The Wolowitz family is about to get a little bigger, as Matt Bennett lands the role of Howard’s brother.
Bennett, who is 23, will guest star as Josh Wolowitz, Howard’s younger — and previously unknown — half brother. For now, the actor is tapped to appear in only one episode, “The Fortification Implementation,” which will air on April 9.
Howard’s family has been a frequent focus of The Big Bang Theory, often through the off-screen but larger-than-life character of Mrs. Wolowitz. Following actress Carol Anne Susi’s passing at the end of last year, the character was given an emotional send-off, and her impact on the series remains significant.
Related: Remembering Mrs. Wolowitz’s best moments on The Big Bang Theory
The absent Mr. Wolowitz (Josh’s father) has been a source of mystery across several seasons of The Big Bang Theory. Though his departure is often cited as the reason for Howard’s, ah, unique relationship with his mother, the reasons for his leaving remain largely unexplored. The season 6 episode, “The Closet Reconfiguration” briefly revived the mystery, but the arrival of Josh may offer new clues in the ongoing story.
Matt Bennett is best known as Robbie Shapiro in the Nickelodeon series Victorious, a role he also played on iCarly and Sam & Cat. Bennet was also the host of the Nerdist web series, Nerdy Jobs.
The Big Bang Theory season 8, episode 18, “The Leftover Thermalization,” airs tomorrow at 8:00 p.m. on CBS.