The Big Bang Theory was a very different show when it was first conceptualized by creators Chuck Lorre and Bill Prady. From the cast of the show to the idea, it was not as funny and bubbly as we see it now. One of its primary reasons was Kaley Cuoco’s Penny. Initially, she was called Katie and was written as a not-very-nice character.
Kaley Cuoco as Penny in The Big Bang Theory | Warner Bros. Television
Although TBBT was largely popular for its nerdy cast and its unique scientific jokes, Kaley Cuoco was also an integral part of the group. It is tough to imagine a world of TBBT without Cuoco’s Penny. However, there was a point where Cuoco was rejected and many other actresses were in the running to play the part. Interestingly, Marisa Tomei was also on the list.
What led Marisa Tomei to reject The Big Bang Theory?
Marisa Tomei as Aunt May in the MCU | Marvel Studios
Marisa Tomei is one of the most prominent Hollywood names with an Oscar for Best Supporting Actress under her name. She appeared in several critically appreciated and commercially hit ventures, including the Marvel Cinematic Universe. But not getting The Big Bang Theory might be her greatest career regret.
Macaulay Culkin rejected TBBT after failing to understand its potential. Marisa Tomei, who was also in the mix to play Kaley Cuoco‘s character, also missed the show after things did not work out between her and the studio. She even had a script read with the Sheldon Cooper fame Jim Parsons and enjoyed it, but felt she was not the “right fit” then.
I thought it was a great script, and that’s why we went so far as to check it out. And it’s such an iconic kind of setup, all those archetypes, the scientists, and then the kind of little hottie and the whole thing. It wasn’t really the right fit for me at the time, but I really did enjoy the script itself. I certainly didn’t know it was going to go on that long.
It might be counted as one of the greatest career misses by the 59-year-old actress as The Big Bang Theory continued for 12 seasons and over 250 episodes. On the other hand, the role of the girl-next-door Penny elevated Kaley Cuoco’s stardom to such a level that at one point, she earned a whopping $1 million per episode (see Deadline).
Penny’s casting was a nightmare to The Big Bang Theory makers
Kaley Cuoco and Johnny Galecki in The Big Bang Theory | Warner Bros. Television
When Jessica Radloff released her The Big Bang Theory: The Definitive, Inside Story of the Epic Hit Series book, many off-screen drama about the sitcom’s making was revealed. The fans learned that actresses Marisa Tomei, Tara Reid, and Elizabeth Berkley were all in the race for Penny’s role.
In an excerpt from the book revealed by The Hollywood Reporter, casting director Ken Miller shared that Kaley Cuoco was initially rejected from the role of Penny for being “so sunny and bubbly” and not bringing the dark qualities. Later, actress Jodi Lyn O’Keefe was brought to play the role of Katie, a character planned very differently from Penny.
Despite Jodi Lyn O’Keefe’s incredible performance in an unaired pilot, her darkness was not appreciated by the makers. It is interesting to note that O’Keefe later appeared in the show as a s*x worker. Following O’Keefe’s exit, Amanda Walsh was brought in as Katie, who was initially rejected for the role.
Amanda Walsh also shot an unaired pilot but when it was shown in a test screening, it did not take long for Chuck Lorre to conclude that the audience hated her.
Ultimately, the makers understood that such a dark character was a complete misfit among the two nerds leading the show. They not only brought back Kaley Cuoco, made her more fascinating and kinder but also reshaped the sitcom, focusing more on the lovable side characters of Howard Wolowitz and Raj Koothrappali. The rest is a history well-known to all sitcom enthusiasts!
The Big Bang Theory can be streamed on Max.
