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Kaley Cuoco recently faced a difficult personal crossroad when a major career opportunity required her to move across the world.
In an exclusive interview with People, the actress revealed that she hesitated to accept her lead role in the upcoming thriller Vanished because the production took place in France.
The job required Kaley Cuoco to stay away from her fiancé, Tom Pelphrey, and their young daughter, Matilda, for two full months.
The Big Bang Theory alum admitted that the thought of missing 60 days of her daughter’s life initially filled her with guilt.
Kaley Cuoco described the internal struggle of wanting to be present for every milestone while also needing to nourish her own professional passions.
Despite her fears, she eventually decided to take the leap, viewing the project as a necessary step for her own personal growth and fulfillment.
While many parents struggle with the balance between work and home life, Kaley Cuoco emphasized that she viewed this specific trip as an act of self-care.
She told People that she "did this for me," explaining that she needed to reconnect with her identity as an artist outside of her role as a mother.
Kaley Cuoco credited Tom Pelphrey for his unwavering support, noting that his encouragement helped her overcome the anxiety of being apart from the family.
To stay connected during the filming process, Kaley Cuoco relied heavily on technology. She spent hours on FaceTime every day to see Matilda and speak with Tom Pelphrey.
Even with the digital connection, she noted that the distance felt significant. However, the experience ultimately reinforced her confidence.
By completing the project, Kaley Cuoco proved to herself that she could pursue high-level career goals while maintaining a strong, loving foundation at home.
The filming of Vanished provided Kaley Cuoco with a unique creative environment that she found both challenging and rewarding.
Working in the French countryside offered a stark contrast to her usual life in California.
Kaley Cuoco shared that the beauty of the location and the intensity of the script helped her dive deeper into her character than ever before.
Now that she has returned home, Kaley Cuoco cherishes the time she spends with Matilda and Tom Pelphrey even more.
She hopes that her transparency about the struggle will help other working parents feel less alone in their own difficult decisions.
As fans look forward to seeing her performance in Vanished, Kaley Cuoco feels proud that she chose to follow her heart, even when it meant being temporarily away from the people she loves most.
