The hit sitcom The Big Bang Theory has remained a standout in Kaley Cuoco’s career. The show not only brought her significant recognition but also established her among some of the highest-paid TV actors, making up to $1 million per episode.
While the actress has since moved on to new roles in shows like The Flight Attendant and Harley Quinn, she still fondly remembers her time on the sitcom. And one of the things that she missed the most was the unique challenge and energy of working with Chuck Lorre’s creative process.
Kaley Cuoco Missed the Creative Challenges of The Big Bang Theory
The Big Bang Theory was quite different from the shows Kaley Cuoco would go on to further pursue in her career after the CBS sitcom. And when asked about what she missed the most about the Emmy-winning sitcom, she had a number of things to name.
“I think the thing I miss most are the live tapings in front of the audience,” she said in an interview on The HFPA In Conversation podcast. The actress emphasized that she missed the unique energy and immediate feedback of filming in front of a live audience.
You just don’t understand the energy you get from the audience in that moment and learning how to be so quick on your feet.
And one of the things that she misses the most is the challenge of quickly adapting to last-minute changes made by the show’s creator, Chuck Lorre, and the overall experience.
She said,
Having Chuck Lorre run in and change your joke last minute and then trying to make the audience laugh with that. It was a constant competition against yourself and how can I do this?
“It taught me to be pretty quick and to learn quick,” she further said, talking about her time on the show and emphasizing that it was something that she missed on her future projects.
Kaley Cuoco’s The Big Bang Theory Salary
When Kaley Cuoco joined The Big Bang Theory, she was already an established actress, having starred in shows like 8 Simple Rules. However, she gained fame and recognition with her role as Penny in The Big Bang Theory.
The success of the show also led to significant financial gains for Cuoco. As per Celebrity Net Worth, Cuoco joined the show on a $45,000 per episode paycheck in season 1 and was getting paid $1 million per episode by the time it ended.
Cuoco even became the second-highest-paid female TV actor in 2017. The Flight Attendant star later described the show as a blessing, calling it “a once-in-a-lifetime experience.”
Cuoco is also among one of the cast members who negotiated a deal for 1% of the show’s backend equity and is estimated to make around $10 million per year from syndication. With her career and investments, the Emmy-nominated actress has reached an estimated net worth of $110 million.
The Big Bang Theory is available to stream on Max.
