The Big Bang Theory is one of the most popular and iconic sitcoms of modern television. It lasted for an impressive 12 seasons, running from 2007 to 2019. The Big Bang Theory follows a group of nerdy, socially awkward friends and coworkers, along with their one really hot friend across the hall. We're talking, of course, about the waitress and aspiring actress, Penny.
Penny is played by Kaley Cuoco, one of the leads in The Big Bang — and also one of the highest paid actresses on television. But believe it or not, Cuoco almost wasn't cast in the show. And her character, Penny, almost didn't make it into the series, either.
Kaley Cuoco's Career Before 'The Big Bang Theory'
Kaley Cuoco was fairly unknown before she made a big bang in show business with The Big Bang Theory. She did, however, appear in other films and TV shows beforehand, working hard to establish her career.
Cuoco made her feature film debut in 1995's action thriller Virtuosity when she was only 10 years old. She also appeared in numerous one-episode roles, such as My So-Called Life, Ellen, and The Tony Danza Show. Cuoco snagged her first starring role in the sitcom, Ladies Man, though the series was short-lived.
She found more success with her next starring role in 8 Simple Rules for Dating My Teenage Daughter, where she played John Ritter's titular teenage daughter. The series ran for three seasons before getting canceled.
Cuoco later nabbed starring roles in Charmed and the animated series Bratz, along with one-episode guest appearances in shows like 7th Heaven, The Ellen Show, and Prison Break. And yet, despite her growing resume, Cuoco still wasn't a star or a well-known actress. At least, not yet.
Cuoco Auditions for "Katie"
Kaley Cuoco auditioned for the main female character on The Big Bang Theory — but it wasn't Penny. At that time, the female lead character was to be named Katie. And it wasn't just her name that was different.
Katie had a very different personality from Penny, described as a tougher, hardened, and more aggressive young woman. Cuoco was rejected after auditioning for Katie, as the creators felt that she was too young for the role. Actress Amanda Walsh was cast for the part instead, and that seemed to be that.
Penny Is Born
With Amanda Walsh as Katie, the cast and crew filmed a pilot for The Big Bang Theory. They showed the episode to test audiences and potential distributors. While test audiences loved the characters of Leonard and Sheldon (played by their original actors, Johnny Galecki and Jim Parsons), they reacted negatively to Katie and called her too mean. Not only that, but no television studios wanted to pick up The Big Bang Theory as it was.
The creators were, however, given a chance to rework the show and produce a second pilot. And one of their biggest modifications was Katie. They completely rewrote the character and changed her to Penny, a younger, less aggressive, and more relatable young woman. The showrunners also gave Amanda Walsh the boot. Several actresses were considered for this new role, including Marisa Tomei and Tara Reid. Remembering Cuoco's audition, the showrunners invited the young actress back to audition for Penny. This time, she won the role, and from there, the rest is history.
Other Actors Who Auditioned for a Different Part or Missed Out on the Series Entirely
Cuoco wasn't the only actor to get denied a part in The Big Bang Theory. John Ross Bowie initially auditioned for one of the show's leads, Leonard. Although he was rejected, Bowie was later cast as Sheldon's nemesis, Barry Kripke. Similarly, Kevin Sussman auditioned for Sheldon before he was cast as a supporting character and the comic book store owner, Stuart. In the beginning, Johnny Galecki was intended to play Sheldon before the actor pivoted to Leonard, who he famously plays throughout the show's 12-year run.
The Big Bang Theory also had another actor in mind for the main cast: Macaulay Culkin. Yes, that's right. The showrunners asked Kevin McCallister himself to audition multiple times for one of the lead roles, but Culkin refused the invitation.
Cuoco Has Been Busy Since 'The Big Bang Theory'
So what comes after The Big Bang Theory? The show's tremendous success birthed an entire franchise. First, we got the prequel series Young Sheldon, which focuses on the formative years of the show's most iconic character, Sheldon. Then that spin-off created another spin-off, Georgie & Mandy's First Marriage, about Sheldon's older brother. A fourth series is reportedly in development, which will follow an original supporting character from The Big Bang Theory, Stuart.
Kaley Cuoco has also been keeping busy since The Big Bang Theory wrapped up. Now that she's a household name, it hasn't been hard for Cuoco to land new and notable gigs on television. She starred in the HBO Max series The Flight Attendant, though it was canceled after only two seasons. She currently stars in the Peacock original series, Based on a True Story, a dark comedy thriller. Cuoco also voices the iconic DC supervillain Harley Quinn in the critically acclaimed adult animated series, Harley Quinn. Its highly anticipated fifth season is scheduled to come out this month.
