The Big Bang Theory is one of the longest-running sitcoms on television. During the show's run, a loyal legion of fans developed a closeness to many of its characters. Among them was the character of Raj, played by Kunal Nayyar.
During the series, Raj was known to have social anxiety that affected his ability to date. He could only communicate with women while intoxicated. While this was the source of great laughs, the writers knew they had to let the character grow.
That growth would come in the form of Lucy, a character played by Kate Micucci. Lucy would be a love interest for Raj as well as a catalyst to break him out of his shell. While most fans know Micucci from her guest role in the series, they might not know that she actually played a former role behind-the-scenes.
Kate Micucci Talks About Her Relatable Character On The Big Bang Theory
Micucci's role on The Big Bang Theory came with a lot of interest, considering the sitcom was an established hit by that time. When speaking to The Hollywood Reporter about her appearance, Micucci favorably compared the show to another iconic sitcom.
"I’ll rewind parts just to see a reaction over and over again," she said. "I’m a huge I Love Lucy fan — which is cool because I play character named Lucy — and Big Bang is like that show for me when I rewind to catch certain moments."
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Micucci's character has a date with Raj, who has trouble communicating with women. The characters were actually well suited for each other, since Lucy has a lot of the same issues herself.
"Raj has his issue with social anxiety, as does Lucy," Micucci explained. "They both end up going on a date to the library, which is Raj’s idea. It’s very sweet, and the library makes sense for a first date for these two."
She added, "It plays out perfectly — he decides he’d be more comfortable, as she would, too, so we text each other throughout the date. We laughed a lot doing the scene, and it was a fun thing to do in front of a live audience."
Lucy was another character many viewers found themselves relating to. Micucci said that she is also one of those people.
"I was a shy kid for so many years, and a lot of people can relate to her story. There’s a lot about being shy and in dating scenarios — it’s scary, and that’s what makes it fun to watch these two who are so completely scared and nervous in so many ways that they balance each other out."
Kate Micucci Composed Howard's 'Song For Bernadette' In The Series Before Appearing As Lucy
In the episode titled "The Romance Resonance," the character of Howard sings a song for his wife Bernadette. The lyrics reference Joss Whedon, Doctor Who, and Steve Jobs, among other things. He is backed up by the rest of the cast, who make jabs at him. The moment became a fan favorite and was a highlight in the series.
What some might not know is that Micucci wrote the song with Riki Lindhome specifically for the episode. This was before her character Lucy was brought to life on screen.
"[Showrunner] Steve Molaro called us," Micucci said of the song's origin. "It seemed our music/comedic sensibility lined up with the show. Also, both Riki and I are huge fans of the show and have both been on it, so we were excited to write a song that was funny but also had a lot of heart."
Related: During Her Time On The Big Bang Theory, Kate Micucci Was Most Impressed By Simon Helberg
According to Micucci, the only instruction they were given was to write about "the idea of Wolowitz singing about what his life would be without Bernadette." She said that the writing process took "about a week."
Micucci also said that she was on set every day as the cast rehearsed the scene.
"It was so exciting to watch Simon and the cast sing it. Simon is such an amazing actor and musician; he never failed to bring us to tears."
Micucci even revealed that Simon Helberg nailed the song in just one take. The song was later released on iTunes with proceeds going to the organization MusiCares. The charity provides resources to musicians with issues such as mental health, addiction, and other health issues.
"It is a great organization that gives musicians a place to turn to in times of need. It is awesome that the song can help."
Producer Steve Molaro Said Lucy Helped Break Raj Out Of His Shell
After Raj's relationship with Lucy, viewers began to notice that he was much more confident when talking to women. Producer Steve Molaro told Vulture that Raj's growth had a lot to do with Lucy.
"What I particularly enjoy is that it didn’t happen in an episode where it’s, 'Hey, let’s fix Koothrappali,'" Molaro said. "It came from him falling in love [with Lucy] as opposed to 'let’s get him to a psychiatrist or on medicine and give him these weird side effects.'"
Molaro also explained the thought process behind Raj's evolution.
"It’s something we’ve been thinking about for a while; it’s not the greatest situation [to have] a character who can only speak in front of women when he has alcohol in his hand," he said. "So, it’s a moment of growth for him."
Related: These Are Kate Micucci's Most Underappreciated Roles
When asked about the possibility of Lucy returning to the show, Molaro was very open to the idea.
"We’ll see what happens in season seven. But Kate [Micucci] was great. We all love her. I think the character’s really fun. It’s a definite possibility that Raj will try and find her in the future."
Micucci would reprise her role as Lucy in the seventh and tenth season. While she doesn't end up with Raj, she does develop a new relationship.