Kaley Christine Cuoco was born on November 30, 1985, inCamarillo, California. She is the elder daughter of Layne Ann (née Wingate), a homemaker, and Gary Carmine Cuoco, a real estate agent.[4] Her father is of Italian descent while her mother is of English and German ancestry.[5] Her sister,Briana, is an actress and singer who competed onthe fifth season ofThe Voice who co-starred with her on the HBO Max seriesThe Flight Attendant[6] and onHarley Quinn as Barbara Gordon/Batgirl. As a child, Cuoco was a ranked amateur tennis player, a sport she took up when she was three years old.[7] She stopped playing at the age of 16 to pursue a career in acting.[8]
In addition to the final season of8 Simple Rules, Cuoco had starring roles on theNBC miniseries10.5, theABC Family original filmCrimes of Fashion, the independent filmDebating Robert Lee,[10] and in the filmThe Hollow at the same time. She also voiced the character of Brandy Harrington, a 14-year-old anthropomorphic mixed-breed dog, on theDisney Channel animated seriesBrandy and Mr. Whiskers. She voiced the character of Kirstee Smith inBratz from 2004 to 2005. In the eighth season of the TV seriesCharmed, she appeared asBillie Jenkins, a powerful youngwitch with the powers oftelekinesis and projection. Executive producerBrad Kern stated that Cuoco's character was initially brought in as a possible spin-off.[citation needed]
In September 2007, Cuoco began starring in the CBS sitcomThe Big Bang Theory, playingPenny, aCheesecake Factory employee and aspiring actress who lives across the hall fromphysicistsDr. Leonard Hofstadter andDr. Sheldon Cooper. Prior to the 2010–2011 season, she earned US$60,000 an episode for the series, the same as her co-stars. In 2010, the cast negotiated a raise for each actor to make US$200,000 per episode.[11] As of August 2014, Cuoco and her co-stars fromThe Big Bang TheoryJohnny Galecki andJim Parsons each earned an estimated US$1 million per episode.[12][13]
In late October 2012, Cuoco enlisted the help of her sister Briana to organize aflash mob on the set of the show, in which she and the cast and crew surprised the studio audience by suddenlylip syncing and dancing toCarly Rae Jepsen's song "Call Me Maybe". A video of the event was posted onYouTube and became aviral success.[14][15] A clip from the performance was also played during Cuoco's January 8, 2013, appearance on the late-night talk showConan.[16]
In October 2018, it was announced that Cuoco would voice thetitle character of theDC Universe adult animation seriesHarley Quinn, and also serve as executive producer.[28] The series premiered on November 29, 2019, to critical acclaim.[29] In September 2020, it was announced that the series was renewed for a third season and would move to HBO Max.[30]
In August 2019, it was announced that Cuoco would executive produce the upcomingCBS comedyPretty, which is written and also executive produced byLindsey Kraft and Santina Muha.[31] In April 2020, Cuoco joined the cast of the upcoming action comedy filmThe Man from Toronto as the female lead alongsideKevin Hart andWoody Harrelson.[32]
In March 2021, it was announced that Cuoco would playDoris Day in an upcoming limited series based onA. E. Hotchner's 1976 biography,Doris Day: Her Own Story. She will also serve as an executive producer of the series.[33] In May 2021, her production company expanded itsWarner Bros. Television overall deal.[34]
Personal life
While working onThe Big Bang Theory, Cuoco privately dated co-star Johnny Galecki for roughly two years, until December 2009. She later toldCBS Watch in September 2010 that they have remained on good terms since ending their relationship.[35]
On September 13, 2010, Cuoco broke her leg in a horse-riding accident and missed the filming of two episodes ofThe Big Bang Theory.[36]
In October 2011, she became engaged toaddiction specialist Josh Resnik, but ended their engagement by March 2012.[37] She became engaged to professional tennis playerRyan Sweeting in September 2013, after three months of dating. They married on December 31, 2013, inSanta Susana, California.[38] On September 25, 2015, it was announced that she and Sweeting had decided to divorce.[39] The divorce was finalized on May 9, 2016.[40]
Cuoco began datingequestrianKarl Cook in late 2016.[41][42] They became engaged on November 30, 2017, Cuoco's 32nd birthday,[43] and were married on June 30, 2018.[44] In September 2021, the couple announced their separation, stating "we have realized that our current paths have taken us in opposite directions".[45] In June 2022, their divorce was finalized.[46]
Cuoco confirmed her relationship with actorTom Pelphrey in May 2022.[47] Five months later, she announced on Instagram that they were expecting their first child together.[48] Cuoco gave birth to their daughter Matilda on March 30, 2023.[49] They announced their engagement on August 14, 2024.[50]
