Which character is played by Laurie Metcalf?

The character played by Laurie Metcalf is Mary Cooper.

Mary Cooper is Sheldon’s mother on The Big Bang Theory. She is a devout Southern Baptist from Texas whose practical instincts and firm maternal authority often counter Sheldon’s arrogance and unusual behavior. Although Sheldon is a world-class theoretical physicist, Mary is frequently the person most capable of controlling or calming him.

Metcalf first appeared as Mary in 2007 and returned repeatedly throughout the sitcom’s twelve-season run. The role earned her a Primetime Emmy nomination for Outstanding Guest Actress in a Comedy Series in 2016. Mary’s other children are Sheldon’s twin sister Missy and older brother Georgie, while her husband, George Cooper Sr., is discussed as having died before the main events of The Big Bang Theory.

A major franchise detail is that Zoe Perry plays the younger Mary in Young Sheldon. Perry is Laurie Metcalf’s real-life daughter, making the casting an unusual mother-and-daughter connection across the two series. Mary should not be confused with Beverly Hofstadter, Leonard’s emotionally distant mother, or Mrs. Wolowitz, Howard’s unseen and famously loud mother.