Home / Arts and Entertainment / Kaley Cuoco Honors Lasting Impact of TV Dad John Ritter
Kaley Cuoco Honors Lasting Impact of TV Dad John Ritter
8 Oct
Summary
- Kaley Cuoco's first meeting with John Ritter on 8 Simple Rules set
- Ritter's protective gesture towards Cuoco's "revealing" outfit
- Ritter's sudden passing in 2003 at age 54 from aortic dissection
In a recent interview, actress Kaley Cuoco fondly reminisces about her time working with the late John Ritter on the former ABC sitcom 8 Simple Rules. Cuoco, who was 16 years old when they first started filming, remembers her first encounter with Ritter, who played her on-screen father.
At their initial table read, Cuoco wore a "very revealing dress," which did not sit well with the seasoned actor. Ritter immediately took off his jacket and covered Cuoco, sternly telling her, "You'll never dress like that again, missy." This gesture, Cuoco says, was the first thing Ritter ever said to her, and it instantly cemented their bond as TV father and daughter.
Tragically, Ritter passed away in 2003 at the age of 54 due to an aortic dissection, a heart condition he suffered while rehearsing a season 2 episode of 8 Simple Rules. Cuoco, who has since gone on to star in hit shows like The Big Bang Theory and The Flight Attendant, reflects on the profound impact Ritter had on her career and life. "He changed the course of my life," she says. "He was there at the beginning for my career. I spent a year and a half with him, but it changed my life, my entire life."
