Strange Things About Kaley Cuoco And Tom Pelphrey's Relationship

Kaley Cuoco didn't need much time to move on from Karl Cook. "The Flight Attendant" star announced she and her equestrian husband were separating in September 2021, after three years of marriage. "Despite a deep love and respect for one another, we have realized that our current paths have taken us in opposite directions," their joint statement read. But before their divorce was finalized in June 2022, Cuoco was already in a relationship with Tom Pelphrey.

Cuoco drew online criticism immediately. "Maybe she should not wear her heart on her sleeve. Sleeves need changing every so often," one user commented on Pelphrey's first Instagram post featuring Cuoco. The unkind comments didn't just stem from her most recent relationship. When Cuoco was first linked to Cook in March 2016, she had been separated from her first husband, tennis player Ryan Sweeting, for just six months. Like with Pelphrey, "The Big Bang Theory" alum was still legally married.

Neither of Cuoco's marriages lasted very long. The first was even shorter than the second, lasting only 21 months. This aspect of Cuoco's relationship history repeatedly comes up on her and Pelphrey's social media posts about each other. "She's great but don't marry her for gawd's sake," one Instagram user quipped on Pelphrey's post, adding the hashtag #notgoodatit. In the eyes of many, Cuoco and Pelphrey's whirlwind romance comes off as strange. While fast relationships are nothing new in Hollywood, the intensity of Cuoco and Pelphrey's has contributed to some other strange aspects of their union.

Kaley Cuoco met Tom Pelphrey on April 21, 2022, at the "Ozark" premiere. She was already expecting to be introduced to the actor because their mutual manager, Andrea Pett-Joseph, believed that was something that needed to happen. What Cuoco wasn't expecting, though, was to fall for him instantly. "I was standing with Andrea and Tom walked in, and I heard his voice, and I turned around, and it was like my life was over, or just starting," she told USA Today a month later. "It hit me. It was love at first sight."

Cuoco and Pelphrey's relationship moved pretty fast after that day. Less than two weeks later, Pelphrey and Cuoco made their relationship public on social media. Pelphrey put his feelings on display. "You catch a breeze, so warm and ripe, it makes you hope that someone will come who also cannot save you, but who will think you are worth saving," he captioned a May 3 Instagram post featuring Polaroid photos of the two. Cuoco, on the other hand, took a more subtle approach.

Cuoco, in a since-deleted Instagram post, uploaded snaps featuring her "life lately" that included the same Polaroids toward the end of her carousel. But Cuoco soon started making grand displays of affection for Pelphrey throughout the following months. "To the incredible man that saved me in all the ways," she captioned a July 28 Instagram post in honor of Pelphrey's birthday.

Kaley Cuoco wasn't looking to become a mother. "This was not a goal of mine," she told Emmy magazine in May. "As a young girl I dreamed of it, but I became involved in my career." But her mindset changed after getting together with Tom Pelphrey. And it changed fast. "Then when we met, it was instantaneous — 'Oh my God, I want to have a kid with you,'" she explained. They wasted no time.

Cuoco must have gotten pregnant about two months after meeting Pelphrey, taking that they first crossed paths in late April 2022 and she gave birth to their daughter Matilda in late March 2023. It was no accident, though, as they were both on the same page about jumping into parenthood together. "We both wanted it so badly ... We're not 20, so we felt like we probably couldn't wait too long. Then we got so blessed — it happened right away," Cuoco said.

And Cuoco and Pelphrey might not be done. They reportedly already know they want more children together. "They will definitely have another down the line; it's just a case of when," a source told Us Weekly in June. Even if their decision to become parents so soon after meeting might seem rash to some, Cuoco seemed certain from the moment they locked eyes. "We were immediately connected ... We're ready to build a life together," she told USA Today a month into the relationship.

Any casual TV watcher — or anyone, really — not living under a rock between 2007 and 2019 remembers Kaley Cuoco as Penny in the massively popular CBS sitcom "The Big Bang Theory." But Tom Pelphrey was apparently living under a rock. The "Guiding Light" alum didn't learn about the charismatic aspiring actor/waiter living across the hall from a pair of geeks until he introduced Cuoco to his family. "My mom's partner ... was there, and he kept calling her Penny. I had no clue what was going on," he told W magazine in August.

What happened next was probably awkward for both. "I pulled Kaley aside, like ... 'Why does he keep calling you Penny?' She's like, 'That's my character in 'The Big Bang Theory.' I was completely unaware," he detailed. But that's not all. Not only did Pelphrey find out Cuoco had been in a hit show months into their relationship, but she also found out he had never seen any of her work. "I hadn't seen Kaley in anything," he said. "Look, I live in a cave." At least he's aware of it. He has since caught up and become familiar with her talents. "She's fantastic," he said.

Cuoco has also been keeping up with Pelphrey's recent work. She even found time to watch "Love & Death," which came out a month after Matilda was born. "She really loved it," Pelphrey told Access Hollywood in April. "She was very impressed."

In April 2022, Kaley Cuoco made her views on marriage known to the world. "I will never get married again. Absolutely not. You can literally put that on the cover," she told Glamour. But her bold statement was published a few days before she met Tom Pelphrey, and she might end up changing her mind (strong emphasis on the modal verb). For now, Cuoco has no interest in changing her relationship status, but friends believe she could end up marrying Pelphrey.

"Kaley doesn't want to be married again, but Tom is so kind and supportive, friends think they could end up getting engaged and having a very small wedding," a source told Us Weekly in May. But even their loved ones know not to expect an engagement ring in the foreseeable future. "Not anytime soon," the insider added. Even the source admitted Cuoco is happy with what she and Pelphrey have right now, so she really might never be interested in getting married. "They're committed to each other and to their family and that's enough for them right now."

In her Glamour cover story, Cuoco emphasized that her newfound view on marriage doesn't mean she's against relationships or that she's looking to be alone. "I like being someone's partner and having that companionship ... I love love. I'm not someone that wants to be by myself. I just need to figure out my priorities a little bit," she explained.