditch at her house. Despite both having prominent roles in Star Wars, Fischer and Jones had never met each other prior to working on this episode of The Big Bang Theory.

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Joe Manganiello

Magic Mike heartthrob Joe Manganiello makes a cameo as himself, joining other guest stars Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Kevin Smith and Wil Wheaton for a game of Dungeons and Dragons at William Shatner's house, a game Sheldon dreams of getting in on.

LeVar Burton

Playing a fictitious version of himself, Reading Rainbow star LeVar Burton appeared on three episodes of The Big Bang Theory, during two of which he joined Sheldon Cooper and Amy Farrah Fowler as a guest star on their web series Fun with Flags.

Sarah Michelle Gellar

Buffy the Vampire Slayer star Sarah Michelle Gellar appeared as herself in the 2019 season finale. The actress met Raj Koothrappali on a flight and later surprised everyone as his date when the two attended Amy Farrah Fowler and Sheldon Cooper's Nobel Prize ceremony.

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Sara Gilbert

Playing Sheldon Cooper's nemesis Leslie Winkle, Sara Gilbert appeared in nine episodes of the show. Winkle was also a rebound relationship for Leonard Hofstadter (played by Johnny Galecki), a full circle moment from when Galecki played Gilbert's boyfriend on Roseanne in the 90s.

Laurie Metcalf

Sara Gilbert wasn't the only Roseanne star to make an appearance on The Big Bang Theory. Laurie Metcalf guest starred in 14 episodes throughout thr show's 12 year run, playing the role of Sheldon Cooper's mother.

Bob Newhart

Playing the role of Arthur Jefferies, also known as TV host and scientist Professor Proton, Bob Newhart's character creates a rift when he asks Leonard Hofstadter to review his paper and not Sheldon Cooper. Newhart won his first and only Primetime Emmy award for this guest appearance on The Big Bang Theory.

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Bill Nye

For a show about scientists, it's only fitting that Bill Nye the Science Guy would make an appearance. Playing himself, Nye is used by Sheldon Cooper to make his friend Leonard Hofstadter jealous, which ends with Nye being added to the list of celebrities who have a restraining order against Cooper.

Regina King

Before Regina King was an Emmy and Oscar award winning actress, she made an appearance in six episodes of the hit show playing Janine Davis, the human resource manager at Caltech. King's performance in the role earned her a nomination for best Guest Actress in a Comedy Series at the 2013 Online Film & Television Association Awards.

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