Mayim Bialik says she faced criticism from her own family after questioning COVID school closures and the 2020 Black Lives Matter marches.

The Big Bang Theory actress, 50, looked back on the days during the Second Thought podcast, where she admitted to simply wanting discussions about the issues, but was met with criticism instead, even from people close to her.

"I just wanted to talk about it," Bialik said. "Even in my own home, it did not always feel safe."

The actress said some family members even accused her of being a Republican because of her opinions.

"I'm not a Republican," she said. "I'm a bleeding-heart liberal."

Bialik also recalled being criticised after saying she believed then-President Joe Biden should not run for another term.

She said people accused her of "turning" on Democrats, adding that she believes democracy means people should be able to disagree respectfully.

The actress said the COVID-19 pandemic increased division and made public discussions more difficult.

"COVID messed everything up," she said, adding that people on both the political left and right became more extreme.

Elsewhere in the interview, Bialik reflected on growing up as a child actor in Hollywood.

She said her parents resorted to grounding her so she focused on school, homework, and chores despite her early fame.

Bialik also spoke about the slow years before landing her role as Amy Farrah Fowler on The Big Bang Theory in 2010.

After starring in the sitcom Blossom in the 1990s, she stepped away from acting to continue her education. She later earned a PhD in neuroscience before returning to television.