Iain Armitage Turns 18! See How the “Young Sheldon” Star Has Grown Up Since Getting His Start as a Child Actor

Christopher Rudolph, Nicole PomaricoWed, July 15, 2026 at 9:30 AM UTC

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Iain Armitage in ‘Young Sheldon’; Iain Armitage on January 8, 2026 in New York City.Credit: Sonja Flemming/CBS via Getty; Bruce Glikas/WireImage

Young Sheldon star Iain Armitage is officially an adult.

Iain Armitage, who played the titular boy genius on The Big Bang Theory spinoff prequel series, turns 18 on July 15, 2026.

The actor has been a TV star since Young Sheldon premiered in 2017, but before the sitcom, he started off as a novice 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, but I’ve been so lucky. It’s the easiest, most fun job in the world,” the actor told PEOPLE in October 2024 when reflecting on Young Sheldon ending. “I get to play for a living, and I feel so honored and lucky to get to do that.”

In honor of Iain turning 18, take a look back at the actor’s life in photos, from attending his first Broadway show to his time on Young Sheldon and becoming a pilot.

01 of 08

Iain Armitage’s First Time at the Tony Awards

Iain Armitage attends the 2016 Tony Awards.Credit: Bruce Glikas/FilmMagic

Iain’s love for theater eventually took him to the Tony Awards in 2016, where he was a correspondent on the red carpet.

During theater’s biggest night, Iain interviewed celebrities like Glenn Close, Gloria Estefan, Chita Rivera and more.

02 of 08

Iain Armitage’s First Appearance on ‘Big Little Lies’

Reese Witherspoon, Nicole Kidman, Ian Armitage and others attend the “Big Little Lies” premiere.Credit: Kevork Djansezian/Getty

A few weeks after appearing on Law & Order: SVU, Iain first portrayed Ziggy Chapman, the son of Jane (Shailene Woodley), on the HBO hit series Big Little Lies in 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 play Cult of Love.

“When I was 7 I got cast in Big Little Lies,” Iain captioned an Instagram post 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 on Big Little Lies is the reason I stayed with acting.”

03 of 08

Iain Armitage Presents at the Emmy Awards with Jim Parsons

Jim Parsons and Iain Armitage at the 69th Annual Primetime Emmy Awards.Credit: Kevin Winter/Getty

While his work on Big Little Lies aired on HBO, Iain was cast as the titular character on the spinoff prequel in March 2017, per Deadline.

Jim Parsons played Sheldon Cooper on The Big Bang Theory, and Iain helped showcase the character’s roots on Young Sheldon.

A week before Iain’s debut on the series in September 2017, Iain and Jim presented together at the 69th Annual Primetime Emmy Awards.

04 of 08

Iain Armitage Stars on ‘Young Sheldon’

Zoe Perry, Lance Barber and Iain Armitage in ‘Young Sheldon.’Credit: Cliff Lipson/CBS via Getty

Iain starred on Young Sheldon for its entire seven-season run.

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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 the Young Sheldon set, 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.”

05 of 08

Iain Armitage Participates in the SAG-AFTRA Strike

Iain Armitage at the SAG-AFTRA picket line.Credit: Jose Perez/Bauer-Griffin/GC Images

Season 7 of Young Sheldon was delayed due to the 2023 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, even reuniting with his Young Sheldon costar Wallace Shawn.

When the strike was over, Iain celebrated Young Sheldon being able to resume filming, thanking the show’s crew on Instagram, per Screen Rant.

06 of 08

Iain Armitage’s First Solo Flight as Pilot

Iain Armitage posing with a plane.Credit: 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 heartfelt Instagram post 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.

07 of 08

Iain Armitage Advocates for Arts Funding

Iain Armitage on the steps of the U.S. Capitol.Credit: Iain Armitage/Instagram

In April 2025, Iain and The Creative Coalition visited Congress to advocate for arts funding.

In an Instagram post 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.”

08 of 08

Iain Armitage Reunites with Jim Parsons

Iain Armitage and Jim Parsons in March 2026Credit: Bruce Glikas/WireImage

Iain reunited with the actor Parsons at a preview of Titanique on Broadway in March 2026. It was a special night for Parsons, who took the stage as Rose’s mother, Ruth DeWitt Bukater, in the parody musical.

Iain later recapped his visit to New York City on Instagram, writing, “I saw so many great shows this trip, so many of which I unfortunately didn’t get to document in this post. I loved everything I saw though!! As always, it was awesome to see @therealjimparsons on stage❤️.”

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Source: “AOL Entertainment”