Leonard Hofstadter

Leonard Leakey Hofstadter, Ph.D., is a fictional character in the CBS television series The Big Bang Theory, in which he is portrayed by actor Johnny Galecki. Leonard is an experimental physicist, who shares an apartment with colleague and best friend Dr. Sheldon Cooper (Jim Parsons). For his portrayal, Galecki was nominated for a Primetime Emmy Award and a Golden Globe Award in 2011. It is possible that Leonard is based on the show's co-creator, Bill Prady, back when he was a computer programmer. Leonard has been described as the straight man of the series. Penny (Kaley Cuoco) is Leonard's next-door neighbor and main love interest, and the teasing of romance between the two of them is a major force driving the series. In "The Gorilla Dissolution", they finally become engaged, marrying in Las Vegas at the beginning of season 9. 2Creation and casting Leonard is named after actor/producer Sheldon Leonard, and Nobel Prize in Physics Laureate Robert Hofstadter. Johnny Galecki was originally asked to play the role of Sheldon Cooper, but thought he would be "better suited" for the character of Leonar