Kat Dennings facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Kat Dennings
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Dennings in 2013
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Katherine Victoria Litwack
June 13, 1986 Bryn Mawr, Pennsylvania, U.S.
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| Occupation | Actress |
| Years active | 2000–present |
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Katherine Victoria Litwack (born on June 13, 1986), known as Kat Dennings, is an American actress. She is famous for playing Max Black in the TV show 2 Broke Girls (2011–2017). She is also well-known as Darcy Lewis in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) movies and TV shows, starting with Thor in 2011.
Since she began acting in 2000, Dennings has appeared in many films. These include The 40-Year-Old Virgin (2005), Big Momma's House 2 (2006), Charlie Bartlett (2007), and Nick and Norah's Infinite Playlist (2008).
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Early Life and Education
Kat Dennings was born in Bryn Mawr, Pennsylvania, on June 13, 1986. Her mother, Ellen Judith Litwack, is a poet and a speech therapist. Her father, Gerald J. Litwack, was a scientist who studied molecules and a college professor. Kat is the youngest of five children. Her family has a Jewish background.
Kat started acting in commercials when she was 9 years old. She mentioned that her family did not have a lot of money for acting classes. Her first acting job was for a potato chip ad. She also worked as an extra in movies to get her SAG card, which is needed to work as a professional actor.
Dennings was homeschooled for most of her education. She only attended a traditional school for a short time at Friends' Central School. She finished high school early when she was 14. After that, she moved with her family to Los Angeles to focus on acting full-time. In 2008, she shared that she chose "Dennings" as her stage name because she thought her family name was "a little hideous." She wanted a name that would help her know if someone truly knew her or not.
Acting Career Highlights
Starting Out in Television
Kat Dennings made her first professional TV appearance in 2000 on HBO's ... and the City. She played a 13-year-old who hired a publicist for her bat mitzvah. From 2001 to 2002, she starred in Raising Dad on WB. In this show, she played Sarah, a 15-year-old living with her widowed father (Bob Saget) and younger sister (Brie Larson). In 2002, Dennings was in the Disney Channel movie The Scream Team. She played a teenager who met a group of ghosts.
Moving to Movies and More TV Roles
Dennings continued to work in television. She guest-starred on Without a Trace in 2003 and Less than Perfect. In 2004, she was in a TV pilot for CBS called Sudbury, about a family of modern witches. However, the show was not picked up. From 2005 to 2006, Dennings had a recurring role on ER as Zoe Butler. She also appeared twice in the CSI shows. She was Missy Wilson on CSI in 2004 and Sarah Endecott on CSI: NY in 2005.
Kat Dennings made her first big movie appearance in Raise Your Voice (2004) with Hilary Duff. She played Sloane, a quiet piano student. In 2005, she had supporting roles in The 40-Year-Old Virgin and Down in the Valley. In 2006, Dennings played a rebellious teenager in the comedy film Big Momma's House 2, starring Martin Lawrence.
In 2008, Dennings starred in Charlie Bartlett. She played Susan Gardner, the love interest of the main character (Anton Yelchin). Her father in the movie was played by Robert Downey Jr.. That same year, Dennings appeared in The House Bunny as Mona, a feminist sorority girl.
She also starred in the teen romantic comedy Nick and Norah's Infinite Playlist (2008) with Michael Cera. Dennings played Norah Silverberg, the daughter of a famous music producer. She was nominated for an award for her performance in this film.
In 2009, Dennings appeared in The Answer Man. She also co-starred in the children's film Shorts, directed by Robert Rodriguez. She played Stacey Thompson, the older sister of the main character.
Dennings was cast in the Marvel Studios film Thor, which came out in May 2011. She played Darcy Lewis, a smart sidekick and assistant to Natalie Portman's character, Jane Foster. The movie was filmed in New Mexico in early 2010.
Success with 2 Broke Girls and Marvel
In February 2011, Dennings was chosen for 2 Broke Girls, a CBS sitcom. The show started on September 19, 2011. It followed the lives of two young women who were not earning much money. Beth Behrs played a rich girl from Manhattan who lost her money, and Dennings played a tough, outspoken girl from Brooklyn. Dennings liked the idea of her work reaching a lot of people, so she took the role. CBS canceled the show after six seasons on May 12, 2017.
In 2012, Dennings starred in the drama film To Write Love on Her Arms. She played Renee Yohe, a Florida teenager who struggled with difficult personal challenges. Her story inspired the creation of a non-profit organization.
In 2013, Dennings returned as Darcy Lewis in Thor: The Dark World. She worked on this movie and 2 Broke Girls at the same time. She flew to London to film for six months during breaks from her TV show.
Dennings also starred in the Hulu comedy series Dollface, which began in November 2019. She continued her role as Darcy Lewis in the Disney+ miniseries WandaVision (2021). She also made a cameo appearance as Darcy Lewis in Thor: Love and Thunder (2022).
Personal Life
In 2008, Dennings shared that her Judaism is an important part of her family history. However, she considers herself more connected to her ethnic and cultural background than to religious practices.
From 2001 to 2010, Dennings wrote a blog and also made video blogs on YouTube.
As of 2021, Kat Dennings lives in Los Angeles with her cat, Millie. She supports animal welfare efforts. .....
Relationships
From 2011 to 2014, Dennings dated her 2 Broke Girls co-star Nick Zano. From 2014 to 2016, she dated singer Josh Groban.
On May 6, 2021, it was confirmed that Dennings was in a relationship with musician Andrew W.K.. They had met in Los Angeles earlier that year. A week later, on May 13, 2021, the couple announced their engagement on Instagram. They got married on November 27, 2023, at their home in Los Angeles.
Film and Television Appearances
Kat Dennings has appeared in many films and television shows throughout her career.
Selected Film Roles
- 2004: Raise Your Voice as Sloane
- 2005: The 40-Year-Old Virgin as Marla Piedmont
- 2006: Big Momma's House 2 as Molly Fuller
- 2007: Charlie Bartlett as Susan Gardner
- 2008: Nick & Norah's Infinite Playlist as Norah Silverberg
- 2009: Shorts as Stacey Thompson
- 2011: Thor as Darcy Lewis
- 2013: Thor: The Dark World as Darcy Lewis
- 2022: Thor: Love and Thunder as Darcy Lewis
Selected Television Roles
- 2000: ... and the City as Jenny Brier
- 2001–2002: Raising Dad as Sarah Stewart (Main role)
- 2002: The Scream Team as Claire Carlyle (Television film)
- 2005–2006: ER as Zoe Butler (5 episodes)
- 2011–2017: 2 Broke Girls as Max George Black (Main role)
- 2019–2022: Dollface as Jules Wiley (Main role)
- 2021: WandaVision as Darcy Lewis (Main role)
- 2021–2024: What If...? as Darcy Lewis (voice)
Awards and Nominations
Kat Dennings has received several awards and nominations for her acting.
- In 2008, she was nominated for a Satellite Award for Best Actress for Nick and Norah's Infinite Playlist.
- In 2009, she received nominations for an MTV Movie Award and a Teen Choice Award for the same film.
- In 2012, she won a Crystal Reel Award for Best Actress for her role in To Write Love on Her Arms.
- In 2014, she was nominated for a People's Choice Award with Beth Behrs for 2 Broke Girls.
- In 2021, she was nominated for a Hollywood Critics Association TV Award for Best Supporting Actress in WandaVision.
- In 2022, she was nominated for a Hollywood Critics Association TV Award for Best Actress in Dollface.
See also
In Spanish: Kat Dennings para niños
