Kunal Nayyar Was Cleaning Toilets, Had Only One Year Left On His Visa When He Landed The Big Bang Theory

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For 12 seasons, The Big Bang Theory was a hugely popular comedy on television. Although Johnny Galecki and Kaley Cuoco were already known actors-and Mayim Bialik joined the show a bit later-the sitcom launched the careers of their co-stars, Kunal Nayyar, Melissa Rauch, Simon Helberg, and Jim Parsons, making them household names. Recently, Nayyar has been thinking back to what things were like just before he got the part.

What Did Kunal Nayyar Say About Cleaning Toilets Before Landing The Big Bang Theory?

It’s rare for anyone to begin their career at the very peak of their field, and that includes actors. Like most people, actors often take on various entry-level jobs to support themselves while they’re working towards success in Hollywood. Everyone has to start somewhere, and earning a living while pursuing a dream is a common experience. This is especially true in a competitive industry like acting.

I remember hearing that 2007 really launched Kunal Nayyar and the rest of the The Big Bang Theory cast into the stratosphere – for a while there, he, Helberg, Galecki, and Parsons were consistently the four highest-paid actors on television! But it wasn’t always glamour. He actually came to the US for college way back in 1999 and had to hustle just to get by. He recently shared with Fortune, and it’s fascinating, especially considering he’s admitted to being a bit of a handful when they first started filming TBBT – apparently he really ruffled some feathers!

I really took whatever work came my way. When I started in 1999, I was in housekeeping and even cleaned toilets – I did anything and everything to get by. Honestly, I never thought any job was too small or unimportant for me to do. I was willing to do absolutely anything, and I did. It was all about getting the job done, and I was happy to contribute in any way I could. I embraced every opportunity, no matter how humble.

This is true for a lot of people, regardless of their specific situation. Often, you have to work incredibly hard to manage your finances, and being young, a student, or an international resident can make that even more challenging, requiring extra effort to cover expenses.

Kunal Nayyar, known for his role in The Big Bang Theory, jokingly expressed a very strong opinion about the clothes his character, Raj, wore on the show, and many fans would likely agree with him!

Nayyar (who was moved to tears alongside Cuoco and Rauch during the final read-through for the popular CBS show) also shared that he worked incredibly long hours – 16-hour shifts – while studying in the U.S., even while pursuing his Master’s degree in acting at Temple University in Philadelphia. His work wasn’t limited to unpleasant tasks; he also taught acting, managed his university’s computer lab, cleaned windows at a church, and performed comedy at corporate events.

The beloved Big Bang Theory star encountered a difficult situation after finishing his studies at Temple University. He had relocated to Los Angeles hoping to find opportunities in film and television (like many actors, he appeared in an early episode of NCIS), but he only had one year remaining on the student visa that permitted him to live and work in the country. He shared:

I really needed to secure a significant opportunity so I could apply for permanent residency. Then, I tried out for Big Bang, and after that, everything fell into place. However, my visa was expiring; I only had one year of work authorization after graduating as an international student. So, I was really under pressure with the timing.

I still think about how incredibly stressful that whole situation must have been! It feels like when you’re facing a really tight deadline – especially for something important like a job search – you really need everything to fall into place. Thankfully, all of Nayyar’s dedication and careful planning worked out perfectly at the last minute, and he’ll forever be remembered for being part of one of the most-loved TV comedies.

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2025-10-01 02:05