Tragic Details About Kaley Cuoco

The following article includes mention of addiction.

The transformation of Kaley Cuoco is quite a sight to see. The actor landed her first film role as an 8-year-old acting opposite Denzel Washington and Russell Crowe in 1995's "Virtuosity." She continued to hustle, but shifted focus to TV, eventually making a real name for herself as a teen starring on ABC's "8 Simple Rules." Cuoco's dedication to her craft would then land her the role of a lifetime, playing Penny on "The Big Bang Theory." The series ran for 12 seasons and made her a household name, sparking unwavering public scrutiny.

Soon enough, all aspects of Cuoco's life were being analyzed, revealing plenty of untold truths about the actor, including Cuoco's shady side -– like the time she and Henry Cavill had a sham relationship that fooled no one. That constant attention also unveiled numerous hardships, proving that all is not always as it seems. Despite portraying herself as a strong, fun-loving, independent woman, Cuoco has faced her share of tragedy, both personal and professional. These are the tragic details about Kaley Cuoco.

Kaley Cuoco and John Ritter's relationship went far beyond that of mere co-stars. Although the actors only worked together for a year and a half before Ritter's sudden death in 2003, his impact on a 17-year-old Cuoco would last a lifetime. That's because Ritter didn't just play Cuoco's father on "8 Simple Rules," he also acted like a paternal figure for her off-set. "The way he touched my life has far exceeded that one and a half year," Cuoco told Access Hollywood in 2024. Calling Ritter an "incredible human," she revealed that she still follows his invaluable advice to never take herself too seriously. "I started watching him purposely mess up and make these mistakes and the audience would go crazy," she recalled. "I've literally taken that with me for 20 years."

What's more, Cuoco told ET she'll forever cherish their final encounter. Ritter had felt unwell on set and was heading out when he stopped by her dressing room to tell her he loved her. They shared a hug and that was the last time Cuoco would see him, as he died later that day. Since then, "The Big Bang Theory" star has publicly celebrated her late co-star on the anniversary of his death, posting sweet tributes online (via Today) each year, like "Love you forever, John!" in 2018 and "Thank you for continuing to make me laugh every single day," in 2020.

Kaley Cuoco is a passionate equestrian, and it seems nothing can extinguish her love of horses, not even a scary riding accident that landed her in the E.R. It was 2010 and the actor, who was in her mid-20s at the time, was finishing a riding lesson when her horse became spooked, and she fell off. However, the fall itself didn't actually cause any damage. Rather, it was while she was trying to get up that the horse tried to leap over her and stepped on her leg, breaking it in several places.

Cuoco was rushed to hospital with a compound fracture of the tibia and fibula, two major bones in the leg that connect the ankle to the knee. Not surprisingly, she was freaking out, but as she told "The Ellen DeGeneres Show" that year, the situation soon got even scarier. "The doctor comes in, doesn't introduce himself, he says, 'Okay, gotta go over your options -– one of them is amputation," she shared.

Thankfully, the surgery was a success, although it left her with permanent pins and plates in her ankle and foot. Speaking about the incident years later on a 2023 episode of the "SmartLess" podcast, Cuoco conceded, "It just was a horrible, horrible, horrible break."

The list of celebs who have gotten nose jobs is a long one, but when fans assumed Kaley Cuoco had joined the club in 2015, she quickly shut down those rumors. Stopping by "The Ellen DeGeneres Show" (via Yahoo Health), the actor explained that while she did have a nose job, it had nothing to do with aesthetics. "I was actually really addicted to nose spray," she revealed, explaining that she had misused Afrin, and OTC nasal spray, for years. "At awards shows I would have to pick out the right clutch so I could fit my Afrin in it, and I'd be under the table snorting it," Cuoco confessed. "I'm surprised there were no photos."

Unfortunately, while she thought the spray was helping her breathe better, it was actually wreaking havoc on her sinuses. As Dr. Madeleine Schaberg, an ear, nose, and throat specialist, told Yahoo Health, using any such spray for more than five days can begin to cause more blockage and, eventually, permanent nasal damage. Ultimately, Cuoco had to go under the knife for sinus surgery to help open her airwaves and help stem chronic sinus infections.

Kaley Cuoco and tennis pro Ryan Sweeting had a whirlwind union after being set up on a blind date in 2013. The couple moved fast, getting engaged that September and tying the knot in December. After sadly splitting in September 2015, the actor claimed the real reason she and Sweeting divorced was because she discovered a side of him she hadn't known. "The person I ended up with was not the person I originally met," Cuoco explained in a 2018 Cosmopolitan interview. Similarly, she confided to the New York Post, "A little bit after we got married, I started feeling like something was off."

As various sources tried to pinpoint what exactly went wrong, insiders told Page Six that Cuoco wasn't happy with how Sweeting was handling an alleged addiction to painkillers. Indeed, while speaking with New York Post, the actor cryptically proclaimed, "If you don't love yourself, it doesn't matter, because you can't accept love." Meanwhile, another insider speculated, per Hollywood Life, "[Sweeting] was dealing with an injury and would be kind of a party pooper."

Whatever the real reason, Cuoco was sure she'd never get married again. "My ex ruined that word for me," she told Cosmopolitan.

Despite vowing to never get married again, Kaley Cuoco tied the knot with equestrian Karl Cook in 2018 after meeting him at a horse show in March 2016. While Cuoco was confident things would be different the second time around, the pair split in September 2021 and, once again, Cuoco revealed life wasn't easy following the split with Cook. "Going through my divorce, it was really a super dark time," she confided to Variety. "I was throwing myself into work to deny my depression, and how upset I was."

That work was filming the second season of "The Flight Attendant," which proved to compound her struggle, as her character and plot were dark and tormented. Things got so bad, in fact, that the actor developed a stress rash which caused pain in her legs and made it difficult to walk. Even so, she didn't want to ask for help until, one day, she could no longer hide her truth. "One month in, I had an intervention on myself in my trailer — all my producers were in there," she recalled. Immediately, they offered to help and, ultimately, she began attending therapy. What's more, co-star and bestie Zosia Mamet actually moved in with her. "I really needed someone with me," Cuoco conceded. "I was really losing my mind."

"The Big Bang Theory" fans were shocked when, in 2018, it was confirmed that the show's upcoming 12th season would be its last. Initially, outlets noted that the reason for the sudden decision came down to producers who thought the story had reached its natural end. What's more, the cast's contracts would have to be renewed if they were to continue, and it appeared to be a logical moment to wrap up the series.

However, that wasn't the full story, as it was later revealed that producers pulled the plug only after Jim Parsons told them he would no longer reprise his role as Sheldon Cooper. That decision took his cast mates by surprise and, as they admitted in a 2022 book titled "The Big Bang Theory: The Definitive, Inside Story of the Epic Hit Series," they felt shocked and betrayed.

"We cried for hours that day," Kaley Cuoco said. "We thought we were going to do another year, so all of the sudden your life kind of flashes before your eyes." As she put it, "I couldn't breathe. It just felt like a death." Indeed, she was so upset with Parsons that she tried to call off an upcoming rehearsal. Once it went ahead, executive producer Steve Holland recalled, "Kaley could barely make eye contact with Jim during the run-through."

Kaley Cuoco is a huge animal lover who's a pet parent to horses, donkeys, chickens, goats, cows, and pigs –- as well as numerous dogs. "They love you no matter what," the actor once told People of her attraction to animals. However, that deep love makes the death of any one of her pets particularly difficult. In January 2021, for example, she lost her pooch of 14 years, Norman, and told fans on Instagram (via People), she felt "Earth shattering deep gut wrenching pain I didn't know was possible."

However, that was nothing compared to what she would feel just a few years later when she was forced to say goodbye to three dogs in the span of one year. It started in May 2023 when Cuoco took to Instagram to announce, "My sweetest Dump Truck, saying goodbye to you has deeply pierced my soul." The following February, Kingy was gone. "He was the first dog [Tom Pelphrey] and I rescued together and honestly the most special," she wrote. Sadly, the couple then lost Blue that March. "I have cried harder over the loss of this gorgeous creature than I have in a long time," Cuoco confessed to her followers on Instagram.

If you or anyone you know needs help with addiction issues, help is available. Visit the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration website or contact SAMHSA's National Helpline at 1-800-662-HELP (4357).