"Big deal. Not knowing is part of the fun." If The Big Bang Theory's Penny didn't have that as her lines, she'd be lost. Sheldon Cooper, Leonard Hofstadter, Raj Koothrappali and Howard Wolowitz are the four uber-nerds that surround this blonde (and that's without her super-smart female entourage of Bernadette Rostenkowski and Amy Farrah Fowler).
Kaley Cuoco has been acing as the Nebraska-born, street-smart (but otherwise ditzy) Penny since the show first landed on our screens in 2007. Nobody ever imagined that a bunch of physicists and a Cheesecake Factory waitress would ever wind up being the biggest faces on TV.
Kaley is a Hollywood actress who is C-H-I-L-L. Her wardrobe of yoga wear and flip-flops couldn't be a bigger 180 from Kylie Jenner or Kim Kardashian, but the KarJenners aren't playing blonde sitcom characters.
We'll always compare stars to their major roles. Jennifer Aniston might as well be Rachel from Friends. Steve Carell might as well be Michael from The Office.
Question is, how much is Kaley like Penny? As it turns out, there are way too many freaky coincidences between these two. At the same time, parts of Kaley couldn't be more #Opposite.
Here are 13 ways Kaley is 100% her Penny character (plus 7 ways she totally isn't).
20 A Yoga Pro In Real Life
Watch BBT and you will see Penny acing the yoga. Of course, watching Sheldon attempt it with her makes for the most hilarious wellness session ever, but a wobbling Penny equals a real-life yoga pro.
"When I found hot yoga, I fell in love with it and was like, this is my thing,"
Kaley told Women's Health Mag. Unlike most celebs (who find themselves being papped hitting LA's nightclubs or Nobu), Kaley is mostly snapped heading to or from yoga classes. It's reached the point where we almost expect a paparazzi shot of Kaley to come with a yoga mat.
19 "Diva" Vibes Her Co-Stars Have Noticed
Divas in Hollywood are a dime a dozen. Kylie Jenner's own assistant called Kylie "a diva" on a live Snapchat in 2016. Mariah Carey might still fly the flag for this word, but Kaley has wound up with a bit of a #Reputation.
Kaley "flips out about wardrobe, makeup, even the catering," reported Celeb Dirty Laundry in 2016. Of course, The Hollywood Gossip took that as a suggestion over why Kaley might be "fired" from the show.
Penny is definitely #chillax, but it's her slight diva streak that gives her so much personality. Like the way she just sits there, folds her arms and rolls her eyes. We love them both, but the #Diva is there.
18 They Both Hate Running
Glance below for one of Penny's more memorable quotes. Straight from The Recollection Dissipation episode, that's Penny being, well, Penny.
Leonard: "Relax. I know when you 'go for a run,' you stop for a donut." Penny: "I don't even run there, I drive."
Penny might be seen going for runs, but she kind of hates it deep down. Turns out, Kaley is 100% with Penny on that. "I realized I don't like running," Kaley told Women's Health Mag. "I refuse to do it." Kaley found yoga (hello, Penny), and we found our #Similarity.
17 Kaley Actually Dated This Guy In RL
We knew Penny would wind up with Leonard the minute he awkwardly bumped into her in the hall. Something about the chemistry just felt right.
As it turns out, while Penny and Leonard are the show's couple, these two co-stars dated IRL.
In 2010, Kaley told CBS Watch! that she dated Johnny for "almost two years." Of course, with Kaley recently married (for the second time), it's all history. Still, that's one major similarity.
16 Kaley Dated A "Bad Tipper," But Penny Lives With It
Penny spends a fair chunk of her BBT time waitressing at The Cheesecake Factory. Her customers– we're looking at you, Sheldon– aren't the easiest. Being a waitress, Penny is no stranger to the mean tipper. Interestingly, nor is Kaley.
"He's multiplying, like an 8% tip. Oh my, he's cheap." Kaley wouldn't reveal the identity of her super famous (super cheap) date.
Speaking to Vogue, Kaley revealed the horror of watching her date pull out his phone to calculate the mean tip, as Jezebel reports. "He's cheap. He's a bad tipper," Kaley said. And we wonder why Penny nailed the reactions so well.
15 Food Favorites
Penny is pretty easy to feed. Throw her some pizza and she's happy. To be fair, if some form of takeout wasn't Penny's jam, she'd probably starve– BBT crew comes with takeout, right?
"I have to have a cheat day. I'm going to lie by the pool, have a drink, and eat some pizza,"
Shape reports Kaley saying. This girl pays serious attention to her nutrition, though. Kaley has "the same little bit of peanut butter on toast" for breakfast, half a sandwich for lunch, plus fish and vegetables for dinner, Women's Health reports. In-N-Out is where she goes for burgers, though.
14 Pink Weddings
This one throws us two similarities. Penny and Leonard tie the knot in Vegas (where Penny's dress is pink), but they also renew their vows (where Penny wears white).
In 2015, Kaley announced her split from her first husband, Ryan Sweeting. The wedding pics weren't forgotten, though. Much like Penny, Kaley wore pink.
Following Penny's pattern, Kaley wore white for her second wedding. In 2017, Kaley married Karl Cook.
13 Although Penny And Leonard Didn't Invite Any Horses
If you're wondering why this pic seems different to the wedding shot you just saw, that's because Kaley is currently on her second marriage. In 2017, Kaley tied the knot with Karl Cook. The theme of the wedding? You've probably guessed it by now.
Kaley is 100% about the horses. They're all over her Instagram, and this actress is quite the equestrian. Her horse is named Bojangles.
Kaley's second wedding was in a horse ranch, Harper's Bazaar reports. There was even a horseshoe altar, according to Vogue.
12 All In The Stars
Your star sign is one of the few things in life you just can't choose– you're born when you're born. Penny is a Virgo. Much like her star sign suggests, Penny displays common sense, capability and being witty. Her comebacks are awesome.
Kaley is a Sagittarius, though. She falls under the fun-loving, adventurous and creative star sign that is reflected in her love of horses and the outdoors, plus her workout ideas.
There had to be a major difference. Despite the astrological signs not matching though, there's a ton of similarities. Seriously, both girls wearing pink wedding dresses?
11 Penny Marries A Physicist, Kaley Marries A Billionaire
The build-up to Penny and Leonard's wedding took way too long– that said, it wouldn't be a sitcom without the world's biggest relationship. Penny and Leonard first meet in a super-awkward hallway moment (where Leonard is smitten). They wind up getting married.
Leonard's career as a physicist is basically the backbone of the show. His side-kicks, Sheldon and Raj, join him in #NerdCentral, but Kaley has married a totally different guy.
Karl Cook is the heir to a $3.1 billion fortune, Pop Sugar reports. The guy is literally set to become a billionaire. Lucky for some!
10 Kaley: Obsessed With Horses. Penny: More About The Shoes
Penny's obsession with fashion knows no bounds. "Seriously, those shorts with that top?" Penny asks Sheldon when he's trying to dress Penny's dislocated shoulder for a trip to the ER. This girl is 100% about buttercup yellows, cute sandals and edgy heels.
Kaley is all about the horses. You only need to hop over to her Instagram to see it. Kaley has been horseback riding since the age of 15. "Not sure who I'll miss more" was an Instagram caption to a pic of her horse, Bojangles and her husband, Karl.
Penny on a horse? Maybe back in the Nebraska days, but this girl is more about the shoe shopping.
9 $1 Million Per Episode, Kaley Isn't Worrying About Rent
The cast of BBT made major headlines in 2017 when Forbes announced that their salary was a staggering $1 million per episode. Kaley and her co-stars have since accepted a slight cut to $900,000 per episode to permit other cast members, like Mayim Bialik, to take a raise.
One million dollars per episode hasn't been seen since "Friends" – no other sitcom comes close.
Penny, meanwhile, spends most of her time trying to make this month's rent. Her job at The Cheesecake factory doesn't exactly pay well, although Penny does make it. Her pharmaceutical job finally earns her decent money. Still, it's not a million dollars.
8 Kaley Is A Singer, "Soft Kitty" Now Makes Sense
Come to think of it, is music the mark of a great sitcom? Friends had "Smelly Cat." Penny seems to be the musical one in BBT, where "Soft Kitty" returns over and over as the song Penny sings to calm Sheldon down. Well, when he's sick, anyway. Not many people know that Kaley is a singer, as News reports.
Even fewer know that Kaley is a recorded music artist. Okay, she's no Ariana Grande, but not everyone who walks into a California studio winds up with a record.
Kaley has recorded "Somewhere Over The Rainbow" for the Human Society of the United States in support of animal adoption, News states.
7 Bought Khloe Kardashian's Mansion? This Is Unlikely To Be A Reality For Penny
Kaley Cuoco is now one of the highest-paid actresses in Hollywood. This actress is worth $55 million, according to Celebrity Net Worth.
In 2015, Kaley and her then-husband, Ryan Sweeting, purchased Khloe and Lamar's mansion for $5.5 million. She even hired a fengshui expert to "cleanse it" of bad vibes.
Penny? She's stuck doing laundry in the basement with Sheldon. While there's no saying whether Kaley does her own laundry, we'll assume that any chores are done in nicer surroundings.
6 They're Both The Biggest #NoMakeupEver People
It takes a lot these days to #NoMakeup it on Instagram– especially if you're a major star. With the Kardashian-Jenners, Rihanna and Ariana Grande coming with the world's biggest #MakeUp ever, going bare-faced is officially brave.
Kaley wears very little makeup. In fact, aside from her wedding pics and the odd special occasion, you'll struggle to find this girl wearing a scrap of the stuff on IG.
Penny follows suit. While she will slap on the lipstick for a dinner date with Leonard, she's way too casual to worry about makeup. Given that she's hanging out with nerds, she also doesn't seem to care.
5 There's Just Something About Superman
The gang might spend their lives solving string theory and eating Pad Thai, but BBT's boys do know how to superhero up. After all, they are at the comic book store at least once a week.
Remember Leonard's Superman outfit? Well, Kaley dated the real Superman, Henry Cavill.
Kaley and Henry didn't have the world's longest relationship– E Online called it a "10-day fling," but they were together long enough to get papped grocery shopping.
4 The Real-Life Besties That Hang Out With Her
BBT started out with Penny, the solo lady. The setup was simple. You had the nerdy guys and the ditzy but street-smart blonde. We needed more girls, though. Mayim Bialik and Melissa Rauch joined the show to form the best trio ever, and we wouldn't have it any other way.
This pic is from Penny's Instagram. Looks like the girls are besties IRL as well as on-set.
Penny knows the value of a good girlfriend. While she takes a while to fully trust Amy and Bernadette, they turn into the best BFFs ever.
3 The Former Career That Couldn't Be Less Like Penny
Penny's attempts at sports pretty much end with her yoga and the odd run around the block. Sitting on that couch is where we mostly see her (although she'll jump at the chance to argue with the guys).
Kaley was a nationally-ranked tennis player. Yup, she was that good. In 2000, Kaley was ranked sixth during the 2000 National Open Championship for junior and college players.
If you're wondering where Ryan Sweeting comes in, Kaley's former husband is also a tennis player. Penny? No thanks.
2 Same Goofy Personality
What do we girls do when we're around guys we trust? We 100% relax, become ourselves again and turn into the goofs we are. Penny knows that she's got leverage with the nerds. She's the cutest thing they've ever seen, it isn't like they've got a clue with women, and Penny knows it.
Penny is pretty goofy, and Kaley is the same. Instead of a Kardashian-like poise, Kaley is more about pulling silly faces with her horses, planting giant kisses on them and generally being carefree.
Personality traits aren't often matched between sitcom actresses and their characters. This one is #SpotOn.
1 Beautiful, Inside And Out
TV producers know the value of a good-looking actress. Gossip Girl had Blake Lively and Leighton Meester. Friends had Jennifer Aniston. Pretty Little Liars has Shay Mitchell. Penny needed to be cute as a character, but she's backed by the real-life actress.
Kaley is a natural beauty. She doesn't need much in the way of hair and makeup, and this cute smile 100% proves it.
References: Women's Health, The Hollywood Gossip, The Daily Mail, Vogue, Shape
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