The Big Bang Theory is currently airing its ninth season over at CBS. The show has been a hit, and has made all of the actors and actresses involved a whole lot more famous (not to mention earned them a whole lot of money). However, recently, The Big Bang Theory’s Kaley Cuoco said in an interview that she absolutely hates watching old episodes of the show that made her a household name. Here’s what she has to say:
I do stop and watch because I'm appalled by what I'm seeing. I'm like, 'Kaley, what is that choice?' I usually put it on mute because I cannot stand the sound of my voice, especially early on. But (I look to) kind of see what I was wearing, and it's hilarious.
While some people seemingly never age while working on a long-running TV show, most of the times actors and actresses will change their looks, attitudes, and sometimes their character’s personalities during the life of a TV show. So, it doesn’t shock me that Kaley Cuoco would look back at Penny from five (or more) years ago and be critical about the role. In her quote with AP she specifically mentions she’s “appalled” by the work she used to produce.
It’s natural for actors and for characters to change over time. I would guess once you inhabit a role for a while you could do it with your eyes closed, and Cuoco seems to be looking back at how she used to portray Penny and is way less comfortable with that than the way she portrays Penny now. Although I personally miss Penny’s longer hair, her new look and attitude is a bit more sophisticated, and it goes along with the fact that she has moved up in the world, and gotten a higher-end career as a pharmaceutical sales rep. This means she has had less financial problems and has been able to take care of herself more in recent episodes, even revealing she earns more than Leonard at this point. It’s no wonder Cuoco likes the more grownup version of Penny.
The whole level of professionalism Penny usually exudes has also affected her wardrobe. No longer does she wear skimpy polka-dotted tank tops or tight floral jackets (although she still favors t-shirts on occasion). She also has a grownup wardrobe to go with that new grownup job.
Penny’s changed a lot since the beginning of the series and doubtless she will continue changing as The Big Bang Theory moves forward. The show has already been renewed for Season 10 and will at least be on the air on CBS through 2017. This season, you can catch new episodes of The Big Bang Theory on Monday nights at 8 p.m. ET. The show will move to Thursday nights after football ends its run.
