As the star of the long-running hit sitcom The Big Bang Theory , Jim Parsons is instantly recognizable to fans—or at least he was, until a recent style switch-up. The 51-year-old actor, known for playing the iconic character Sheldon Cooper, was seen sporting an all-new look at the 2024 CFDA Fashion Awards on Oct. 28 at the American Museum of Natural History in New York City.
While Parsons was clean-shaven with a neat, tidy hairstyle on The Big Bang Theory , the star had a bushy beard and slightly tousled locks at the award ceremony. He was dressed in a blue velvet suit for the occasion. Sean Zanni/Getty Images Related: Jim Parsons Breaks Silence on Possibility of Reprising His ‘Big Bang Theory’ Role for a Sequel The Emmy winner told Entertainment Tonight that he grew his facial hair in preparation for his role in Our Town on Broadway, where he's currently starring alongside Katie Holmes and Zoey Deutch .
“I grew it knowing that I was going to go into the play,” Parsons explained. “The play didn’t need it. Long story short, I had a talk with my barber.
I was like, ‘You always have a beard,’ and he was like, ‘Well, I kind of have a weak chin.’” Noting that a beard “can change the shape of your face," Parsons made a decision. “I was like, ‘I want to try it," he said.
Parsons is playing the lead character of the Stage Manager in the Broadway revival production of Our Town , which is currently in the middle of a limited engagement run. This isn't his .