Highlights
- Kaley Cuoco revealed that some guest stars on The Big Bang Theory struggled to perform in front of a live audience.
- Cuoco's experience on sitcoms made performing in front of an audience natural for her, but others, especially well-known film stars, found it challenging.
- Cuoco's presence on the show attracted major guest stars, such as William Shatner and Billy Bob Thornton, who wanted to work with her.
Looking back, The Big Bang Theory showcased several major guest stars. However, ultimately, it was the main cast that made the show, particularly the likes of Kaley Cuoco and her experience on sitcoms.
However, Kaley Cuoco made quite the reveal about certain guest co-stars. We're going to find out why some of the guest stars struggled on The Big Bang Theory. In addition, we're going to take a closer look at Cuoco's impact on the show, and she lured in several major guest stars.
We'll also reveal who the other cast members felt were the best guest stars throughout the show's 12 season run.
Kaley Cuoco Admitted Even The Best Guest Stars Struggled To Perform In Front Of An Audience
The Big Bang Theory had several guest stars throughout its 12 season run. Kaley Cuoco made quite the reveal pertaining to some of the most established stars. Speaking alongside Elizabeth Olsen with Variety,Cuoco revealed some A-list guests struggled on The Big Bang Theory.
For Cuoco, the performance came naturally given her experience in front of live audiences. However, it was a different story for those that weren't used to it, especially for well-known film stars.
Cuoco revealed, "Obviously, my whole life is a sitcom," Kaley said. "Especially with Big Bang, ‘cos the cast was like (go go go go go), there was no gap."
"We’d have these guest stars come on, and some of them were wonderful dramatic actors or whatever, and they would feel so lost for a while. It really is so musical, and you find if you’re one second (out) it can mess up a whole thing."
"Because I grew up with it, and I did it for so long, it’s been so natural for me. But I started to see, “This is hard for some people, to find their footing with the audience”. It’s very different if you haven’t done it."
Cuoco's reveal also holds true for other popular sitcoms. Matt LeBlanc of Friends once revealed that certain A-listers were less than stellar on the show, and were only saved because of the brilliant writing.
Still, The Big Bang Theory was able to bring in major guest stars, and Kaley Cuoco was often a major reason for it.
Kaley Cuoco Was A Major Reason For Guest Stars Appearing On The Show, Including William Shatner And Billy Bob Thoronton
Believe it or not, The Big Bang Theory did struggle to get certain guest stars at one point. William Shatner revealed the reason he turned down The Big Bang Theory. He was initially underwhelmed by what was planned for him. However, according to showrunner Steve Holland, things changed for Shatner after he was introduced to Kaley Cuoco.
"I think what changed going into the final season is that he knows [series co-star] Kaley [Cuoco] from doing [Priceline] commercials together and they’re friendly," he said. "When I got on the phone, one of the things he asked was, ‘Will I get to play a scene with Kaley?"
Billy Bob Thronton also had a specific request about with Kaley Cuoco on The Big Bang Theory. The actor pitched the idea of playing a romantic love interest to Penny on the show.
Showrunner Steve Molaro revealed of Thornton's request, "It did come up a little bit, but he basically got to try to."
He continues, "The idea that came up of Penny taking her engagement ring off while she’s working had been floating around for a while. We thought, what if Billy is this socially awkward, sympathetic doctor who doesn’t quite know how to process Penny’s flirtations with him. We had that basic idea and went to Billy and his people ran it by them. Billy was on the phone, and he thought it was a really fun idea and was into it. That’s how it began."
Both guest stars proved to be quite memorable during their brief cameos on the show.
The Big Bang They Cast Have Different Opinions On The Best Guest Star
Prior to The Big Bang Theory finale, the stars picked their favorite guests, episodes and props. As for the favorite guest stars, answers varied among the cast.
Simon Helberg called Stephen Hawking his favorite guest. "That's a moment where I was looking at him and I just couldn't process that he was here. It’s those moments that do tend to be larger than life."
As for Melissa Rauch, she had a soft spot for Bob Newhart. "I’ve been such a big stand-up comedy fan my whole life," she says. "I had a Bob Newhart record album as a kid that was my father's (and) I did stand-up before I came to ('Big Bang'). I had a wonderful conversation with him about stand-up and the live audience aspect and our love for it. I will cherish that conversation always."
Mark Hamil, Bill Gates, and Stan Lee were among the other notables. It is impossible to single one out as the best.
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