"RE-RELEASE: Kaley Cuoco"

Kaley Cuoco, the beloved actress known for her roles in The Big Bang Theory and The Flight Attendant, recently joined the SmartLess podcast hosts Jason Bateman, Sean Hayes, and Will Arnett for a lively and candid conversation. The episode, titled "RE-RELEASE: Kaley Cuoco," delved into her unexpected journey from aspiring tennis pro to sitcom superstar, her experiences with a serious injury, and the new chapter of her life as a mother.

A Near-Career-Ending Injury and a Passion for Tennis

Early in the conversation, Kaley shared a harrowing experience from her past: a horse-riding accident that nearly cost her a leg. She recounted how, about 12-13 years ago, during the early days of The Big Bang Theory, her horse fell on her, resulting in a compound fracture of her tibia and fibula near her ankle and knee. The injury was so severe that she had to sign a waiver before surgery, acknowledging the possibility of waking up without her leg. Miraculously, she recovered quickly, walking within a week with a boot and returning to work in two weeks, defying doctors' predictions of a three-month recovery period. She still has pins and rods in her leg, which doctors advised against removing due to the complexity of another surgery.

Before her acting career took off, Kaley was a highly competitive junior tennis player in Southern California, traveling the country for tournaments. She seriously considered becoming a professional tennis player but ultimately chose to pursue acting when she landed her first show. She stopped playing competitively at 16 but rediscovered her love for the sport during COVID-19 lockdowns, even entering doubles tournaments with her oldest friend and former doubles partner.