Here's the Advice Grown-Up Sheldon Jim Parsons Had for Young Sheldon's Iain Armitage

CBS' upcoming comedy Young Sheldon will tell the story of The Big Bang Theory's breakout character Sheldon Cooper as a 9-year-old high school student in a particularly anti-intellectual part of Texas. Think of it as an origin story for the man who's made us laugh for the past decade.

The show is executive-produced and narrated by Jim Parsons, who plays Sheldon on The Big Bang Theory. Young Sheldon is played by Iain Armitage, a kid with an incredible opportunity to get direct mentorship from one of the most successful comic actors of the century so far -- something Armitage is taking full advantage of.

The young star says that Parsons has been a great acting coach through this process. "He's really kind and fun to be around and he makes anyone happy," Armitage tells TV Guide.

Big Sheldon helps Little Sheldon get exactly the right Sheldon-ness through the advice he gives. "Advice can be 'maybe we could say this line differently' to 'let's play this scene a whole different emotion," Armitage explains.

Armitage also says he's similar to Sheldon in some ways and different in others. For example, they're both very passionate about what they like. But Armitage is into different things, like theater, magic, stuffed animals and tae kwon do, and acting, of course, while Sheldon is more into math and science.

The biggest difference between them? Sheldon would never be able to sit for a charming little interview like this one.

Young Sheldon premieres Monday, Sep. 25 at 8:30/7:30c on CBS.

(Full disclosure: TV Guide is owned by CBS.)