Kaley CuocosaysBig Bang Theory fans weren’t too happy about her decision to get a pixie cut while the show was on the air.

In a February 2026 interview on the Not Skinny But Not Fat podcast, Cuoco explained that she decided to get a short haircut while she was playing Penny on the hit CBSsitcom, which had a 12-season run until 2019. Cuoco said that many of the show’s viewers voiced their upset about her character’s new look when she debuted it during the show’s eighth season.

“I showed up one day with that hair. It was an uproar,” said Cuoco during the podcast episode.

In addition, she said she didn’t inform the show’s producers, including the creator of The Big Bang Theory, Chuck Lorre, about her decision to cut her hair.

“People lost their minds. You should have seen Chuck Lorre’s face when I showed up with a completely shaved head,” said Cuoco.

The actress then explained she got the short haircut after wrapping the seventh season of The Big Bang Theory. She said that she remembered physically running into Lorre at the season 7 wrap party right after she cut her hair. According to Cuoco, neither she nor Lorre addressed her short hair.

“I’m walking away, like, ‘He must be losing his mind,'” recalled Cuoco.

She also confirmed that the Big Bang Theory higher-ups weren’t too pleased about her haircut. In addition, Cuoco said that she is “so glad [she] cut [her] hair.”

“I wanted to and I don’t regret it,” said Cuoco during the podcast interview.

In addition, she said she believed it made sense for Penny to experiment with her hair, as the show depicted her growth as a character over the period of 12 years.

Kaley Cuoco Spoke Highly of Her Time on ‘The Big Bang Theory’

Cuoco spoke about her appreciation for Penny in a January 2026 interview with Entertainment Tonight.

“I love Penny. It’s one of my favorite characters,” said the actress to the publication.

In addition, she said she was grateful for Lorre and her time on The Big Bang Theory. She said she believed playing Penny enabled her to star and produce in other projects.

“I do believe everything came from that,” said Cuoco in the Entertainment Tonight interview.

This story was originally published by Parade on Feb 13, 2026, where it first appeared in the News section. Add Parade as a Preferred Source by clicking here.