F
or 12 seasons, Kaley
Cuoco starred as Penny,
the bubbly girl next door,
on CBS’ hit comedy The
Big Bang Theory. And
while it’s been tough to
say goodbye to the
character that made her a household
name — the series finale aired in May
— the actress is excited about taking on
a totally different role this fall in DC
Universe’s adult animated series
Harley Quinn. “I really love it. It’s been
freeing and so much fun,”
says Kaley, who voices the colorful
villainess and also serves as a producer
on the project. “I can just be myself and
scream and fight and cuss and be the
bada** that Harley Quinn is!” Here,
the 33-year-old star dishes on her
new show and on her life after The Big
Bang Theory.Were you looking to really change
things up with your first post-Big Bang
Theory role?
Not necessarily. I loved playing Penny,
and the fans were so supportive of
those characters.What drew you to Harley Quinn?
Female empowerment — she does
what she wants to do! I also get to
sharpen my producing skills.
That’s the new path I want to
take, so it’s a great addition to
my portfolio.Harley’s voice sounds nothing
like yours! Is that intentional?
Yeah, she’s very NewJersey, and I’m not. I didn’t want to
copy [any past versions] of her voice. So
this one is really my [own take]. It’s my
voice on crack. [Laughs.]Has Harley’s behavior rubbed off on
you at all?
The danger of that happening is there,
for sure. I have to remind myself to
calm down when I get my coffee in the
morning and not cuss at everybody in
sight!What do your former Big Bang Theory
costars think about your new role?
You know, I haven’t really talked to
anyone. We all just kind of dispersed
after the show wrapped. Some went on
vacation, others just did their own
thing. That’s totally normal for all of us.
It’s when we’re supposed to come back
together on set that we’ll all realize it’s
finally over for our group.What’s life been like now that the
sitcom’s over?
It’s strange, but it hasn’t really sunk
in yet. We’re still on summer hiatus,
so it still feels like I’m coming back
later this year. Once I realize that I live
a new life now, I’ll know things are
different.What else do you have lined up?
Next I’m working on [the HBO Max
drama series] The Flight Attendant,
which I’m producing as well. I’m
excited about it. I’m involved in all
the decisions. My character, Cassandra,
is a hot mess, but she’s a smart
hot mess! OK!5
FAST
FACTS
SHE PLAYED ELLEN DEGENERES
You read that correctly! In 1996,
Kaley starred as a younger version
of the comedian on an episode of
her sitcom, Ellen!SHE’S GOT GAME
Kaley started playing tennis at
age 3 and by 14 was a nationally
ranked player. She ultimately gave
up the sport to pursue acting, but still
hits the court recreationally.SHE ALMOST WASN’T PENNY
In the unaired pilot for The Big Bang
Theory, the female neighbor was
played by actress Amanda Walsh —
and her name was Katie!SHE WENT TO
THE PROM
WITH ASHLEY
TISDALE
Kaley was
homeschooled
and didn’t get
to go to a prom
of her own, so
her pal Ashley
invited her to hers!
But the evening didn’t go as planned.
“These mean girls kept coming at
me: ‘Oh, you think you’re so classy
you couldn’t wear a prom dress?’
recalled Kaley, who wore a simple
black gown in hopes of not drawing
attention to herself. “It was the worst
night ever.”BITTERSWEET
FAREWELL
“It’s kind of like a death
in a way,” Kaley’s said
of The Big Bang Theory
coming to an end “[We
all spent] a long, long
time together.”SHE’S HAPPILY MARRIED
Kaley wed equestrian
Karl Cook in 2018.