What Kaley Cuoco Is Doing After The Big Bang Theory Ends

The Big Bang Theory Penny Hofstadter Kaley Cuoco CBS
(Image credit: CBS)

Kaley Cuoco is preparing for the end of her long-running and beloved sitcom. Earlier this week, the actress shared a beyond tear-jerking picture of herself after the table read for The Big Bang Theory finale. While her days as Penny may soon be at an end, she already has plans for her post-Big Bang Theory future.

She previously announced plans to eventually publish a coffee book filled with pictures from her time on the CBS series. After The Big Bang Theory ends, Kaley Cuoco will turn her immediate attention to something on-screen. She has a new limited series in the works. Regarding her future plans, Cuoco told Extra:

A book I optioned called The Flight Attendant that I am executive-producing and starring in… it will be a miniseries. It’s the first time I’ve grabbed anything on my own and started it and done it from the beginning, so if it sucks I am moving out of the country and you will never hear from me again… and if it’s great, I’m going to sit here with you and we can talk about it.

Something tells me that Kaley Cuoco will be staying in the country. The series that she mentions will be an adaptation of Chris Bohjalian’s novel The Flight Attendant. It will be a sharp departure from her comic turn on The Big Bang Theory since The Flight Attendant is a dramatic thriller.

It follows Cassandra Bowden, the eponymously hinted at flight attendant, per Good Reads. During a layover in Dubai, she wakes up hungover in a hotel room alongside a dead body. A murder mystery will ensue. Scared to call the police, Cassandra goes about her schedule, which includes a flight to New York City.

She has not left the mystery of Dubai behind her. FBI agents are waiting for her, and they have questions. With a fuzzy memory of the night in question, she is left to wonder. Is she the killer? Sounds dramatic and something that will give Kaley Cuoco a chance to set herself apart from her sitcom career.

The Flight Attendant is not the only project the actress has in the works. Last year, it was announced that Kaley Cuoco would be the voice of Harley Quinn in DC Universe’s upcoming animated series. It is a show that Cuoco has shared she cannot wait for fans to see. Prepare for something different from CBS-style censors. The animated series will apparently feature The Joker dropping profanity.

To say that Kaley Cuoco will be busy is probably an understatement. That is one way to stave off the grief of saying goodbye to a job, you have had for over a decade. The Flight Attendant is on her professional slate, what is next for her on a personal level? Cuoco shared her plans with her husband, Karl Cook:

Karl and I are going to travel a little bit. We spend a lot of time in Kentucky. We love Kentucky — horses, bourbon.

There you have it! Fans do not have much longer to wait on The Big Bang Theory finale. It tapes this Tuesday, April 30 and will arrive on CBS on Thursday, May 16 with a special one-hour sendoff for the usually half-hour series. Thankfully, you have The Flight Attendant miniseries to look forward to after it ends.

As a fan of mystery thrillers in general, I think this one sounds particularly interesting. Kaley Cuoco did not mention a premiere date, so stay tuned. It is an excellent choice for a follow-up project. What better way to shake things up after such a long run on a sitcom? Speaking of which...

Watch Kaley Cuoco’s final Big Bang Theory episodes as Penny as they premiere Thursdays at 8 p.m. ET on CBS.

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Britt Lawrence

Like a contented Hallmark movie character, Britt happily lives in the same city she grew up in. Along with movies and television, she is passionate about competitive figure skating. She has been writing about entertainment for 5 years, and as you may suspect, still finds it as entertaining to do as when she began.