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As soon as the eighth season ofThe Big Bang Theorystarted airing, the big news was Pennys new look.
Getty Images; Everett Collection; via CBS
Kaley Cuoco (Penny Hofstadter):I just fucking cut my hair off and didnt tell anyone.
[Cocreator] Chuck [Lorre] hugged me and said, Wow, look at your hair!
and I said, Do you like it?
Kaley Cuoco, Melissa Rauch, and Mayim Bialik inThe Big Bang Theory’s “The Troll Manifestation” (season 8, episode 14), which aired on February 5, 2015.
I dont know if I was being rebellious.
I mean, Ididdo it for the movie, which was my excuse to cut it.
At that point we were heading into our eighth season and something needed to shake up.
Cuoco was actually wearing a wig in this episode (season 9, episode 1, “The Matrimonial Momentum,” opposite costar Johnny Galecki as Leonard Hofstadter) since it was a continuation from the season 8 finale, and her pixie cut was growing out. She goes more in-depth about the wig—including its current hilarious whereabouts—inThe Big Bang Theory: The Definitive, Inside Story of the Epic Hit Series.
I was like, This is the worst decision!
What was I thinking?!
I thought I was cutting off all this time, because I hated going in and getting ready.
Thats why I was wearing my hair up so much in season six and seven.
So then I cut it and it ended up being more work because it wasnt easy to style.
Chuck Lorre (cocreator, executive producer):We didnt have a heads-up on the haircut!
When you think back on it, it was startling.
I wish we had been in the loop.
And they dropped onFelicityas well.
They became iconic, and to disregard that audience attachment was a mistake.
And I witnessed it firsthand.
Were all in this together!
But I love that Kaley recognized it for what it was.
Shes very self-aware, and we survived it.
As bumps in the road go, that was a small one.
Kaley Cuoco:I was justifying it because Penny was starting this new job as a pharmaceutical rep.
It was going to have to work because its what I was doing.
But its just funny to see how that was such a big deal.
I remember actors on other shows who cut their hair and thinking, Why would they do that?
And then I went and did it!
Whatever, theres always going to be haters.
Welcome to the business!
Jim Parsons (Sheldon Cooper):[Laughs.]
At some point you just go, Im going to do it and apologize later rather than ask permission.
Kaley Cuoco:I had fun with it, and Ididlike it.
I love your hair!
And I said, Who said what about my hair?
And she was like, Oh, no, no, I think it looks great.
She totally got her foot in her mouth, because obviously it was a topic of conversation!
I guarantee that woman probably thinks about that moment a lot.
It was not a good night for her!
It just signaled a new direction with her new career, and letting go of the Nebraska-farm-girl look.
Not that it was that, but it was much more LA-looking now.
I put her in a couple of leather jackets.
Penny knew to go to Nordstrom Rack instead of Nordstrom.
We also put her in a lot of Theory suits.
In fact, her pink suit she wore when the elevator opened in the series finale was from Theory.
To this day I cannot wear another Equipment shirt.
I wore every print.
I see them, and I am like, That was Penny!
I cannot wear them anymore.
But what we love about Penny is her sweats and her T-shirts, and all the comfy scenes.
And I would love that too.
Id read a scene and go, Oooh!
But I really liked when she started to get super professional and wasnt a server anymore.
Reprinted with permission of Grand Central Publishing.
