Young Sheldon had a huge responsibility when it started in 2017, carefully establishing the childhood life in Texas of the fan-favorite character, Sheldon Cooper. The series executed this task to near perfection with a talented cast, including Iain Armitage, who was a great casting choice for Sheldon. However, the only real Texan among the cast was actor Montana Jordan, who believed that his role mirrored his life in Texas.
Jordan played George Jr. aka Georgie, the oldest Cooper child, who was a rebellious teenager in season one. As the show enters its seventh season, Georgie is now a young father who dropped out of school to work full-time, on his way to becoming the successful businessman as seen in The Big Bang Theory.
Montana Jordan Believed His Young Sheldon Role Copied His Life In Texas
Montana Jordan convincingly played the resentful yet big-hearted Georgie in Young Sheldon. In the series, Georgie was not happy with all the attention that his parents paid to the child prodigy in the family, Sheldon. Jordan brought his rebellious teenage self to the role and was exceptional. Apart from Young Sheldon and a brief appearance in The Big Bang Theory, Jordan has only appeared in one other film, The Legacy of Whitetail Deer Hunter.
Jordan shared in an interview with Glitter Magazine how he secured his role in the series. The actor, slightly older than his character, revealed that his mom came up with the idea of him starring in films. When the role came to him, he felt like he was reading his autobiography. Jordan, much like Georgie, played football and got in trouble over his messy room. He told Glitter Magazine:
“When I first read the role of Georgie, I thought I was reading an autobiography. Everything lined up to my life back in Texas. I played football, and I always got in trouble for having a messy room. I mean I could sit here and name 100 things that me and Georgie have in common.”
He was particularly drawn to the role due to the character being an older brother. Jordan has two big sisters at home who pick on him all the time. He was just 14 years old when he appeared in season one, and now, at 20, he enters the final season of Young Sheldon, after which he hopes to star in more diverse roles.
Montana Jordan Revealed That He Never Watched The Big Bang Theory
Although Young Sheldon serves as a prequel to the hit sitcom The Big Bang Theory, Montana Jordan admitted that he has not watched the Jim Parsons-starring show. Jordan revealed that he was not much of a TV person, stating, “I’ve never been a kid to sit down and watch TV… believe it or not, I still don’t.” However, he acknowledged hearing great things about the series.
Not just Jordan but the titular star of Young Sheldon, Iain Armitage, revealed that he hasn’t watched The Big Bang Theory. Armitage shared with Business Standard that the series was not appropriate for his age and was aimed at a more mature audience. However, he received coaching for playing young Sheldon from the adult Sheldon, Jim Parsons.
All six seasons of Young Sheldon are now available for streaming on Max.
