Kaley Cuoco has spoken warmly about her years on The Big Bang Theory, while also acknowledging that some ‘drama’ came with a show that big.
The Pasadena-set sitcom, centered on a close circle of science-loving friends and their aspiring-actor neighbour Penny (played by Cuoco), wrapped up in May 2019 after 12 seasons. Across its run, it drew major awards attention, including four Emmy nominations and a Golden Globe win for Jim Parsons, who played Sheldon Cooper.
Now, years after the finale, Cuoco has been revisiting the era and recalling the dynamics among the core cast—Parsons, Johnny Galecki, Kunal Nayyar and Simon Helberg—along with later arrivals Mayim Bialik and Melissa Rauch.
In a recent interview, Cuoco described the cast as a close unit, likening their bond to Wendy and the Lost Boys from Peter Pan, with her often trying to keep everyone connected.
“I was constantly trying to keep this group together desperately, and we all really did love each other, but it was 12 years,” she told The Independent.
“There were ups and downs,” she admitted.
Cuoco also reflected on how the show’s growing success—bigger audiences, stronger reviews, and the spotlight that followed—shifted the atmosphere behind the scenes. With the rise in profile, she said, came extra pressure and complications.
“I did a lot of hand-holding, and I think I did the best that I could. But, you know, these kinds of shows… it was an explosion of money and fame and became something so much bigger than any of us could have imagined. So of course there was a little bit of drama,” she said.
The The Flight Attendant star—who has since moved into new projects including action thriller Vanished alongside Sam Claflin—also revisited a widely discussed moment from 2017. At the time, CBS reportedly asked Cuoco and the other four main cast members to take pay reductions so newer stars Bialik and Rauch could be brought closer in line financially. The talks became public, and the original leads ultimately agreed to a 10% cut.
“It was weird,” Cuoco said. “Would anyone want people sharing what they make? Or comparing what they make to [other people]?”
She then added: “We’re in the public eye, so that stuff is going to be known. If you’re like, ‘Oh, I wish people didn’t know that’, well… then don’t be famous.”