Happy 35th Birthday, Kaley Cuoco! The 'Big Bang Theory' star through the years (2024)

Happy Birthday, Kaley Cuoco! TV fans have watched the popular actor, who turned 35 on Nov. 30, grow up on screen, in commercials, movies and guest shots as a child; as John Ritter's daughter on "8 Simple Rules" as a teen; and as aspiring actress-turned-pharmaceutical rep Penny on CBS' hit comedy "The Big Bang Theory." Now, she's back as star and producer of HBO Max's "The Flight Attendant," with more producing and acting projects on the way. Click forward to revisit the life and career of Cuoco, seen here at the 76th Golden Globe Awards in January 2019.

In 2000, Cuoco, right, played 'Brady Bunch' actress Maureen McCormick in 2000's 'Growing Up Brady,' a TV movie about life behind the scenes of the classic sitcom. It co-starred a pre-'O.C.' Adam Brody as Barry Williams and Caitlin Cullum as Eve Plumb. Her other early credits include 'Northern Exposure' and 'Ellen,' the '90s sitcom starring Ellen DeGeneres.

Cuoco was cast as Bridget "Beach" Hennessy, the eldest daughter on the ABC sitcom '8 Simple Rules,' which starred John Ritter and Katey Sagal. (From left: Martin Spanjers, Cuoco, Ritter, Sagal and Amy Davidson)

Originally titled '8 Simple Rules for Dating My Daughter,' the series focused on Ritter's character, Paul Hennessy, a stay-at-home dad whose wife just went back to work. But Ritter died on Sept. 11, 2003, as the show was in production for its second season. The show was canceled in 2005, after its third.

'8 Simple Rules' wrote the death of Ritter into its storyline, killing off his character, Paul Hennessy, too. Here, Cuoco, right, poses with the rest of the cast while rehearsing for an episode addressing his sudden offscreen death. (From left: Amy Davidson, Katey Sagal, James Garner, Martin Spanjers and Cuoco.)

On Sept. 24, 2007, Cuoco debuted as Penny, the female lead in CBS' 'The Big Bang Theory.' Her character, the next-door neighbor of physicists Sheldon Cooper (Jim Parsons) and Leoard Leonard Hofstadter (Johnny Galecki), was not in the original pilot. THE BIG BANG THEORY -- CBS series --Brainy best friends Leonard (Johnny Galecki, right) and Sheldon (Jim Parsons, left), can tell you anything you want to know about quantum physics, but when it comes to dealing with everyday life here on earth, they're lost in the cosmos. Neither fully understands that scientific principles don't always apply in matters of the heart - until they meet their sexy new neighbor, Penny (Kaley Cuoco, center), a friendly screenwriter/waitress from the Midwest who also happens to be newly single. THE BIG BANG THEORY will premiere this Fall, Monday, Sept. 24 (8:30-9:00 PM ET/PT) on the CBS Television Network. (Robert Voets/CBS) (Via MerlinFTP Drop)

Though Penny initially annoyed Sheldon, Leonard's obsessive-compulsive roommate, she eventually earned his friendship, along with a bit of fearful respect.

The awkward courtship of Leonard and Penny put the relationship in what would evolve into a relationship comedy. It was love at first sight for Leonard but he wouldn't officially get the girl until the beginning of 'Big Bang's third season. It was a different story offscreen: The couple managed to date quietly for the first two years of the show, with no one the wiser until they broke up.

The 'Big Bang Theory' earned its first Emmy nominations in 2009 following its second season. Here, Kaley Cuoco and co-stars Jim Parsons and Johnny Galecki appear onstage as presenters at that year's telecast.

The more time Penny spent around the boys on 'Big Bang,' the more science and nerd trivia knowledge she began to accumulate. In Season 4, they recruited her for their Justice League team Halloween costume.

Season 4 also brought more gender parity to 'Big Bang': Mayim Bialik, center, and Melissa Rauch, second right, who play the love interests for Sheldon and Wolowitz (Simon Helberg, right) and Sheldon, respectively, were promoted to series regulars.

In 2011, Cuoco starred in the Easter Bunny-themed film 'Hop.'

In addition to a steadily increasing salary from her day job, Cuoco began to rake in endorsem*nt cash. She served as a pitchwoman for Priceline and Toyota. Here, she appears in the carmaker's 2013 Super Bowl spot.

On Sept. 26 2013, less than a week after walking the Emmy red carpet with her boyfriend of three months, tennis player Ryan Sweeting, Cuoco confirmed the two were engaged.

Cuoco and Sweeting married on the last day of 2013. They were all about the PDA a week later at the 2014 People's Choice Awards.

She arrived at the 2014 People's Choice Awards with a rock on her left ring finger and left carrying another: the Poeple's Choice Award for favorite comedic TV actress. Soon, she was going by Kaley Cuoco-Sweeting professionally.

In the summer of 2014, Cuoco, Parsons and Galecki graduated to 'Friends' money, earning $1 million per episode, while Simon Helberg and Kunal Nayyar got bumped up to $750,000 per episode. Three years later, all five gave back some of that money, taking a voluntary paycut so co-stars Mayim Bialik and Melissa Rauch could each be paid $500,000 per episode.

When 'Big Bang' returned for its 8th season, Cuoco was rocking short hair, which she cut for the movie 'The Wedding Ringer.' Curiously, it was never mentioned on the show.

In October 2014, she marked a showbiz rite of passage, receiving a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.

Cuoco's love of horses is well-documented on her Instagram account. Here, she shows one some love during a photo shoot for the February 2015 issue of 'Redbook.'

Dogs also feature heavily on her social media accounts. Here, Cuoco hits the red carpet at the All-Star Dog Rescue Celebration with a four-legged date in November 2015.

After getting engaged in Season 7, Penny and Leonard finally tied the knot in Las Vegas in the Season 9 premiere, which aired in September 2015.

In 'The Wedding Ringer, Cuoco starred as the future bride to Josh Gad's character, who had to rent a best man (Kevin Hart). The trio posed with then Sony Pictures boss Amy Pascal at the movie's January 2015 premiere in Los Angeles.

Still in the process of finalizing her divorce from Sweeting in January 2016, Cuoco took her sister Briana as her date to that year's Screen Actors Guild Awards in January.

Cuoco was officially single again by March 2016, by which time she was showing off her chiseled, new post-divorce bod at the final "A Night at Sardi's" Alzheimer's benefit.

After taking grief from their families and friends for eloping in Vegas, Leonard and Penny had another wedding in the 10th season premiere in September 2016.

'Big Bang' fans had already met Penny's dad (Keith Carradine) in a previous episode, but the second wedding introduced us to her mom (Katey Sagal, who also played her mom on '8 Simple Rules').

Cuoco laughs as Galecki buries is face in his hands as they're questioned during a "Big Bang Theory" panel at Paleyfest, held March 16, 2016, in Hollywood.

A decade after 'Big Bang' changed both their lives, former real-life couple Galecki and Cuoco remain close friends. Here, they pose at a party in January 2017.

By the spring of 2016, Cuoco, a longtime horsewoman, was dating professional equestrian Karl Cook. By the end of the year, he was hitting the red carpet with her at events like December's Critics Choice Awards.

In March, she accompanied him to Omaha, where he competed in the FEI World Cup. Here, the couple watches the finals after Cook decided to pull his horse out of the competition.

On Nov. 30, 2017, Cuoco celebrated her 32nd birthday with a marriage proposal from Cook.

Cuoco works the red (ok, blue) carpet at the 2018 Critics' Choice Awards in Los Angeles.

Cuoco mugs with her onscreen husband, Johnny Galecki, during the Critics' Choice Awards.

Cuoco's "Big Bang" co-stars watch as she heads to the stage to collect her People's Choice Award for

Cuoco and Cook mug for the cameras during Seth Rogen's Hilarity For Charity benefit, held March 18, 2018, in Los Angeles.

Cuoco and Cook, who married in June 2018, are seen at Spoken Woof, a benefit organized by Much Love Animal Rescue and Microsoft in September 2018.

Cuoco enjoys some quality time with some of the event's four-legged stars.

In October, Cuoco also announced that she'll voice Harley Quinn for an adult animated comedy premiering in 2019 on the DC Universe streaming service. “I have cussed and screamed more than I think I ever have, and it has been a fricking blast," she told USA TODAY. "It's very freeing.”

Cuoco rocked some red gingham at the Veuve Clicquot Polo Classic on Oct. 6, 2018, in Los Angeles.

Cuoco donned an iridescent lavender dress at the InStyle Awards in October 2018.

Cuoco and Cook look lovingly into each others' eyes on the red carpet at the 76th Golden Globe Awards in January 2019.

Cuoco swapped her look for another black and white dress later in the evening at the InStyle And Warner Bros. Golden Globes After Party.

Cuoco launches The Great Travel Hack, a content series produced by Shell, for a media day in March 2019.