Kat Dennings remembers directors calling her “fat” as a child actress

Kat Dennings Speaking about her early days in the industry, she revealed that the environment was very harsh and she showed little interest in inclusivity.

The 38-year-old actress said some casting directors shamed her for her appearance, with some even calling her “not pretty enough” and “fat.”

Kat Dennings credited her “strong mentality” and her parents’ support for helping her stay positive until she finally landed her first role.

While reflecting on her remarkable acting career in a recent interview, Dennings spoke about her early days in the industry as a child actor and how she often had to deal with “extremely negative feedback.”

According to the actress, officials, such as casting directors, were merciless in their criticism, which often made her wonder why they could be “so harsh” even while “talking about a child.”

“It was so crazy thinking about it. I said, ‘How could anyone say that about a little kid?’ “This is crazy,” the 38-year-old said. People magazine.

On some occasions, she was insulted because of her appearance, while her acting talent was completely ignored.

She added: “For example, I was 12 years old. I would go to an audition and do this, and my manager would call me and say, ‘How did it go?’ And they would do that. Like, ‘Well, they thought you weren’t pretty enough and that you Fat.”

In the midst of her reflection, Dennings also shared that the industry was not only overly important, but also showed little interest in inclusivity.

“At the time when I was auditioning and started acting, the environment was very different than it is now,” the “2 Broke Girls” star shared.

“There wasn’t much inclusivity at all,” she added. “It was very tough…and people weren’t backing down.”

Despite the negative feedback she received, Dennings remained steadfast in her goals, believing she had what it took to become a star. Thanks to the extra support from her parents, she was also able to maintain a “strong mindset” during those difficult times.

“That was my position,” she told the outlet. “For some reason, it didn’t break my spirit. I was like, ‘I’ll show them.'” I think props to my parents because they were like, “They’re stupid, don’t listen to them.” And I was like, “They’re stupid, and I’m not.”

Although it took some time, Dennings eventually landed a proper acting role after starting her career in commercials at the age of nine.

Her first role was in an episode of “Sex and the City” titled “Hot Child in the City,” where she played an obnoxious 13-year-old girl who hires a publicist for her bar mitzvah plans.

She then landed a role in the WB sitcom “Raising Dad”, although her time on the show was short-lived due to it being canceled by the showrunners.

Dennings has continued to appear in television and film, making her film debut in 2004 as a character named Sloane in Hilary Duff’s Raise Your Voice.

Her big break finally came with her role in the popular sitcom “2 Broke Girls,” which brought her widespread fame. She also became part of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, starring in WandaVision and What If…? And in “Thor: Love and Thunder.”

Looking back on her journey so far, Dennings now believes that the “absolutely crazy” environment she started out in as an actress no longer exists.

She feels the industry has become “softer” and “kinder,” especially toward those who were previously underrepresented because of their appearance.

“There’s body positivity, there’s inclusivity, there’s representation, and there wasn’t any of that before. It was really disgusting,” the actress shared.

She is currently starring in the ABC sitcom “Shifting Gears,” which stars veteran actor Tim Allen. She also plays the role of producer in the series alongside Anastasia Stanicki.

Dennings married musician Andrew WK in November 2023, and late last year, they celebrated their first wedding anniversary.

During an appearance on “The View” this year, actress Whoopi Goldberg asked one of the show’s hosts if she thought she would get married.

In response, Dennings noted that dating wasn’t easy for her and that before getting married, her view on relationships stemmed from a Goldberg quote.

“It’s the worst. It’s the worst, right? It’s terrible,” she said. the people. “I’ve been in some long relationships and tried dating a little bit, and it was just a nightmare.”

“I really live by a quote from you, Whoopi,” the actress continued. “Correct me if this quote is wrong, but I looked it up to be sure: I don’t want anyone in my house.”

However, meeting her husband, W. K., changed Dennings’ view of marriage.

She added: “Those were my feelings about marriage in general until I met my husband.” “Now I love him in my house. I want him in my house!”