When Kevin Sussman played Stuart Bloom, the downtrodden owner of a comic book store on “The Big Bang Theory,” he would pass the time on set by reading the props, challenging himself to get fully engrossed in the stories until it was his turn to say his lines.
Now, that comic book store set has been recreated for a new spinoff, but Sussman no longer has time to read the merchandise. As the title star of “Stuart Fails to Save the Universe,” he is in uncharted territory: at the top of the call sheet.
“I’ve never really had a 10-year plan or a career goal other than to keep working and do interesting roles,” Sussman said. “For the most part, it’s just been: What is being offered? What can I get? Also, making my health insurance.”
Cocreated by Chuck Lorre, “Stuart Fails to Save the Universe” is the third spinoff of the wildly popular “The Big Bang Theory,” which Lorre also cocreated. That show ran for 12 seasons on CBS and ended in 2019.
But unlike the straightforward family sitcom prequels “Young Sheldon” and “Georgie and Mandy’s First Marriage,” “Stuart,” premiering Thursday on HBO Max, is a sci-fi comedy. It is akin more to “Doctor Who” and “The Good Place” than to its predecessors.
Sussman’s unassuming hero must jump between a series of fantastical universes to try to restore normalcy and avoid a multiverse apocalypse. Joining him on the quest are three returning “Big Bang” characters: Stuart’s girlfriend, Denise (Lauren Lapkus); the geologist Bert (Brian Posehn); and the antagonistic physicist Kripke (John Ross Bowie).
There are plentiful guest stars, elaborate battle scenes and story lines involving A.I. overlords and wizardry. At one point, the main characters are reincarnated as centaurs.
A Staten Island native, Sussman, 55, has built a decades-long résumé of mostly supporting roles, both in television (“Ugly Betty,” “Better Call Saul”) and in film (“Wet Hot American Summer,” “Hitch,” “Sweet Home Alabama”). He seems to be taking life as a leading man in stride.
On a sunny July morning at an Italian restaurant in the Los Feliz neighborhood of Los Angeles, Sussman was more placid than his anxious onscreen counterpart but equally entertaining. Sporting a salt-and-pepper beard and a stylish knit polo, he reflected on his 17-year journey playing Stuart.
“I haven’t done the math,” he said over coffee. “I go by the hair on my head — I had a lot more of it, and it was a different color.”
These are edited excerpts from the conversation.
How did you react when you heard about the concept of “Stuart Fails to Save the Universe” and what it would entail for you?
Toward the end of the pandemic, Chuck Lorre summoned me to his office, and I had no idea why I was even going. I was so confused. He said, “I want to do a spinoff about Stuart,” and it was kind of a surreal moment. I just tried to remain calm. He wanted to do a big special-effects thing that he’s never done before. As far as I was concerned, that was a great idea.
The spinoff is full of “Big Bang Theory” Easter eggs and cameos. Was there anything or anyone you were particularly excited to see incorporated?
I was mostly excited about just the comic book store set. Having the updated version of it was crazy to me because there was a ceiling and a fourth wall. It’s realer.
Stuart was originally a pretty small part on “Big Bang Theory,” right?
I was just a guest star in an episode on Season 2, so I figured that was Chuck throwing me a bone to keep my health insurance going. I had this jargony speech about Batman and Robin, and I kept screwing up the lines. I was like, Well, that’ll be the last time I’m on “The Big Bang Theory.” But it obviously didn’t work out that way. They used me as a guest star more and more until around Season 6, when I officially became a series regular — although I was never in more than, like, a quarter or a third of the episodes.
“The Big Bang Theory” became one of the most watched shows on TV during its run. Did it change your life?
It was weird because the show became a juggernaut while I was still only on occasionally, and I was making guest star money. At the time, I was divorced, and I was living in a small studio apartment in a building where there were a lot of drug deals. I would be walking about and people would say, “Stuart!” and I’d be like, “Yeah, baby!” And then I’d go into my little studio where there was just a bed and a desk.
One day, me and my two little dogs were lying on the bed, and I had left the door unlocked. A guy walked in. He must have been looking for weed or something, and he was like, “Oh, sorry,” and then he did a double take. I’m not sure if he recognized me as the guy from the show, but at the same time, I was giving off a very Stuart vibe.
Do you consider yourself a nerd?
Yeah. There was a period of time during the dot-com boom where I did tech temping on Wall Street. I would be doing Excel macros and stuff in an office, and then for my lunch break, I’d put on a lab coat and go do an audition. John Bowie and I would see each other all the time at commercial auditions, and we both got those nerd roles. Eventually, I didn’t have to actually go to the tech job; I just portrayed the tech job guy.
I worked at a comic book store on Staten Island and in Manhattan when I was a struggling actor, and I didn’t really know much about comics. It’s weird that I’ve been surrounded by the comic book world for so much of my adult life, just by accident. I would not consider myself a comic book nerd, per se. Board games, however …
Have you ever thought about doing a Marvel or DC film?
No. In this spinoff I get to do wire work, which is crazy. I remember when I was doing “Lessons in Chemistry,” Brie Larson was talking about doing “Captain Marvel” and how in shape you need to be when you’re being suspended by your midsection. She was like, “You’ve got to work those abs.” When I found out that I was going to be doing some of that, I was like, I need to start working those abs. But, of course, it was far too late.
How often do you get recognized as Stuart?
Pretty often and all over the world. That has been eye-opening, just the scope of the popularity of the show. I remember getting mobbed on the street in Chile. When I was in the Middle East, a woman in a full burqa came over and said, “Oh my God, I’m such a Stuart.”
One of my fondest memories growing up was watching “Cheers” and sitcoms with my family, so it’s an honor to be a part of something that’s like that for other people.
Are there other types of roles you would like to pursue in the future?
I would like to play a villain. That’s my bucket list. It’s one small bucket, a little cup of villain. And I would like to do more theater. Maybe this show will bring those opportunities.
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