AUTHOR: REBA WILSON
Mayim Bialik’s résumé must read like an idealistic youth’s bucket list: earn a Ph.D. in neuroscience; become a famous actress, chef and teacher; and publish a book – or two. I spoke with Bialik during a recent trip to Los Angeles. The Big Bang Theory star, who plays neurobiologist Amy Farrah Fowler, was about to wrap season 7 of the hit CBS show.
Bialik is a true Renaissance woman, dabbling in music, acting, cooking, writing, and science. “My parents raised me to have a broad set of interests and I’m very grateful to them,” she explains. “Even though I didn’t grow up with a lot of money, they tried to make opportunities available to me.” When asked what she would most like to be remembered for, she jokes that she’d like to “bring about world peace.” Like me, you’re probably wondering how she has time to do so much and still engage in her many hobbies. She admits that she doesn’t do them all at once, but also says: “I don’t watch TV, which saves a lot of time. And I don’t sleep a lot so I get a lot done early in the morning and late at night.”
Bialik’s other role is mother of two. I ask her the best advice she could give to her sons and she says it’s “to repair the world. I tell them all the time that it’s broken and it’s their job to fix it.” This seems like a tall order but she breaks it into manageable pieces by explaining that “there are opportunities every single day to be compassionate, to be kind, to hone the skills on a small scale that, when they get older and have the resources, they can use on a big scale.” And while we’re on the topic of advice, does she have any for her onscreen persona, Amy Farrah Fowler? “Don’t mix stripes and plaids,” Bialik laughs. The actress has a charming laugh, which often punctuates her quick-witted speech.