Monty Brinton/CBS via Getty ; Denise Truscello/Getty Iain Armitage turns 17 on July 15 TheYoung Sheldonactor first auditioned for the prequel series when he was 8 Iain is now training to become a pilot, while also auditioning for new roles Young Sheldonisn't so young anymore. Iain Armitage, who played the titular boy genius onThe Big Bang Theoryspinoff prequel series, turns 17 on July 15. The actor has been a TV star sinceYoung Sheldonpremiered in 2017, but before the sitcom, he started off as anovice theater critic. Iain was part of the Young Sheldon cast for seven seasons, from beginning to end until it wrapped up in 2024. "I'm sure it seems like hard work, butI've been so lucky. It's the easiest, most fun job in the world," the actor told PEOPLE in October 2024 when reflecting onYoung Sheldonending. "I get to play for a living, and I feel so honored and lucky to get to do that." In honor of Iain turning 17, take a look back at the actor's life in photos, from attending his first Broadway show to his time onYoung Sheldonand becoming a pilot. Iain Armitage/Instagram Iain is a dedicated theater fan, so much so that his first job wasn't acting, but a theater reviewer. His first time seeing a show on Broadway was in May 2012 when he attended the musical,Leap of Faith, based on the 1992 movie starringSteve Martin, according to anInstagram post. Iain has since attended many Broadway productions over the years, supporting friends and former costars likeJim ParsonsandShailene Woodley. Bruce Glikas/FilmMagic Iain's love for theater eventually took him to theTony Awardsin 2016, where he was a correspondent on the red carpet. During theater's biggest night,Iain interviewed celebritieslikeGlenn Close,Gloria Estefan, Chita Rivera and more. Iain Armitage/Instagram BeforeYoung Sheldon, Iain made his acting debut in a January 2017 episode ofLaw & Order: Special Victims Unit. In the episode "Chasing Theo," he played Theo Lachere, a 6-year-old boy who gets kidnapped. Shortly after, a photo of him and series starMariska Hargitayon set was shared onInstagramto commemorate the exciting moment, adding that he was "honored" to be onLaw & Order: SVU. Kevork Djansezian/Getty A few weeks after appearing onLaw & Order: SVU, Iain first portrayed Ziggy Chapman, the son of Jane (Shailene Woodley), on the HBO hit seriesBig Little Liesin February 2017. He would go on to star in both seasons of the drama. In December 2024, he reunited with Shailene and saw her Broadway debut in the playCult of Love. "When I was 7 I got cast inBig Little Lies," Iain captioned anInstagrampost of him and his former on-screen mom. "Before we headed to LA to begin filming, I had a FaceTime call with Shailene and I asked her what it would all be like." He continued, "She assured me that it would be fun, 'like playing' and wow, she was so right. I'm certain that the joy we had onBig Little Liesis the reason I stayed with acting." Kevin Winter/Getty While his work onBig Little Liesaired on HBO, Iain was cast as the titular character on the spinoff prequel in March 2017, perDeadline. Jim Parsons played Sheldon Cooper onThe Big Bang Theory, and Iain helped showcase the character's roots onYoung Sheldon. A week before Iain's debut on the series in September 2017, Iain and Jim presented together at the 69th Annual PrimetimeEmmy Awards. Cliff Lipson/CBS via Getty Iain starred onYoung Sheldonfor its entire seven-season run. The series ended in May 2024, and in February of that year, a 15-year-old Iain told PEOPLE about spending a chunk of his childhood on theYoung Sheldonset, since he first auditioned for the show when he was 8. "It's been half my life, which is kind of wild to think about, but just so fun, so wonderful, and I couldn't have asked for a better way to grow up," he said. "Every single person I get to work with, I feel so honored to get to be working with," Iain continued. "And get to be their costar or ... get to be part of their work and part of their livelihood." Iain Armitage/Instagram In 2020, Iain went fromYoung Sheldonto young Shaggy, voicing the kid version of Scooby-Doo's best friend in the animated movie,Scoob!. The following year, in 2021, he voiced Chase inPAW Patrol: The Movie, and in 2022, he played Wilbur in two episodes of Apple TV+'sGhostwriterreboot season 3. Jose Perez/Bauer-Griffin/GC Images Season 7 ofYoung Sheldonwas delayed due to the2023 SAG-AFTRA, which ended on Nov. 9, 2023, after 118 days. During the months-long protest, Iain walked the SAG-AFTRA picket line in New York, evenreuniting with hisYoung SheldoncostarWallace Shawn. When the strike was over, Iain celebratedYoung Sheldonbeing able to resume filming, thanking the show's crew on Instagram, perScreen Rant. Iain Armitage/Instagram In recent years, Iain has taken his life to new heights — literally — by obtaining his student pilot's license. The actor marked his first solo flight with a heartfeltInstagrampost in July 2024. "I'm grateful to everyone who helped me make this a possibility," Iain wrote in the caption. "This was one of the very best days of my life!!" A few months later, in October 2024, Iain told PEOPLE how he spent his 16th birthday flying his grandmother around in a plane. "I hopefully will get my private [pilot's license] when I'm 17. And I've been having a bunch of fun flying while I'm here in L.A.," he said. Iain Armitage/Instagram In April 2025, Iain and The Creative Coalition visited Congress to advocate for arts funding. In anInstagrampost featuring Iain on the steps of the U.S. Capitol, the actor wrote, "We were invited into the offices of Congressional reps on both sides of the aisle and we got to explain why we believe that arts funding is vital in every congressional district." "There are plenty of emotional arguments for the value of arts," he continued. "But there's also the basic bottom line: every dollar spent on arts generates nine times that amount in return." Read the original article onPeople
