Despite being one of the most notable couples from the show, Johnny Galecki and Kaley Cuoco didn’t vibe well romantically.
To viewers’ shock, in season 3 of The Big Bang Theory, Penny and Leonard parted ways, but fortunately, the duo rekindled their romance in season 5. Unfortunately, this didn’t translate into real life, as TBBT stars Johnny Galecki and Kaley Cuoco never reunited after their breakup.
Even though it seemed that the two were perfect for each other, similar to their TBBT counterparts, one aspect of Cuoco’s personality didn’t sit well with Galecki, which eventually contributed to their split-up.
Kaley Cuoco’s personality made Johnny Galecki uncomfortable
Despite initially brushing off Kaley Cuoco‘s advances, Galecki took it upon himself to set things right, kickstarting their brief go at romance. But unlike their TBBT counterparts, who bounced off really well from each other, things didn’t transpire well for the couple in real life, given the stark contrast in their personalities.
Elaborating on it, Johnny Galecki confessed that Cuoco’s “very, very open” nature made him pretty uncomfortable, as in contrast to her, Galecki had a strict code of privacy (via Vanity Fair).
I think one of the things that created a chasm between us was my strict policies of privacy, and Kaley being very, very open about her life. I was very uncomfortable with being public about it, and I think that hurt Kaley’s feelings a little bit, and I can understand that.
On the bright side, their failed attempt at romance didn’t hinder the duo’s bond, as to this date, the Roseanne star adores the bond he shares with the actress, adding,
I think I might value my relationship with her more than any other previous relationship or relationship afterwards.
However, it wasn’t their real-life split-up that impacted them the most, as the two were left heartbroken by Penny and Leonard’s break-up onscreen break-up.
Cuoco and Galecki felt the writers were reading too much into their bond
Given their commitment to the characters, according to director Nikki Lorre, the initial split-up between Penny and Leonard took a hard toll on the actors, as the duo felt that the writers were reading too much into their relationship.
However, the writers assured them that the brief break-up between the characters wasn’t a commentary on the actors’ personal bond.
I believe, and the writers had to explain this wasn’t a comment on Kaley and Johnny’s relationship. They said to trust them because they were honoring Leonard and Penny. Johnny and Kaley took it very, very seriously, but even with that, they never blew up or got defensive or dramatic. They persevered in what I can only imagine was a really hard, awkward situation to work through
Fortunately for them, Penny and Leonard did eventually get their fairytale ending, as the two ended up tying the knot in season 9.
