Jim Parsons and his now-husband, Todd Spiewak, met in 2002, but their relationship only became public a decade later. Today, they enjoy a beautiful married life and are an inspiration to many others.
Many know him as the sarcastic physicist with social apathy on the sitcom "Big Bang Theory." Still, in real life, Jim Parsons lives life as ordinary as any other and is married to executive producer Todd Spiewak — a wedding that was 15 years in the making.
The actor who plays Sheldon Cooper on the show met his husband, Todd Spiewak, on a blind date in a karaoke bar in 2002. Their meeting, orchestrated by two friends — Spiewak's boss and Parsons's friend from grad school — was an instant hit.
Gallery Promo Coverage photo of Jim Parsons as Sheldon Cooper on the CBS sitcom "The Big Bang Theory" | Source: Getty Images
Spiewak was a graphic designer in the advertising industry while Parsons was still an actor. After their first meeting, they immediately hit it off, and Spiewak chose the song "I Found Someone" for his karaoke performance.
Spiewak has since transitioned from graphic design to producing shows, with his most notable one being the coming-of-age sitcom "Young Sheldon."
Actor Jim Parsons and Todd Spiewak attend the 9th annual GLSEN Respect Awards at Beverly Hills Hotel on October 18, 2013 in Beverly Hills, California. | Source: Getty Images
PARSONS AND SPIEWAK HID THEIR RELATIONSHIP FOR YEARS
When the two began dating, gay relationships were not as accepted as they are today, and often, coming out would ruin careers for those involved due to the controversy around it.
It is no wonder the actor and his boyfriend chose to keep their relationship a secret for years. For an entire decade, they remained mum about their romance until 2010, when the actor mentioned Spiewak's name for the first time to the public.
Jim Parsons and Todd Spiewak attend a basketball game at Staples Center on November 4, 2012 in Los Angeles, California. | Source: Getty Imags
In 2010, after winning an Emmy for his role as Sheldon Cooper, he thanked his mom and several others in his acceptance speech before mentioning Spiewak, which went unnoticed by many viewers.
Two years later, after his role in the Broadway revival of "Harvey," writer Patrick Healy outed Parsons as gay, saying he had been in a 10-year-relationship. However, he did not mention Spiewak's name.
Parsons would later admit to writer James Lipton that while he often took Spiewak to events, he never mentioned to the press that he was gay.
Actor Jim Parsons, Actress Kaley Cuoco and Actor Johnny Galecki at the Nokia Theatre on September 20, 2009 in Los Angeles, California. | Source: Getty Images
In September 2013, Parsons won his third Emmy for playing Sheldon, and this time, he ensured he drew attention to Spiewak in his acceptance speech, saying:
"I love … oh, my favorite person on Earth, Todd Spiewak."
The cat was finally out of the bag, and the following month, they were honored by the LGBT youth advocacy organization, and they got to walk the carpet and give interviews together for the first time.
THEIR LOVE WAS NOTHING OUT OF THE ORDINARY
Todd Spiewak and actor Jim Parsons at the Metropolitan Museum of Art on May 5, 2014 in New York City. | Source: Getty Images
The two received extensive media attention after coming out as a couple, but they both brushed it off as nothing. Spiewak disclosed that they did not plan on marrying, while Parsons described their relationship as ordinary and boring.
Their relationship inspired many, but Parsons said he did not realize that in being himself and living his day-to-day life, he would be considered an inspiration to others. He shared that he'd never thought of his relationship as an activism act, adding:
"Rather simply, it's an act of love, coffee in the morning, going to work, washing the clothes, taking the dogs [out] — a regular life, boring love."
Jim Parsons attends the 2019 Creative Arts Emmy Awards on September 15, 2019 in Los Angeles, California. | Source: Getty Images
The "Wish I Was Here" actor thanked Spiewak's parents, who were in the audience, for being crucial to their and their dogs' lives.
THEY FINALLY CULMINATED THEIR RELATIONSHIP
Parsons and Spiewak did not feel inclined to marry initially, not only because gay marriages were illegal during the initial years of their dating, but because they did not care much about marriage.
Actor Jim Parsons and Todd Spiewak at DeJoria Center on January 18, 2018 in Park City, Utah. | Source: Getty Images
However, after nearly 15 years together, Parsons and Spiewak began entertaining the idea of cementing their relationship with a celebratory party. Parsons said on "The Late Show With Stephen Colbert," as ET reports:
"But I finally thought, let's have a party then for the celebration, and we'll go ahead and legalize this thing. And I really thought it would kind of end at that—kind of a party feel."
He, however, did not anticipate that his feelings about the whole marriage concept would change. He told Colbert that the idea felt more meaningful to him than predicted.
Todd Spiewak and US actor Jim Parsons at Radio City Music Hall in New York City on June 10, 2018. | Source: Getty Images
And while he could not pinpoint one thing that felt different in his relationship since becoming Spiewak's husband, he shared that he felt closer to God somehow.
The actor retold how, before his father passed on; he would feel a "sensation of light" whenever he closed his eyes and always thought his dad was checking on him. He shared that he began experiencing the same thing when he started dating Spiewak.
Todd Spiewak and Jim Parsons attend the 2019 Tony Awards at Radio City Music Hall on June 9, 2019 in New York City. | Source: Getty Images
After years of questions and speculations, the couple finally walked down the aisle in May 2017 at New York City's famed Rainbow Room in a beautiful ceremony witnessed by their close friends and family. Parsons' costar on "The Big Bang Theory," Mayim Bialik, said of the event as Good Housekeeping reports:
"It was a real honor to be there and to witness that. I tend not to be a real [big] wedding person. But this was special in a lot of ways. It was really nice to be at a Hollywood event that didn't feel Hollywood in that sense."
The stunning wedding ceremony forbade cellphones so the guests could focus all their attention on the couple's big day. The ceremony also happened days after Parson's character, Sheldon, proposed to Amy (Mayim Bialik) on the show.
Actor Jim Parsons and Todd Spiewak pose at the ceremony that honored him with a Star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. | Source: Getty Images
After the ceremony, Parsons and Spiewak switched up their looks for the reception, donning Tom Ford tuxes, after which the newlyweds jetted off to Italy for a honeymoon in the sun. They were later spotted taking selfies during lunch at a restaurant along the Mediterranean coastline before boarding a luxury yacht.
Parsons disclosed that he got so used to Spiewak being his boyfriend that he sometimes forgot he was now his husband. "And I keep reminding myself of it," he shared. "Like, I kind of forget. And then I'm like, 'We're a legal thing just like mom and dad were,' whatever."
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