Kaley Cuoco touched on the aspect that contributed to making Penny and Leonard the standout couple in TBBT.
While at the core, The Big Bang Theory revolved around the friendship of five friends and is notable for its exploration of the geek culture, the sitcom also didn’t shy away from tackling romantic grounds. But out of all the major couples in the sitcom, which involved Howard/Bernadette and Sheldon/Amy, it was the bond between Penny and Leonard that blossomed the most.
Reflecting on their onscreen chemistry on the show, Kaley Cuoco credited her and Johnny Galecki’s real-life bond outside of the silver screen for it.
Kaley Cuoco and Johnny Galecki’s Off-Screen Bond Translated to Their TBBT Romance
It’s easy to see why Penny and Leonard remain most fans’ favorite couple from the sitcom, which is mostly thanks to the actual chemistry that Kaley Cuoco and Johnny Galecki shared off-screen. Even though the two actors didn’t end up marrying like their TBBT counterparts despite dating for two years back in the late 2000s, the two have maintained a lifelong friendship since then.
Moreover, The Flight Attendant star stressed (via Vanity Fair) that the two actors maintained a similar bond to Penny and Leonard in the show, which further contributed to making their onscreen bond more authentic.
”I think a lot of what made Leonard and Penny work so well was my relationship with Johnny off camera, which turned into such sarcastic banter that bled into Penny and Leonard. Johnny and I’s relationship, in a way, was mimicking Penny and Leonard.
They were always giving each other shit, and Johnny and I have a similar relationship—which you do after years of being together. We’ve always had each other’s backs, and you can’t lose that. And I do think it happened on-screen. It made our relationship funny and endearing.”
As for another iconic couple from the sitcom, Jim Parsons‘ Sheldon and Mayim Bialik’s Amy, originally, the showrunners had no intentions of putting Sheldon into a relationship.
Chuck Lorre Initially Championed the Idea of Sheldon Being Asexual
Prior to Bialik’s addition, which greatly reduced the pressure from Parsons’ shoulder, Chuck Lorre initially entertained the idea of Sheldon being an asexual, with Science being his mistress. Elaborating on the subject (via US Weekly), Lorre thought it made Sheldon remarkable, as he was complete without a relationship.
” Sheldon was complete without a relationship. And that broke ground a little bit, along with the fact that he could articulate those wishes. He was not unconsciously avoiding contact with people. He looked at it, he analyzed it, and said, ‘I want no part of this.’ Science was his mistress”
However, when it came to finally incorporating Sheldon into a relationship, the writers ensured it wasn’t drastic and seemed natural.
