Penny is an aspiring actress who works as a waitress at The Cheesecake Factory and lives across the hall from Leonard Hofstadter and Sheldon Cooper. Leonard immediately falls in love with his beautiful neighbor, but Sheldon sees her as a disruption to his routine and threat to his domestic tranquility (with key details codified in the Roommate Agreement).Penny is typically attracted to meatheads and although she thinks Leonard is nice, she isn't sure she fits in with his brainy group, but eventually she discovers they're plenty dumb about other things, like social interaction and getting girls. They also tend to overcomplicate situations for which she is able to find simple solutions.Penny takes on a big sister or mother role for the rest of the group and eventually warms to Sheldon, taking care of him when he's sick, singing him the song his mom sang him, Soft Kitty. She openly mooches off them for meals, movie tickets and anything else she might be too broke for.She is friends with fellow waitress and Ph.D. candidate Bernadette and ends up with a friend whether she wants her or not, when Amy Farrah Fowler is introduced to Sheldon.Penny is sarcastic, not easily offended, good-natured and hopelessly messy.Background: Penny's last name is never given. She was born in 1985 in Nebraska and grew up on a farm. She moves in to her apartment after breaking up with her muscle-bound boyfriend of four years, Kurt. Her father's name is Wyatt.Penny's sister once shot her husband while they were both drunk. She also has a brother, who cooks meth, and a 12-year-old nephew.She considers herself a professional actress even though her credits include a production of The Diary of Anne Frank performed over a bowling alley and other minor credits. Show less «