Video Interview: FLORENCE FOSTER JENKINS’ Simon Helberg dishes about Meryl Streep, talks good-bad movies

Preston Barta // Editor

It’s a big year for actor Simon Helberg. His beloved character Howard Wolowitz is about to become a father in the upcoming 10th season of THE BIG BANG THEORY. He also stars opposite Meryl Streep in Stephen Frears’ wonderfully sentimental biopic FLORENCE FOSTER JENKINS.

The film, which opened in theaters today, is inspired by the true story of a 1940s New York opera singer (played by Streep) with a heart full of gold, pockets full of cash and a voice that’s flatter than a pancake.

Her devoted partner (an excellent Hugh Grant) works hard to shield her from any mockery. But when Jenkins lands a performance opportunity at Carnegie Hall, well, it becomes a horse of a different color.

Helberg portrays Cosmé McMoon, a classical pianist who walks a fine line of controlling his reactions to her tuneless singing. It’s a performance that Helberg wears like a suit. He brings forth his comical talents we’ve come to recognize over the years, along with a dash of warmth and charm to savor.

We sat down with Helberg in Dallas, TX, recently to discuss his personal experience of offering criticism, working with the legend that is Streep, and movies so bad, they’re good… like Nicolas Cage’s THE WICKER MAN!

FLORENCE FOSTER JENKINS opens today.