"Young Sheldon" gave fans of "The Big Bang Theory" a look into Sheldon Cooper's life before he knew Leonard Hofstadter, Howard Wolowitz, and Raj Koothrappali. That also meant the prequel/spin-off series needed to introduce a range of new characters to populate Sheldon's younger years, on top of introducing the younger versions of certain characters who had guest roles on "The Big Bang Theory." The most prominent players in the show were, of course, Sheldon's family -- his father George Sr. ("The
Big Bang Theory" alum Lance Barber), his mother Mary (Zoe Perry), his grandmother "Meemaw" (Annie Potts), and his siblings George Jr./Georgie (Montana Jordan) and Melissa/Missy (Raegan Revord) -- along with Sheldon himself (Iain Armitage). However, Sheldon's friends -- and rivals -- from school also had an important role to play.
One such character from Sheldon's school days was Paige Swanson, played by Mckenna Grace. Making her first appearance in season 2 of "Young Sheldon," Paige was another child genius in Sheldon's class who outshone Sheldon academically. So, naturally, Sheldon quickly became jealous of her, kicking off a long-running rivalry between the two. They would later reconnect at college, though Paige remained closer with Missy than with Sheldon. Ultimately, Paige only had a small role in "Young Sheldon," appearing in just a handful of episodes over its seven seasons, but she clearly made an impact on fans.
Case in point: While reflecting on some of her best-known roles in a 2024 interview with Glamour, Grace revealed that Paige is still the character that earns her the most recognition from fans (much to her surprise).
Read more: The Big Bang Theory: Every Main Character, Ranked By Likability
Mckenna Grace's Young Sheldon Role Has Proven To Be A Fan Favorite
Paige Swanson was a relatively minor character on "Young Sheldon," but the series' success has meant even its lesser seen characters have lived on in fans' minds. In her interview with Glamour, Grace was asked which role from her impressive career (she's been acting since she was five years old) she gets recognized for the most. And while she's appeared in some huge franchises, including the "Ghostbusters" movies, The Conjuring Universe, and even the Marvel Cinematic Universe (in which she briefly played a young Carol Danvers in "Captain Marvel"), Grace admitted she gets by and far the more notice for her turn as Paige Swanson.
When asked what fans most reference when meeting her, Grace responded:
"'Young Sheldon,' which is so crazy because I've been in, like, six episodes of that show that has been on for so long. It always makes me laugh because I'm like, 'How? Me? I was in six episodes of it,' and I feel like I've done a lot of things. So, it's always just funny that I get recognized so often for the show that I appear so little in. 'Young Sheldon' is just such a hit with teenagers."
Grace actually appeared in nine episodes of "Young Sheldon," between the series' second and sixth seasons, but her point stands. Considering how small her part was compared to some of the show's other stars, it's impressive the "Big Bang Theory" spin-off has become the standout role of Grace's career.
"Young Sheldon" is currently streaming on HBO Max.
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Read the original article on SlashFilm.
