After her breakthrough role as Penny in The Big Bang Theory, Kaley Cuoco got on board The Flight Attendant. Unlike the lighthearted sitcom, this was a more intense and emotionally complex role for her. In the midst of this, Cuoco’s personal life also added another layer of challenge.
Kaley Cuoco in a still from The Flight Attendant || HBO Max
During the filming of the show, the actress was also dealing with her divorce from equestrian Karl Cook. However, one particular scene in The Flight Attendant stood out as especially grueling for her as it mirrored her own past trauma.
The Flight Attendant’s Intense Scene That Pushed Kaley Cuoco to Her Breaking Point
Kaley Cuoco and Zosia Mamet in a still from The Flight Attendant || HBO Max
All the Big Bang fans were eager to witness where Kaley Cuoco would end up after the conclusion of the hit sitcom in 2019. But to everyone’s surprise, the actress took on a project that was in complete contrast to what she played on the hit sitcom. Further, The Flight Attendant came as a breath of fresh air for her fans to watch the actress in a new and much darker light.
But for the actress, the entire filming experience was marred with loneliness and depression due to her divorce from Karl Cook. While she was putting on a strong front to complete her professional duties on set, one scene in particular, brought back all the traumatic memories for her.
In an interview with Variety, Cuoco revealed that filming Cassie’s breakup scene with Marco in Episode 5 Season 2 of the show was the toughest day for her. She added:
The scene where I break up with Marco — I mean, I could not breathe. I just went in the bathroom, and I literally thought I was going to have a panic attack. Not that what happened to them happened to us. That’s not what I’m saying. It was just the whole idea of the breakup, and saying the words.
The actress also added that the personal turmoil she experienced likely fueled her performance for the second season. However, it felt almost unsettling how the show mirrored her life in certain sequences. But she also added that while she couldn’t see the positives in her life back then.
She now has a newfound optimism for life and helping others going through a tough phase, reassuring them that things do get better with time.
Kaley Cuoco Gets Slapped by Sharon Stone Not Once but Three Times
In The Flight Attendant, Kaley Cuoco was not just acting but also helming the executive producer chair as well. Further, she took a lot of decisions for the show, but the most memorable of them was bringing in Sharon Stone to play her mother. Being a big fan of Stone herself, it was a dream come true for Cuoco, but the experience was also intense, including multiple on-screen slaps from Stone.
Kaley Cuoco in a still from The Flight Attendant || HBO Max
On Jimmy Kimmel Live (via The Things), Kaley Cuoco described some of the scenes she had filmed with Sharon Stone. During the filming of a particular scene, Stone had asked her if it would be okay for her to touch Cuoco during the scenes. The actress, being a huge fan of Stone, gave her full consent, saying “whatever you want to do Sharon, you are Sharon Stone—what you do is… you do what you want to do.”
Further, in a rather intense and emotional scene, Stone was supposed to deliver the line “I like you, but I don’t love you very much,” while getting close to Cuoco. Instead, Stone unexpectedly grabbed Cuoco’s face and slapped her. When Kimmel asked her if it was real, she confirmed it was, noting the stunned reaction from the entire cast and crew.
Despite the show, Stone later apologized to her stating that the slap felt right for the scene. Cuoco, impressed by her authenticity, agreed to reshoot the scene again. However, Stone slapped her two more times, prompting her to ice her face afterward.
You can stream The Flight Attendant on Max and buy it on Apple TV.
