Most people likely know Iain Armitage as the titular brainiac in “Young Sheldon.” However, before the actor began playing Sheldon Cooper in “The Big Bang Theory” spinoff, he worked alongside Shailene Woodley in the hit HBO drama “Big Little Lies.” Armitage played Ziggy Chapman, the son of Woodley’s character, Jane Chapman. It was easy to imagine Woodley as Armitage’s on-screen mother at the time, but looking at them now just goes to show how much the young star has grown up since his days on the show. 

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In a December 2024 Instagram post, Armitage, who has had a stunning transformation since his time in “Big Little Lies,” made a special tribute to Woodley after seeing her in the Broadway show “Cult of Love.” The carousel of then-and-now photos is shocking, especially because Armitage is as tall as Woodley in the most recent image, whereas in the oldest image, she is crouching next to him.

In the caption, Armitage reminisced about the time he spent on the set of “Big Little Lies” with his first TV mama.  He said that before they started filming, he’d called Woodley, who had given him reassurance about the project, telling him it would be “like playing.” The “Young Sheldon” star credited Woodley and the show’s director, Jean-Marc Vallée, as the reasons he continues to act today. He ended the post by saying, “I hope she knows how proud I am to be her fake son!”

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Jimmy Fallon was just as stunned as the rest of us when he realized the boy who played Ziggy Chapman also played the beloved young Sheldon Cooper. While interviewing Shailene Woodley about her Broadway debut on “The Tonight Show,” the host pulled up a side-by-side comparison of Woodley and Iain Armitage today versus the image the teen star posted from on the set of “Big Little Lies.” “He’s a total superstar,” Woodley told Fallon. “And he’s so smart and wise and has a good heart. It’s just been beautiful to watch him grow.” 

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With what sounds like a potential third season of the drama in the works, Armitage said he is all in to play Ziggy once again. “That was the first thing I’ve ever done, and if I return to that, I’d be honored,” he told Kelly Ripa and Mark Consuelos on “Live With Kelly and Mark” in May 2024. While Season 3 hasn’t been confirmed, Armitage said he’d keep an ear out in case he gets to act alongside Woodley again. “I haven’t heard anything fully officially yet, but when such incredible, intelligent people as our leading ladies start talking, I think it’s pretty hard not to listen.” It’s a good sign that fans should refresh their memory with a quick binge of the first two seasons, but don’t watch until you read this.

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