Cuoco’s Charmed gig came along mere months after the series finale of her ABC sitcom, 8 Simple Rules, where she co-starred opposite John Ritter up until his death in 2003. As novice witch, Billie Jenkins, the actress was intended to be something of a younger sibling for the magically inclined Halliwell sisters, played by Milano, McGowan and Combs. At the time, the actress was in her early 20s, and still learning the ropes of show business. “I didn’t have a glam squad back then,” she remembers.

She was keenly aware of her glam squad’s absence on her first day on Charmed, which started off with a photo shoot featuring her and her new co-stars. “I walked onto the stage where they were shooting Alyssa and Rose,” she recalls. “Alyssa came running up to me, gave me this huge hug and said, ‘Welcome to our show.’”

Milano’s gesture of kindness instantly made Cuoco feel at home, and set an example that she’s tried to live by ever since. “That was so important… she knew what that meant to me,” she says, visibly touched at the memory. “She may not even remember that moment, but I remember that forever.” After Charmed ended in 2006, Cuoco landed a career-transforming role on The Big Bang Theory, and is currently starring on the hit R-rated animated series Harley Quinn and preparing to launch the HBO Max limited series The Flight Attendant.

And in all of these projects, she’s made a point of being the person who helps the new kid on set adjust to their surroundings. “I know what it’s like when someone new comes on,” she says. “There’s people like [Alyssa] who really do mold your career and mold your path. So that was a really good moment.”

Charmed is currently streaming on Netflix.