‘The Big Bang Theory’ Star Kaley Cuoco Dishes on What’s Next for Her After Series Finale

With The Big Bang Theory ending this season, star Kaley Cuoco is already thinking about her next step after headlining the most-watched sitcom on television for 12 years.

In an interview with reporters during the Television Critics Association Press Tour, Cuoco said she did not have any specific plans, but is looking forward to focusing on her production company.

“I’m excited about my production company, so I have the year set out with that and I guess I think for the rest of my life, I’ll probably all owe it to Big Bang,” Cuoco said.

Whatever her next professional venture is, there are lessons Cuoco will take from working with executive producer Chuck Lorre and his team, and apply them to her future as a producer herself.

When asked what those lessons are, Cuoco explained, “I think surround yourself with people that you know can take care of things when you’re not there. Have a deep team. Trust your team and let them do what they do. Try not to be a control freak about it.”

The actress continued, “I’m a control freak, you know, I want everything to be a certain way, but when you hire people to do what they need to do and you let them do it, it usually ends up in a good way.”

As Deadline reported in October 2017, Cuoco launched her production company, Yes, Norman and immediately signed a deal with Warner Bros. Television, the same studio behind Big Bang.

The first project she set up was The Flight Attendant, a limited series based on Chris Bohjalian’s novel. Cuoco plans to star in the show and executive produce. Cuoco optioned the rights to the novel before it was published by Doubleday. It centers on a flight attendant who wakes up in a Dubai hotel room with a dead man, and no idea how the man died.

However, the first project released by the company will be Harley Quinn, a new animated series for the DC Universe platform. Cuoco will voice the titular Batman villain, while Lake Bell will voice Poison Ivy and Diedrich Bader will voice Batman. The series is expected to be released sometime this year.

In August 2018, Cuoco picked Chuck Lorre Productions veteran Suzanne McCormack as Yes, Norman’s senior vice president.

Cuoco has played Penny on The Big Bang Theory since 2007. The show is ending after 12 seasons, making it the longest-running primetime live-action sitcom in TV history.

The Big Bang Theory airs Thursdays at 8 p.m. ET on CBS.

Additional reporting by Scott Huver

Photo credit: CBS