Mayim Bialik is most known for her role for TV’s “Blossom” which ran from 1991-1995. Today Mayim is still working in TV appearing on “The Big Bang Theory”, “The Secret Life of the American Teenager” and “Til Death”. Movie Mikes had a chance to talk to Mayim to discuss her “Blossom” years and her recent comeback to television.
Click here to purchase “Blossom” Seasons 1 & 2 on DVD
Mike Gencarelli: What originally drew you to the role of “Blossom”?
Mayim Bialik: I was in a movie called “Beaches” when I was 12 years old. When that came out in theaters, I got a lot of notice and was offered different shows. I first did a show for Fox called “Molloy”. Jennifer Aniston played my older sister. When that show failed, I got the script for “Blossom”.
Mike Gencarelli: Obviously you spent many years working on “Blossom”, any fond memories?
Mayim Bialik: We had a lot of really fun guest stars the first couple years of the show. A lot of those were episodes a lot of people didn’t see because it wasn’t super popular. We had Little Richard, Sonny Bono and Alf on the show. We had a lot of really fun guest stars. Phylicia Rashad from “The Cosby S
how”. Estelle Getty from “The Golden Girls”. It was like who is going to be on next week. It was really run first couple of seasons like that.
Mike Gencarelli: Do you still keep in touch with any of the cast?
Mayim Bialik: It is kind of when you work with people in an office and then you all get fired and all go different places. The thing that kept you socializing and together is gone. Joey and I went to college and Jenna also went to school. We weren’t in touch those first couple of years. As things have gone on and people have slowly drifted back to LA, we have talked more. When Shout! Factory released the DVD’s of Seasons 1 and 2, we did a commentary for that. We all got to be in one room again. Michael Stoyanov, who played the older brother, I haven’t seen him in years. He was just on an episode of “Til’ Death” that I did and Jenna was also on that episode too. So we also had a little mini-reunion there as well.
MG: After “Blossom” was done, what was the first thing that you wanted to do?
MB: [laughs] I really wanted to college. I was two years out of high school when the show ended. My grandparents are immigrants from Eastern Europe and it is a big ethic in my family to go to college. That was really what I wanted to do. I wanted to live more of a normal life. It appealed to me to socialize with people in the school setting. I missed a lot of that not going to high school everyday.
MG: My wife is a huge fan of “Beaches”, how was your experience on that film?
MB: Well, I was young. We filmed on Coney Island. It was my first time as a cognizant person in New York. It was a really fun experienc
e. We flew first class and they took us everywhere in limos. Very exciting. On the set, Bette Midler wasn’t there because I played her. As a 12 year old kid, I never really realized the scope of the movie. I just did my job like it was school play. I just started acting. It was new to me. Gary Marshall is such a great director. Again I was saved by being a little bit naive. I just did my thing and didn’t think about it.
MG: You have done quite a bit of television during your career, did you favor that over films?
MB: When I started acted, they would just send you out on any audition. I think my comedic sensibility was really fostered working on “Blossom”. I have been acting again in the last year or two since my second son was born. I have done drama as well so it is sort of a mix now. Scheduling wise now that I have two young kids. I definitely like TV and the sitcom world which is a much easier schedule than film. But there is also a lot of appeal to smaller and independent films. I like both.
MG: 2010 has been a busy year for you in television with “Til Death” and “The Secret Life of the American Teenager”. Both roles are doctors, how have you enjoyed playing them?
MB: Right, I have a Ph.D in neuroscience in real life. On “The Secret Life of the American Teenager”, the creator of that show was a writer on “Blossom”. The executive producer of “Til’ Death” was the creator of “Blossom”. I think both of them were playing on my real personality. I have this recurring role on “The Big Bang Theory” which is the most exciting thing that has happened this year. On that show we do not know a lot about my character but I am hoping she is some sort of physicist. We will find out. I film two more episodes this August.
MG: Tell us what else you have planned for the future?
MB: That is pretty much it. We home school our two boys. We have an almost 5 year old and a 2 year old. That is what most of my day is like. I teach in our home school community. That is what keeps me busy. I have “The Big Bang Theory” again in August. I audition for stuff all the time. I am actually writing a book. I just sold the book to Simon & Schuster. So I will be writing that in the next six months or so. So there it is.
Click here to purchase “Blossom” Seasons 1 & 2 on DVD