Why The Big Bang Theory Star Johnny Galecki Disappeared From Hollywood

The cast of “The Big Bang Theory” were in an extremely bright spotlight during the show’s 12-season run. As such, many of the actors have found it fairly easy to keep busy since the Chuck Lorre-created hit sitcom came to a close in 2019. Jim Parsons (who played Sheldon Cooper) — a classically-trained theater actor — has been busy with stage projects both on and off-Broadway, as well as the “Big Bang Theory” spinoff “Young Sheldon.” Kaley Cuoco (who played Penny Hofstadter) has likewise starred in a string of live-action movies and TV shows while voicing the titular character on Max’s animated “Harley Quinn” series. Cast members like Simon Helberg (whose character was Howard Wolowitz), Kunal Nayyar (Raj Koothrappali), Melissa Rauch (Bernadette Rostenkowski), Mayim Bialik (Amy Farrah Fowler), Sara Gilbert (Leslie Winkle), and Kevin Sussman (Stuart Bloom) have also found plenty of work since the show ended.

Not every member of the cast has continued acting, however. Instead of following “The Big Bang Theory” with new projects like his castmates, Johnny Galecki (who played Leonard Hofstadter) hasn’t appeared in a single movie or TV role since 2019. Instead, much in the way “Malcolm in the Middle” star Frankie Muniz disappeared from Hollywood after his hit show ended, Galecki seems to have focused his energy on other things. Let’s find out what this “The Big Bang Theory” star has been up to in recent years.

Johnny Galecki has maintained an extremely low profile since “The Big Bang Theory” ended after season 12. Not only has he been completely absent from screens big and small since 2019, but his media appearances have also been few and far between.

In February 2024, he gave a rare interview with Architechtural Digest where he opened up on his recent activities and relative silence. He also revealed a major but ultimately very simple reason why he hasn’t been a factor in the Hollywood scene as of late: he literally isn’t in the area anymore. After spending a long time considering it, he decided to move out of Los Angeles around the time “The Big Bang Theory” ended because he didn’t think he really meshed with the city:

“I never felt like much of an Angeleno. And I did try. I say that with sadness, not with snobbery. 30 years is just a very long time to live in a city that you’re not all that comfortable in.”

As he realized that he wasn’t really cut out for that Los Angeles life, Johnny Galecki decided to purchase a big house with 30 acres of land outside Nashville, Tennessee. He closed the deal in 2018, but soon understood that turning the attractive property into a home would require outside assistance. As it happens, said outside assistance is the very reason he gave the Architectural Digest interview; he was deeply impressed with the Gothic-inspired renovation project by Louisa Pierce and Emily Ward of the Pierce & Ward interior design company. As he put it:

“I think this is the first interview I’ve agreed to do in almost four years, and it’s purely because I’m excited to rave about Emily and Louisa.”

Galecki was clearly satisfied with the end result of the interview as well, seeing as he highlighted it on his sporadically-updated Instagram account, complete with numerous pictures of his home’s finished interior. Judging by the time and effort poured into the house, it certainly seems that leaving Nashville — especially for the Hollywood life he’s already left behind — isn’t in the cards for now. 

A major reason why Johnny Galecki’s eye has not been in the acting game lately is his family, which he has been quite private about — to the point that it wasn’t until the Architectural Digest interview when he shed any particular light on his family life. In November 2019, Galecki and his then-partner Alaina Meyer had a son. The two have since separated and Galecki got married to Morgan Galecki, and the pair had a daughter in 2024. Dedicated fans may have been able to piece some of these developments together from the actor’s Instagram, where he has posted occasional glimpses of his life as a father and the family’s trips to Disneyland and Walt Disney World.

Galecki becoming a father coincides with his disappearance from Hollywood, and it seems that the actor’s private life has certainly been busy ever since. Starting a family is liable to change one’s priorities, so even if Galecki hadn’t relocated to Nashville, it would be perfectly understandable that he hasn’t been taking any acting gigs as of late.

When Johnny Galecki joined “The Big Bang Theory,” he was already a seasoned veteran. He started his screen acting career in the late 1980s, famously appearing opposite Chevy Chase in “National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation” (1989) as Rusty Griswold and joining the cast of “Roseanne” in 1992 as Darlene Conner’s (Sara Gilbert, who also went on to star in “The Big Bang Theory”) partner David Healy. Galecki remained busy while making “The Big Bang Theory,” appearing in multiple films and TV shows during the sitcom’s run. With a CV as impressive as his, the actor should have no problem returning to acting, should he so desire. However, with his devotion to his young family and his Nashville home, it remains to be seen when (or if) this will happen.

It’s worth noting, however, that while Galecki has maintained a low profile in recent years, he hasn’t been entirely absent from show business. In 2021, he played Fee-Fo the Giant in four episodes of Audible’s “The Cinnamon Bear: A Holiday Adventure” podcast series, joining an all-star cast with names like Ryan Reynolds, Alan Cumming, Helen Hunt, John Goodman, Catherine Keener, and Stephen Root.

Galecki has also explored the production side of the entertainment industry. In December 2021, Deadline reported that he had joined forces with writers Margaret Eastley and Laura Putney of “Manifest” fame to develop a medical drama for ABC. The series is based on J.D. Kleinke’s pediatric medicine novel “Catching Babies,” and Galecki is on board as an executive producer. This isn’t his first foray into this role, either; Galecki has several executive producer credits to his name, including on the reality show “SciJinks” (which he also hosted) and the one-season CBS sitcom “Living Biblically,” both from 2018.”

As is the case with many other professions, actors sometimes take roles simply because they need a paycheck. This is unlikely to be the case with Johnny Galecki thanks to his hefty “The Big Bang Theory” salary. After season 7 the primary stars on the show — including Galecki — earned around $1 million per episode — a significant raise from their earlier earnings of $350,000 per episode. Even after these “The Big Bang Theory” stars took a pay cut to raise newer main cast members’ salaries, this still left them with some $900,000 per episode. While exact sums are undisclosed, it’s also worth noting that the central cast of “The Big Bang Theory” also makes money from reruns of the popular show. What’s more, even without his “The Big Bang Theory” salaries and residuals, Galecki would definitely qualify as a successful actor thanks to his lengthy tenure on “Roseanne” and other projects.

While Galecki’s exact net worth isn’t known, his career earnings are definitely hefty. As such, with adequate financial planning, the actor should be just fine even if he opts to focus on his family and never take a role again.