Simon Helberg is an American actor, comedian, and musician, best known for his role as Howard Wolowitz on the CBS comedy series The Big Bang Theory (2007–2019).
Known for his role as an eccentric aerospace engineer, Helberg’s character was a key figure in the series, becoming a cultural phenomenon.
His talent for combining humor with dramatic depth has also been demonstrated in films such as Florence Foster Jenkins (2016), where his role as Cosmé McMoon earned him a Golden Globe nomination.
File
- – Full name: Simon Maxwell Helberg
- – Date of birth: December 9, 1980
- – Age: 44 years old
- – Gender: Male
- – Place of birth: Los Angeles, California, USA
- – Nationality: American
- – Occupation: Actor, comedian, musician
- – Height: 5’5″ (165 cm)
- – Parents: Sandy Helberg (father), Harriet B. Helberg (mother)
- – Siblings: None
- – Spouse: Jocelyn Towne
- – Children: Adeline Helberg, Wilder Towne Helberg
- – Relationship status: Married
- – Religion: Judaism
- – Ethnicity: German-American Jewish
- – Net worth: $45 million
Early life and education
Born December 9, 1980, Simon Helberg grew up in Los Angeles, California. His parents were heavily involved in the entertainment industry: his father, Sandy Helberg, was an actor, and his mother, Harriet B. Helberg, was a casting director.
Now 44 years old in 2024, Helberg has a multicultural upbringing, with German-Jewish ancestry, which significantly influenced his childhood experiences.
Helberg’s diverse interests marked his childhood. He initially focused on martial arts, earning a black belt in karate at the age of 10. However, as he grew older, he turned to the arts, particularly acting and music.
He attended Crossroads School in Santa Monica before pursuing higher education at New York University’s prestigious Tisch School of the Arts, where he trained as an actor at the Atlantic Theater Company, laying the foundation for his future in the entertainment industry.
Personal life
Simon Helberg married actress Jocelyn Towne in 2007 and the couple have been together ever since. Jocelyn is the niece of famous screenwriter Robert Towne.
The couple have two children: daughter Adeline Helberg, born in May 2012, and son Wilder Towne Helberg, born in April 2014. Their relationship has been largely low-key, with no public controversies surrounding their marriage.
In 2014, Helberg revealed that he had briefly split from Jocelyn before they got married, but the two eventually reconciled and have remained a close family ever since.
Career
Helberg’s acting career began in the early 2000s with supporting roles in films such as Old School (2003), Good Night and Good Luck (2005). His collaboration with comedian Derek Waters on various sketch comedy projects, including MADtv and their web series Derek & Simon, showcased his creativity and comedic timing from the start.
However, it was his role as Howard Wolowitz on The Big Bang Theory that brought Helberg international fame. The series, which ran for 12 seasons, made him a household name, earning him numerous awards and recognition as one of the highest-paid actors on television.
Outside of television, Helberg has had notable roles in films such as the Coen brothers’ A Serious Man (2009) and Florence Foster Jenkins (2016). In the latter film, his role as pianist Cosmé McMoon earned him critical acclaim and a Golden Globe nomination.
Helberg also showed off his musical talents by playing the piano in the film. More recently, he starred alongside Adam Driver in Annette (2021), demonstrating his versatility in acting.
Prize
- – Critics’ Choice Television Award for Best Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series (2013)
- – Golden Globe Nomination for Best Supporting Actor – Motion Picture (2016)
- – Nominated for Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Comedy Series (The Big Bang Theory)
Net worth
Simon Helberg’s estimated net worth is $45 million. His main source of income is his work on The Big Bang Theory, where he is one of the highest paid actors on television, earning an estimated $23.5 million in 2018 alone.
Social media
- – Instagram: None
- – Twitter: None
List of movies played
- – Mumford (1999)
- – Van Wilder (2002)
- – Old School (2003)
- – Cinderella Story (2004)
- – Good Night and Good Luck (2005)
- – A Serious Man (2009)
- – Florence Foster Jenkins (2016)
- – Annette (2021)
- – They Made Us (2022)
- – Strange Space (2022)
