Kaley Christine Cuoco Photo Gallery

Kaley Christine Cuoco ( /ˈkeɪliː ˈkwoʊkoʊ/ kay-lee kwoh-koh; born November 30, 1985)[1] is an American film and television actress. She first came to attention for her role as Bridget Hennessy on the Emmy Award-winning sitcom 8 Simple Rules (2002–2005). She later starred as Billie Jenkins on the final season of the supernatural drama series Charmed (2005–2006). She has gained international acclaim and recognition for her current role as Penny on the Emmy and Golden Globe award-winning comedy series The Big Bang Theory (2007–present),[1] which became the highest rated comedy on US television among adults 18–49 for the 2009–10 season.[2] Cuoco's success within the television industry has launched her film career, appearing in films such as Lucky 13 (2005), The Penthouse (2010), Hop (2011), and The Last Ride (2011).

Career

As a child, Cuoco was once a nationally-ranked amateur tennis player, a sport she took up when she was three years old but had to give up in 1992, when she was six.[1] Her role as Maureen McCormick in the 2000 TV movie Growing Up Brady brought her much attention, as well as a role on the CBS sitcom Ladies Man. In 2004 in addition to her role on 8 Simple Rules in which she played a teenager, she had starring roles on the NBC miniseries, 10.5, on the ABC Family original movie, Crimes of Fashion, and in the independent film, Debating Robert Lee.[1] In 2000 she starred in the Disney Channel Original Movie Alley Cats Strike.
Cuoco was named number 77 on FHM-Us 100 Sexiest Women in 2005 and number 21 in 2008.[3] She was also named number 28 on Maxim's annual Hot 100 list in 2010 and number 13 in 2011.
She began voicing the character of Brandy Harrington on the Disney Channel's cartoon, Brandy and Mr. Whiskers, later in 2004.
Cuoco played Bridget Hennessy on the ABC sitcom 8 Simple Rules. Bridget was the eldest child, despite Cuoco being six years younger than her on-screen little sister (Amy Davidson), and was portrayed as "the most beautiful girl in the school." She had several boyfriends throughout the series and used her feminine wiles to exert significant control over the boys she encountered.
In the eighth season of the hit cult TV show Charmed, Cuoco appeared as Billie Jenkins a young powerful witch who was also one of whitelighter Paige Matthews' charges. Executive producer Brad Kern stated Kaley's character was initially brought in as a possible spin-off. In 2004 Cuoco co-starred in the movie The Hollow with Nick Carter and Kevin Zegers.
In September 2007, Cuoco began a starring role in the CBS sitcom The Big Bang Theory. She plays Penny, an aspiring actress and employee at The Cheesecake Factory who lives across the hall from two nerdy scientists, Sheldon (Jim Parsons) and Leonard (Johnny Galecki). Prior to the 2010–2011 season, she earned $60,000 an episode for the series, the same as Johnny Galecki and Jim Parsons. In 2010 the cast negotiated a raise for each actor to make $200,000 per episode.[4] On September 13, 2010, she broke her leg in a horse-riding accident and missed two episodes of the series.[5]
Cuoco also starred in the Lifetime film To Be Fat Like Me, which premiered on January 8, 2007.[6] She also played a minor role in the Prison Break episodes "The Message" and "Chicago" as well as taking the leading female role in the comedy horror spoof Killer Movie in 2008.
In 2011 Cuoco appeared in Allure magazine's annual "Naked Truth" feature. The photograph, which appeared in the May issue, was taken by Patrick Demarchelier.[7] That same year, she appeared in the films Hop and The Last Ride.[8] She was also chosen to host both the 2011 Teen Choice Awards[9] and the 2012 People's Choice Awards.[10]
[edit]Personal life

While working on The Big Bang Theory, Cuoco dated co-star Johnny Galecki for two years. They kept their relationship private until they broke up.[11][12]
In October 2011 Cuoco announced her engagement to boyfriend Josh Resnik, an addiction specialist and former bassist for Danzig.[13] However, in March 2012 she revealed that she was no longer engaged.[14]
Cuoco has admitted that she is a big fan of both Game of Thrones and Harry Potter.[15]
[edit]Filmography

Film
Year  Title  Role  Notes
1992 Quicksand: No Escape  Connie Reinhardt  Television film
1995 Virtuosity  Karin Carter
1997 Picture Perfect  Little Girl
1997 Toothless  Lori  Television film
1998 Mr. Murder  Charlotte Stillwater  Television film
2000 Alley Cats Strike  Elisa Bowers Disney Channel Original Movie
2000 Growing Up Brady Maureen McCormick  Television film
2000 Can't Be Heaven  Teresa Powers  Credited as Kaley Cuaco
2003 A Merry Mickey Celebration  Herself
2004 Debating Robert Lee  Maralee Rodgers
2004 10.5  Amanda Williams  Television film
2004 Crimes of Fashion  Brooke  Television film
2004 The Hollow  Karen
2005 Lucky 13  Sarah Baker
2006 Separated at Worth  Gabby  Television film
2006 Wasted  Katie Cooning
2006 Bratz: Passion 4 Fashion — Diamondz  Kirstee Smith
2007 To Be Fat Like Me  Alyson Schmidt  Television film
2007 Cougar Club  Amanda
2008 Killer Movie  Blanca Champion
2010 The Penthouse  Erica Roc
2011 Hop  Samantha O'Hare
2011 The Last Ride  Wanda  Post-production
2012 Drew Peterson: Untouchable  Stacy Peterson  Television film
2013 Psychotic  Carly Banks  Pre-production
Television
Year  Title  Role  Notes
1994 My So-Called Life  Young Angela Chase  Episode: "Father Figures"
1994 Northern Exposure  Miranda (Randi)  Episode: "Hello, I Love You"
1996 Ellen  Little Ellen Morgan  Episode: "The Bubble Gum Incident"
2000 Homewood PI  Lauren Crane  Episode: "Pilot"
2000 Don't Forget Your Toothbrush  Ashley
2000–
2001 Ladies Man  Bonnie Stiles  8 episodes
2001 7th Heaven  Lynn  Episode: "Relationships"
2002 First Monday  Alyssa  1 episode
2002 The Ellen Show  Vanessa  Episode: "Shallow Gal"
2002 The Nightmare Room  Kristin Ferris  Episode: "My Name Is Evil"
2004 The Help  Carly Michaels  Episode: "Pilot"
2004 Complete Savages  Erin  Episode: "For Whom the Cell Tolls"
2004 Punk'd  Herself  Season 3 Episode 3
2002–
2005 8 Simple Rules Bridget Hennessy  Main role
2005–
2007 Loonatics Unleashed  Paula Hayes/Weather Vane  Episode: "Weathering Heights"
Episode: "Acmegeddon: Part 1"
Episode: "Acmegeddon: Part 2"
2006 Secrets of a Small Town  Misty Anders  Episode: "Pilot"
2004–
2006 Brandy and Mr. Whiskers Brandy Harrington  Voice; main role
2004–
2009 6teen  Chrissie Baldwin  Voice; supporting character
2005–
2006 Bratz  Kirstee Smith  Voice
2005–
2006 Charmed Billie Jenkins  Main role (Season 8)
2007 Prison Break  Sasha  Episode: "The Message" and "Chicago"
2007–
present The Big Bang Theory Penny  Main role
[edit]Awards

Awards
Year  Result  Award  Category  Nominated work
1993 Nominated Young Artist Awards  Best Young Actress in a Cable movie Quicksand: No Escape
2000 Nominated YoungStar Awards  Best Young Actress/Performance in a Miniseries/Made-For-TV Film Growing Up Brady
2003 Nominated Young Artist Awards Best Performance in a TV Series (Comedy or Drama): Leading Young Actress 8 Simple Rules
Nominated Teen Choice Awards  Choice TV Actress: Comedy
Won  Choice TV Breakout Star: Female
2004 Nominated Teen Choice Awards  Choice TV Actress: Comedy
Nominated Young Artist Awards  Best Young Adult Performer in a Teenage Role
2006 Won Method Fest  Best Ensemble Cast Debating Robert Lee
2010 Nominated Teen Choice Awards  Choice TV Actress: Comedy The Big Bang Theory
2011 Nominated Teen Choice Awards  Choice TV Actress: Comedy
2012 Nominated People's Choice Awards  Favorite TV Comedy Actress  sd