Kaley Cuoco knows a thing or two about finding love.
The Big Bang Theory actress is famous for her character Penny falling in love with Leonard Hofstadter on the CBS sitcom, and she currently plays a married mother in Based on a True Story. In real life, Kaley found herself in quite a Hollywood meet-cute with her now-fiancé, Ozark star Tom Pelphrey.
So, how did Kaley and Tom's romance begin? It all started in early 2022, when they were introduced by their mutual manager, Andrea Pett-Joseph. At the time, Kaley was newly single after separating from her husband Karl Cook in September 2021. Kaley and Tom started dating, and they became Instagram official in early May 2022. As Kaley told USA Today in May of that year, she deemed her introduction to Tom as a moment of "love at first sight."
"We have the same manager, and we were set up by [her], which is so Hollywood," she told the outlet at the time. "She's like, 'Oh my God, I think you guys are perfect for each other.' I heard his voice, and I turned around, and it was like my life was over, or just starting. It hit me. It was love at first sight," she recalled. "We were immediately connected. I do feel like I've known him my whole life."
As for Tom, well, he didn't exactly know how successful Kaley was when they first met. In fact, he opened up about bringing the actress home to meet his family, and it turned out he had no idea of her popularity from The Big Bang Theory.
"[My mother's partner's] calling Kaley, 'Penny, Penny, Penny,' and I have no clue what's going on," he told W in an Instagram video posted in August 2023. "So I pull Kaley aside and I'm like, 'I'm sorry. I don't understand what's happening. Why does he keep calling you Penny?' She's like, 'That's my character on Big Bang Theory.' I was completely unaware."
Kaley and Tom made their public debut at the Hollywood Walk of Fame ceremony for Greg Berlanti, the executive producer for her TV series The Flight Attendant, then continued to showcase their relationship online. They were openly supportive of one another when they both were nominated for the 2022 Emmy Awards (she was nominated for Outstanding Actress in a Comedy Series while he got a nod for Outstanding Guest Actor in a Drama Series).
"CONGRATULATIONS TO MY FAVORITE ACTRESS!!!" he wrote on Instagram in July 2022. "Such beautiful, brave work. Beyond grateful to share this with you today … ♥️🙏♥️."
As Kaley and Tom's professional lives got some notice, behind-the-scenes, they were also experiencing life-changing moments. Kaley and Tom announced they were expecting their first child in October 2022, and they welcomed daughter Matilda Carmine Richie Pelphrey in March 2023.
"💓 3-30-23 💓 Introducing, Matilda Carmine Richie Pelphrey, the new light of our lives!" she captioned the post on Instagram. "We are overjoyed and grateful for this little miracle 💓."
In August 2024, Kaley and Tom announced their engagement, both celebrating the news on social media. Amid all their happy news, the pair make it a point to share how much they mean to one another. As Kaley shared in a series of Instagram photos shortly after their engagement, she and Tom are in it for the long haul.
"'There is my heart, and then there is you, and I’m not sure there is a difference' ❤️," she wrote in August 2024.
We love their love!
