Young Sheldon star Iain Armitage has responded after his former co-star Annie Potts admitted he could sometimes be “difficult” to work with on set. The actor played young Sheldon Cooper in the The Big Bang Theory prequel, which wrapped up its seven-season run in 2024. Armitage was just eight years old when he started, meaning he spent much of his childhood and teenage years in front of the cameras. And while the cast were close, it turns out that working with child actors wasn’t always smooth sailing. This is according to Jessica Radloff’s upcoming book, Young Sheldon: The (Juicier-Than-Meemaw’s-Brisket) Inside Story of the Hit Comedy, which features interviews with the cast and crew about their experiences making the show. In an exclusive excerpt published by Us Weekly, Potts admits to Armitage being “difficult” at times, something the now-18-year-old actor has addressed. Iain Armitage addresses claims he was ‘difficult’ while filming Young Sheldon Credit: CBS Potts, who played Sheldon’s beloved grandma Meemaw, explained that the entire production revolved around Armitage’s character. And because of this, it placed a large amount of responsibility on him at a young age. “Here’s the thing… we were all working for Iain. We were all serving him. The characters were meant to serve his journey, so that is a lot for a little person to manage psychologically,” she said. “He was asked to work and carry the weight of something that would be difficult for an adult, and we know that a lot of behaviour comes out in situations like that. Yes, sometimes he was difficult.” Young Sheldon director Alex Reid recalled a specific disagreement with Armitage after suggesting he needed to give a scene his full effort. “He was pissed that I had implied he wasn’t giving it his all, and kept saying, ‘Well, let’s go again because I need to give it my all,’” Reid explained. “And when it was over, I went over and I apologised to him, and I said, ‘That was a terrible choice of words on my part, and I apologise. I was just trying to protect you because you were on camera, and I wasn’t sure if you knew it or not.’ “So it was all lovey-dovey, and then I asked him if he’d go out and take a picture with me.” Credit: CBS With all that being said, Potts pointed out, “I’ve worked with grown-ups who were a lot worse. Sometimes I think he was tired, and sometimes I think he pushed people, and people were kissing his ass! “It’s a very challenging situation to be nine years old and be expected to work, behave, and think like a grown-up. And I say that with absolute love and respect.” Armitage didn’t shy away from these comments when discussing his time on the show. “It was a complete privilege to be on this show and play this character, but yes, it was a big undertaking for an eight-year-old. “I always did the best that I could, and sometimes kids are not perfect. I was grateful to the people who understood that and gave me grace.” By the sounds of things, his fellow co-stars noticed just how much he matured over the years. @montanajordan Behind the scenes of #YoungSheldon ♬ original sound – Montanajordan Wallace Shawn, who played Dr John Sturgis, recalled, “He changed enormously over the years because he was very manic at first. He was wild. And you couldn’t sit down and have a conversation with him. “He would be running around, almost the absolute opposite of the character that he played, who was so self-contained and sober. And Iain himself was never contained. He was literally running around the set in circles, and with a frightening amount of energy. “[But] as the years passed, he evolved into a very graceful, staggeringly well-mannered person. He’s become very, very dignified.” If you’re interested in reading more, Jessica Radloff’s Young Sheldon book will be out on October 20, 2026. For all the latest film and TV updates and hot takes, like our Facebook page. Featured image credit: CBS Post navigation Next story
