Character: Penny

Penny Not Lastname was an aspiring actress, but mostly unsuccessful actress who was born on a farm in Nebraska. At the beginning of the show, Penny earned her living by working as a waitress at the Cheesecake Factory until she decided to quit to take up acting full time. While she was never able to make it as an actress, she was able to achieve success by working at the pharmaceutical company, Zegan.

Penny was Leonard’s love interest since day one, with the two being on an off-again-on-again relationship for years. Finally, they got engaged and married at the start of season nine. As of the series finale, the couple is currently waiting for their first child. While Penny started the series as a stereotypical “dumb blonde,” she’s often the voice of reason and stand-in for the TV audience.