Ever since "The Big Bang Theory" ended back in 2019, fans of the CBS sitcom have frequently wondered if stars Jim Parsons, Johnny Galecki, Kunal Nayyar, Simon Helberg, and Kaley Cuoco might ever come back to the roles that made them famous. Some, like Parsons, have — he's played the oldest possible version of Sheldon Cooper on the first spin-off of "The Big Bang Theory," the prequel series "Young Sheldon" — but Cuoco hasn't played Penny Hofstadter since the series finale of the original show. So, what did she tell People Magazine when they asked if she'd be willing to step back into Penny's shoes?
Apparently, Cuoco is totally down to play Penny again. "I spent 12 years playing that role, and it really set off my career," Cuoco told the outlet in an exclusive chat. "I owe a lot to that character, to that show, to [creator] Chuck Lorre," she added. "It was some of the best years of my life, and some of the most fun I've ever had. I would absolutely reprise that role. 100%. I love that character, and I always will." Whether or not this is a possibility remains to be seen, but there's actually a new "Big Bang" spin-off in the works with some of the original show's supporting players set to return … so maybe fans will get to see what Penny and her on-screen husband Leonard Hofstadter (Galecki) are up to now that they've had a child.
A new Big Bang Theory spin-off could bring some of the original series regulars back into the mix
CBS
For reasons known only to Chuck Lorre and his creative team, the world is getting yet another spin-off of "The Big Bang Theory" before long, which will stream exclusively on HBO and Discovery's service Max. (If you're keeping track at home, this will mark the third spin-off after "Young Sheldon" and that spin-off's very own spin-off "Georgie & Mandy's First Marriage," which centers around Montana Jordan and Emily Osment's titular characters.) On October 11, it was revealed that Kevin Sussman, Brian Posehn, and Lauren Lapkus, who all appeared on "The Big Bang Theory" in recurring roles, will star in said spin-off. Presumably, they'll return as the same characters — Sussman as comic book store owner Stuart Bloom, Lapkus as his girlfriend and colleague Denise, and Posehn as CalTech geologist Bert Kibbler — but there's not a lot of information out there just yet about whatever this show is.
According to the original report in Deadline, the series is in very early stages. Scripts are being written and the whole thing is in pre-production, so not only do we not know if Kaley Cuoco, Johnny Galecki, Kunal Nayyar, Simon Helberg, or Jim Parsons will make an appearance — to say nothing of Mayim Bialik and Melissa Rauch, who became series regulars later in the show's run — we don't even know if the show will make it to air. (Based on the success of "The Big Bang Theory," though, it feels like a safe bet.) Now that the show's team knows that Cuoco wants to play Penny again, though, nothing's impossible.
Kaley Cuoco has stayed booked and busy since playing Penny on The Big Bang Theory
Jennifer Rose Clasen/HBO Max
Whether or not Kaley Cuoco ever plays Penny again could come down to another major factor: her availability. Cuoco runs her own production company — named Yes, Norman for one of her beloved pets — and its first major project came in 2020 in the form of the Max original series "The Flight Attendant," starring Cuoco as a troubled flight attendant named Cassie Bowden. The series only lasted for two seasons, but it was a perfect showcase for Cuoco, who got to demonstrate her considerable range (a range that, frankly, wasn't often on display on something as mainstream as "The Big Bang Theory") as a woman struggling with her past and her addiction issues while also trying to solve a series of convoluted yet wildly intriguing mysteries. In addition, Cuoco voices Harley Quinn on the animated Max series of the same name, which is still going strong … which is good, because it absolutely rips.
Cuoco also produced and starred in the Peacock original series "Based on a True Story" alongside Chris Messina ("The Mindy Project," "Birds of Prey") and has recently produced two movies: "Meet Cute" (a romantic comedy with Pete Davidson that can likewise be found on Peacock) and the Amazon Prime film "Role Play," which pairs Cuoco with David Oyelowo. Fans of "The Big Bang Theory" can relive Cuoco's days as Penny on Max … and keep their fingers crossed that maybe she'll return for the show's next spin-off.
