‘The Big Bang Theory’s John Ross Bowie To Join Max Spinoff, Reprising Barry Kripke Role

EXCLUSIVE: Gweat news for woyaw Big Bang fans: another popular character from the hit CBS sitcom is poised to return for the upcoming spinoff on Max. John Ross Bowie, who played plasma physicist Barry Kripke on The Big Bang Theory, is joining fellow alums Kevin Sussman (Stuart Bloom), Brian Posehn (Bert Kibbler) and Lauren Lapkus (Denise) on the offshoot from franchise boss Chuck Lorre and Warner Bros. Television.

Since the project is still in development and has not been officially greenlighted, Bowie — just like Sussman, Posehn and Lapkus — has signed a WBTV talent holding deal with the purpose of starring in the proposed offshoot.

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As Deadline reported exclusively in December, Big Bang co-creator Lorre has recruited feature writer Zak Penn and fellow Big Bang co-creator Bill Prady for the spinoff, with the trio co-writing the script and set to executive produce the single-camera series.

Bowie was a mainstay on the original series. His character Barry Kripke quickly became a fan favorite when he was introduced in Season 2 and continued to recur for the rest of the series’ 12-season run. A Caltech plasma physicist and string theorist, Kripke was known for relentlessly teasing his colleagues — with most of his barbs directed at his string theorist rival Sheldon (Jim Parsosn) — and for his distinct speech pattern. He has rhotacism, pronouncing “r” and “l” as “w”, making him sound a bit like a cartoon character.

The addition of his recurring role on Big Bang, Bowie starred on the ABC comedy series Speechless. He also recurred on another Chuck Lorre CBS comedy, United States of Al. His feature credits include Jumanji: The Next Level. Bowie, who is a regular performer at The Upright Citizens Brigade Theatre in Los Angeles and New York, is repped by Innovative Artists.

UPDATE: Channeling his Big Bang character, Bowie reposted Deadline’s story as “exciting news from Deadwine”:

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