When the Big Bang theory began in 2007, few would’ve thought they would grow so attached to watching four nerdy scientists and their sexy female neighbour navigate life, relationships and growth.
However, 12 years later when the show eventually had to say it’s goodbyes, it had amassed a worldwide following and bowed out as one of the greatest sitcoms of all time. Of the main cast, the relationship between Penny (played by Kaley Cuoco) and Leonard (Johnny Galecki) was a big draw for fans and according to the actors, a relationship in real life was basically written in the stars.
The duo were quietly in a relationship from 2008 till 2010 while their onscreen characters were trying to build their own love life.
“All the scenes up until we actually got together in real life, it was obvious there was always something there,” Kaley told Vanity Fair.“There was chemistry, and we were crushing on each other. That was the whole first season until we actually got together for real.”
When the show began, they had never met each other but according to Cuoco there was an immediate connection.
She said, “I had a very big crush on Johnny early on. I was so not even hiding it. He has such swagger. We were both dating people at the time, but I only had eyes for Johnny. Then, when I found out he had eyes for me too, I was like, Uh‑oh, this is going to be trouble.”
In the interview, the actors noted that a particular episode from the show’s first season was very instrumental in getting them together.
In the episode titled “The Nerdvana Annihilation” Leonard while dreaming saves Penny in the elevator shaft and for this particular scene, the actors had to hold each other, nose-to-nose. For Cuoco, it was getting harder and harder to hold back her feelings.
Johnny explained, “We had to be in each other’s arms—and for quite some time, because it was a bit of a stunt that we were doing. It was a whole thing, and it was a pretape since it took a little while. Kaley didn’t look freaked out at all. In fact, she looked extremely happy in those arms. That was certainly one of the moments that I think”.
Kaley added, “I think we fell a little in love in that elevator shaft.”
He continued, “At that point, both she and I knew that something mutual was felt, and that it was going to be more of a distraction from the work to try and continue to ignore it than to actually recognize it and surrender to it.”
