Penny started sporting a really short hairdo during The Big Bang Theory season 8 for a very good reason. Kaley Cuoco’s character was among the original five players in the CBS sitcom when it premiered in 2007. Her looks evolved over the years, but she always wore her blonde hair long. So, fans were understandably surprised when she debuted a pixie cut in 2014.
Introduced as an aspiring actress who relocated to California to pursue a career in Hollywood, Penny met her future husband Leonard (Johnny Galecki) and his roommate Sheldon (Jim Parsons) when she moved in next door. After realizing that achieving her showbiz dreams would be difficult, she eventually changed her path and became a pharmaceutical sales representative alongside Bernadette (Melissa Rauch). Throughout the years, the depiction of Penny changed and it was reflected in the way she dressed. However, her decision to cut her hair on The Big Bang Theory season 8 didn’t seem to fit with her character’s journey.
The drastic change in Penny’s appearance circa 2014 was motivated by Kaley Cuoco’s other project at that time. The actress needed to cut her hair for her role as Katy in Burning Bodhi, an independent film directed and written by Matthew McDuffie. The movie was released in 2015, so its production coincided with The Big Bang Theory season 8, as well as the season 9 premiere featuring Penny and Leonard’s wedding. In-universe, the sitcom didn’t really address why she chose to chop her luscious blonde hair.
There was a backlash at the time from fans who didn’t like the change to Penny’s looks, and the fact that the show didn’t offer a reason for it made the situation worse. In The Big Bang Theory season 10, the series finally addressed Penny’s haircut, as well as the intense criticism it received from fans. In season 10, episode 9, “The Geology Elevation,” while hanging out in the apartment, Amy Farrah Fowler (Mayim Bialik) admitted that she had always been jealous of her best friend’s good looks—aside from the time she changed her haircut. In an obvious reference to fan criticism, Amy added, “You were still hot, but more like a ‘why did that hot girl cut off all her hair’ hot.”
The character’s appearance in the show has actually been controversial, especially in retrospect. In earlier seasons of The Big Bang Theory, Penny was consistently objectified, which was reflected in the way she was dressed. Cuoco, herself, recently opened up about this, saying that she was original “the cute girl next door next to the nerds,” and how she was dressed for the part, sporting “booty shorts and Juicy Couture zip-ups.” Unfortunately, the character was also judged for her active social life and outgoing personality. Sheldon (Jim Parsons), in particular, liked to chastise her for her dating choices, usually implying that she’s too easy. However, as time went on, she started being more vocal about the way Penny was presented. Instead of her revealing wardrobe, she started sporting long-sleeve shirts and loafers. By the end of The Big Bang Theory, she’s both a fulfilled career woman and a first-time mom-to-be.
Towards the end of The Big Bang Theory, Penny was no longer viewed as a sex object. The fact that she was allowed to sport a pixie cut haircut in season 8 was a testament to the evolution of how the show utilized her character. Now, Cuoco is focused on her new project, starring in The Flight Attendant which has been an instant hit for HBO Max. The role has earned her Critics Choice, SAG, and Golden Globe nominations, potentially with more to come with season 2 now in production.
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