While Marvel star Jeremy Renner and The Big Bang Theory star Kaley Cuoco have had diverse journeys in Hollywood, both stars share a tragic commonality; unforgettable and unfortunate accident experiences. In 2023, Renner endured a devastating snow plow incident resulting in severe injuries and broken bones.
And long before his harrowing ordeal, Cuoco also found herself with numerous severe injuries and the fear of potentially losing her leg. Reflecting on the dark times, the actress described it as the most harrowing accident she has ever had.
Kaley Cuoco’s Horrible Horseback Riding Accident
Kaley Cuoco is known to be an avid animal, evident with her ranch in Thousand Oaks, California, which is home to horses, donkeys, chickens, goats, cows, and pigs. The actress has also been passionate about horse riding, even referring to herself as an equestrian.
“I started taking it seriously when I was about 16,” she said, expressing her deep passion for the sport. However, one of her riding lessons resulted in a severe accident. During a lesson at a Los Angeles ranch, Cuoco’s horse unexpectedly got spooked, causing her to fall off.
Unaware that the horse was still frightened, Cuoco tried to get up, only for the horse to leap over her and land on her leg. “I heard the crackling [and] I thought he landed on leaves—but that was my bones,” the actress recalled during an appearance on The Ellen Show.
The Flight Attendant star further shared the graphic details of the incident, saying,
I’m not feeling anything, and then I looked. And I was like, ‘Wow, my foot is facing me. That’s not normal!’ — So I got in there and the doctor doesn’t introduce himself, and he says, ‘OK, we’ve got to go over your options [and] one of them is amputation.
The thought of amputation horrified her. And she had to sign a release allowing doctors to amputate her leg if necessary. Fortunately, this drastic measure wasn’t needed, and despite her initial doubts, Cuoco was able to recover and get back on her feet.
Kaley Cuoco’s Accident Horrified The Big Bang Theory Showrunners
The horse-riding accident left the actress with severe injuries, including a compound fracture of her tibia and fibula, where the bones pierced through her lower leg’s skin. Fortunately, the surgery saved her leg and after a two-week hospital stay, she was fitted for a walking boot.
“It was miraculous,” she said of the surgery on the SmartLess podcast before adding, “I’ve got some good scars. It makes you feel like a badass.” The injury caused her to be written off of two episodes of The Big Bang Theory, with the showrunners frightened of losing one of their stars.
Chuck Lorre later described the period as the “darkest, most frightening” time of his 12 years working on the series. “That was the darkest, most frightening time in all 12 years,” he said in his interview for The Big Bang Theory: The Definitive, Inside Story of the Epic Hit Series.
Kaley could have lost her leg. It was a series of miracles that allowed us to get through that and for her to come out on the other end of that healthy.
Cuoco eventually returned to the show, her cast hidden by portraying her character as a bartender instead of a waitress. The incident also led to new rules for the cast, including bans on activities like horseback riding, motorcycle riding, and boating to prevent similar accidents.
The Big Bang Theory is available to stream on Max.
