Kaley Cuoco has finally spoken out about one of the toughest decisions of her career—leaving The Big Bang Theory. After playing Penny for over a decade, Kaley admits that walking away wasn’t just the end of a job, but the end of a family. “I had to let go,” she said in a recent interview, revealing how deeply emotional the final season was for her.

She shared that even though the decision to end the show was mutual, it still felt like losing a part of herself. “We grew up together on that set. Those people are my heart,” Cuoco explained. What made it harder was knowing that she might never again experience something so magical. “It changed everything,” she added — not just her career, but her sense of identity.

Despite moving on to new projects like The Flight Attendant, the actress confessed that saying goodbye to Penny still stings. “There’s a part of me that will always be on that soundstage, laughing with my friends.”