Young Sheldon is about, well, a young version of Sheldon Cooper. It’s right there in the title. The sitcom has been on the air for seven seasons, however, so the writers and producers have clearly managed to do a good job in fleshing out the rest of the Cooper family. One of the most essential pieces of the show’s success has been Sheldon’s sister, Missy Cooper.
Missy has become a fan favorite during Young Sheldon‘s CBS run, despite having already been introduced in its predecessor show, The Big Bang Theory. She’s a perfect foil for the precocious genius, bringing a different perspective to the family household that helps Sheldon grow. Even if the siblings do get on each other’s nerves from time to time. Young Sheldon recently aired its series finale, which has been cause for fans to reflect, appreciate, and enjoy the talented people who brought it to life. One of these talents is, of course, the actress who plays Missy.
Sheldon Cooper’s sister is played by Raegan Revord
Raegan Revord has played Missy Cooper for the duration of Young Sheldon. She has played the character for almost half her life, as she’s currently 16 years and old and she was cast when she was only 9. She was initially introduced as the cute comic relief to Sheldon’s storylines, but the older she got, the more Revord was allowed to showcase her acting chops.
Young Sheldon showrunner Steve Holland reflected on this maturation during an interview with People Magazine. He noted that the actress was relegated to “one-line zingers” at the onset, but the writers gave her subplots that actually challenged her as she got more screen time.
“We could really lean on [Revord] for a whole story or an emotional story, and it just opened up the kind of things that we could write,” Holland noted. “And I think it let the show kind of grow up with the kids, where the stories we could tell could get a little bit more adult and a little bit deeper as the show went on.”
Revord’s lengthy involvement with the show has led to long-lasting friendships. She told the outlet that she considers her onscreen siblings to be like real siblings, and she plans to remain close with them despite Young Sheldon no longer being on the air:
We’re telling people, ‘Yeah, we’re actually brother and sister,’ and I love it I actually now have my own brothers.
Revord is hesitant to return for the spinoff series
The Big Bang Theory has really proved to have legs as a franchise. The show not only sparked the wildly successful Young Sheldon, but the upcoming spinoff George & Mandy’s First Marriage. The latter will continue the storyline of the titular characters after Young Sheldon, which has led many fans to question whether Raegan Revord and the rest of the cast will return for cameos.
The actress told TV Line that she’s reluctant to step back into the shoes of Missy Cooper so soon. Her reasoning? She wants to try different things. “I’m not sure,” she admitted. “I mean, if Young Sheldon had gotten more seasons, I would have 10,000% signed on to do more. But now that it’s over, I’m also kind of excited to see what else is out there and try different things. Something dramatic would be a lot of fun.”
Revord is not limiting herself to acting, either. The multitalented artist is currently working on her debut novel, Rules for Fake Girlfriends, which is set for release in fall 2025.