How Kaley Cuoco’s ‘Burning Bodhi’ Has A Different Mood Than ‘The Big Bang Theory’


Fans of Kaley Cuoco see her as a talented comedic actor. She’s best known as Penny on The Big Bang Theory, and Cuoco, who turns 30-years-old later this month, got her start on the sitcom 8 Simple Rules and has appeared in big screen comedies like The Wedding Ringer.

That’s why the gritty independent drama, Burning Bodhi, which debuted last weekend at the Austin Film Festival, might seem like such a departure for the actor. While in Austin, she told People that the energy of Bodhi was very different for her, not just because of its dark subject matter but also the environment in which it was filmed.

“I only shot for nine days, and I was kind of there the whole time in my head. The town was a little dark, the whole thing, the energy just made you feel that way.”

“This was a pretty serious piece. There wasn’t that much messing around.”

As previously reported by Inquisitr, the producers of Burning Bodhi were impressed by Cuoco’s commitment to the project and her professionalism on-set. Burning Bodhi follows a group of friends who return to their hometown after one of them unexpectedly passes away. Magic Mike star Cody Horn and Virginia Madsen also star in the film.

Kaley Cuoco Cody Horn 'Burning Bodhi'
Kaley Cuoco used her time off from ‘Big Bang Theory’ to film ‘Burning Bodhi.’ She took a picture with her Bodhi co-star Cody Horn at the film’s premiere in November 2015. (Courtesy Kaley Cuoco/Instagram)

Cuoco was grateful for the opportunity to take on such a different project and told People she embodied the role physically as well as mentally. Her infamous short haircut happened at about the same time that she was set to film Bodhi.

“I was painting my eyes black, I cut my hair, and every morning I was putting new pins in it. It was fun, I just really wanted to look completely different than I normally do. When I say I had makeup on, I didn’t have any face makeup on, it was all eye makeup. I wanted it to look super real.”

Still shots from the film show the normally upbeat and personable Cuoco looking very different. A review of the film on the Austin360 blog reveals her character has “fallen into a group of worthless drug users.”

Kaley Cuoco in 'Burning Bodhi'
Kaley Cuoco changed her physical appearance by wearing little make up, with the exception of heavy eyeliner, to play the role of Katy in ‘Burning Bodhi.’ (Courtesy of Albuquerque Journal).

Kaley Cuoco made headlines recently because of her split from her husband of less than two years, tennis player Ryan Sweeting. It led to quick speculation that, now that Cuoco was single she might get back together with her on-screen Big Bang Theory love and real-life ex, Johnny Galecki. The pair were quick to shut down those rumors.

Kaley Cuoco Johnny Galecki 'The Big Bang Theory'
After she announced her pending divorce from Ryan Sweeting, Kaley Cuoco shot down rumors she was again dating her ‘Big Bang Theory’ co-star Johnny Galecki. The actors were spotted together at the ‘Fallout 4’ video game launch party on November 5, 2015 in Los Angeles. (Photo by Rich Polk/Getty Images Entertainment)

But the friends are not shy about hanging out in public. They were spotted Thursday night at a video game launch party and, as Us Weekly reported, Galecki posted a playful Instagram snap of him biting Cuoco’s neck.

As season 9 of The Big Bang Theory delves deeper into Leonard and Penny’s new relationship as a married couple, Cuoco is happy to have had the opportunity to try a different kind of acting role with Burning Bodhi.

“It was cool for someone to take a chance on me, to do something other than comedy. I mean, I auditioned for it, I went through the whole thing to get the job. So I was really proud of myself, and I dove into a whole different world that I am not used to.”

The Big Bang Theory airs Thursday nights at 8 p.m. on CBS.

[Photo by Mike Windle/Getty Images Entertainment]

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