Sheldon Cooper may be one of the smartest characters in TV history, but is he actually smart in real life? Here’s what you need to know.

From his childhood in Young Sheldon, Sheldon showed signs of being a genius, advancing to high school at the age of nine. His love for learning grew, leading him to Caltech, which is still a place he highly respects in The Big Bang Theory.

It’s easy to mix up the world of fiction and real life, but is Sheldon Cooper really smart?

Is Sheldon Cooper smart in real life?

Sheldon Cooper is not a real person. The actor who plays him, Jim Parsons, said about his own intelligence: “I’m not stupid. But I’m no genius.” He made this comment during a 2011 interview with The Early Show, and it’s likely that this answer hasn’t changed. In The Big Bang Theory, Sheldon has an IQ of 187, which is much higher than the average IQ of 100.

“Sheldon isn’t Sheldon off the TV, he’s Jim,” one fan posted online. “Jim does not have to be that genius because he is acting as that character. Sheldon isn’t real, on that show anyway, though there are people as brilliant and intelligent, less the quirky though.”

“Jim has a Master’s degree in Classical Theater, so he studied theater, as an actor might, but a scientist wouldn’t. Sheldon has five degrees including two doctorates. Sheldon was a prodigy. And Jim’s intelligence is not comparable to Sheldon’s genius or education. Jim’s brilliance is easily seen playing a brilliant character on a popular TV show.”

Young Sheldon star Iain Armitage hasn’t publicly commented on the question, but fans have assumed a similar answer for him. Armitage is fluent in Russian and started out as a theater critic before moving to acting. He shares another similarity with his character: he is also a twin.

Jim Parson has never seen Star Trek

Jim Parsons shares some similarities with his The Big Bang Theory character, Sheldon Cooper, including being socially awkward. Parsons has talked about having social anxiety but managed to work through it by acting and being around other people. Working on stage in front of an audience might also help him get into the mindset needed to perform in front of others.

Sadly, there is one way in which Parsons and Sheldon are complete opposites. In a video interview with Time posted on February 11, 2011, Parsons said he gets asked about science and pop culture all the time. He responded, “I’ve never seen ‘Star Trek’ … I don’t know ‘Dr. Who.'” These two long-running franchises are Sheldon’s favorites and possibly the favorites of many fans of The Big Bang Theory.

While Sheldon loves sci-fi and fantasy, Parsons is passionate about sports. He’s been on the sports commentary show The Dan Patrick Show, and in 2019, he was praised for picking 44 out of the 48 winning teams in basketball’s March Madness. By all accounts, Parsons is much more friendly and approachable than Sheldon, but they’re both talented and entertaining.