Kat Dennings is known for her timeless Hollywood beauty. And while this young American actress gained her footing with several quirky indie roles, she also boasts a broad range that can be seen in her extensive filmography.
Ira David Wood IV and his girlfriend Kat Dennings attend the premiere of The 40-Year-Old Virgin, with Kat stunning in a strapless black tiered mini dress and matching clutch at Arclight Cinemas on August 11, 2005, in Hollywood (Credit: Dimitri Halkidis / WENN)
Her supporting role in The 40-Year-Old Virgin kicked her career into the next stratosphere.
Why Kat Dennings Uses a Stage Name Instead of Her Real One
The American actress, who uses a stage name and is of Russian Jewish heritage, was born Katherine Victoria Litwack in Bryn Mawr, Pennsylvania, the youngest of five children.
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“I didn’t want to use my family name because I thought, A, it was a little hideous, and B, I wanted to know when someone really knew me or they didn’t. I was a precocious youngster,” she told Philadelphia Magazine about changing her name.
“It’s a sturdy Polish-Jewish name. I used to be really touchy about it, but I couldn’t care less now. And Katherine has Katie, Kat, and if you want to die, Kathy, but no one can go there — no one.”
Did you know Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen were born on the same day, June 13, 1986?
Standing Tall in Style: Kat Dennings Stuns Despite Height Difference at Hulu Event
Emmy Rossum’s lookalike is 5ft 2 ½ (158.8 cm) tall and wears a shoe size 7 (US). When she graduated from homeschooling at 14, she and her family moved to Los Angeles, California, to support Kat’s acting career.
Standing between Margot Robbie, Jordan Weiss, and Brett Hedblom at the 2019 Hulu Upfronts, Kat Dennings appeared noticeably shorter, especially with both women wearing height-boosting heels. While Margot stood tall in platform mules and Jordan opted for sleek ankle-strap stilettos, Kat’s classic pointed pumps gave her a more modest lift. Still, her presence was anything but small thanks to her sultry Christian Siriano ensemble.
Brett Hedblom, Margot Robbie, Kat Dennings, and Jordan Weiss pose at a Hulu event, with Margot in platform booties, Kat in classic black pointed pumps, and Jordan in ankle-strap stilettos—each adding stylish height to their polished outfits (Credit: Janet Mayer / Startraksphoto)
Kat is known for her curvaceous figure, blue eyes, pale skin, pouty lips, husky voice, and deadpan delivery. As of 2025, she is estimated to be worth $25 million.
Dennings’ upbringing was not all that typical and a little eccentric. She shared, “I grew up in a house that was built in 1694, and it was haunted. It sounds so crazy, but I swear — you could ask my father, who is 89 who saw some s***.”
Kat Dennings attends the WB Winter Press Tour party in Pasadena on January 15, 2002, looking sleek and youthful in a satin-finish gray blazer over a black tank top, paired with a studded leather shoulder bag (Credit: WENN)
She shared with Conan that she went through a goth phase as a child. “I was kind of obsessed with The Addams Family, and I went through a phase where I thought I was Wednesday Addams.”
The actress continued that she would introduce herself as “Wednesday” and sleep with her arms crossed across her chest. She finished the story by saying, “I was very dramatic.” A perfect fit for an actress, that is for sure.
Her start in the entertainment world began in 2000 with a guest appearance on HBO’s Sex and the City. Her next gig was on the WB’s Raising Dad with Brie Larson and Bob Saget from 2001-2002.
Kat Dennings makes her TV debut as Jenny Brier, a wealthy and demanding teen in a sleek black tank top and straight, center-parted hair, in Sex and the City’s “Hot Child in the City” episode (Season 3, Episode 15) (Credit: HBO)
Before those roles, she worked in commercials starting around age 9. Her family didn’t have money for formal training, but it didn’t matter. At age 13, she was cast as a sassy teenager in Sex and the City.
She has since appeared in Nick and Norah’s Infinite Playlist, Charlie Bartlett, 2 Broke Girls, Dollface, WandaVision, The House Bunny, Thor, Drunk History, Shorts, Big Momma’s House 2, Friendsgiving, ER, Big Mouth, Dallas & Robo, and What If…?.
Michael Cera, Aaron Yoo, Kat Dennings, Jonathan B. Wright, and Rafi Gavron star in Nick & Norah’s Infinite Playlist (2008), with Dennings rocking a casual indie look in a deep red scoop-neck tee, jeans, and an open cardigan—perfectly capturing the film’s offbeat NYC vibe (Credit: Columbia Pictures / WENN)
Dennings appeared as the love interest in Hanson’s 2013 music video for “Get the Girl Back” and, more recently, in her fiancé’s music video for “Everybody Sins.”
Dennings is a bona fide Hollywood actress these days. At a young age, she got her big break with the cult comedy hit, The 40-Year-Old Virgin.
Her Breakout Role in The 40-Year-Old Virgin
Dennings’s casting in the iconic Steve Carell comedy The 40-Year-Old Virgin was a turning point in the actress’s career.
Allison Jones, a famous casting director, is the woman responsible for casting Dennings. Dennings remembers the movie having a big buzz, “It was everybody’s first, like, big thing, and it was just amazing to be part of it.” At the young age of 18, Dennings’s career gained a long runway for the future.
Steve Carell as awkward electronics salesman Andy Stitzer and Kat Dennings as his disaffected teenage daughter Marla Piedmont in The 40-Year-Old Virgin (2005), with Dennings channeling goth teen angst in a sheer black cardigan and dark nail polish (Credit: Universal Pictures)
The film also starred Paul Rudd, Seth Rogen, Elizabeth Banks, Jane Lynch, Leslie Mann, Jonah Hill, and Steve Carell, among other comedic heavyweights.
With Judd Apatow (known for Superbad, Knocked Up, This is 40, and many more) as the film’s director and co-writer (alongside Carell), the movie grossed over $100 million domestically.
Internationally, the film grossed over $175 million. With success like that, it is no wonder Dennings’s career launched from here.
Starring as Max Black in 2 Broke Girls: Kat’s Biggest TV Hit
The CBS American TV sitcom 2 Broke Girls ran for six seasons between 2011 and 2017. It starred Dennings alongside Beth Behrs.
The show is set in Williamsburg, a neighborhood of Brooklyn, New York, and the plot follows Max Black (Dennings) and Caroline Channing (Behrs).
Caroline was raised as the child of a billionaire, while Max grew up in poverty. They work as waitresses in a local diner to raise money for their cupcake business. The show was nominated for 12 Emmy Awards and won one in 2012 for its art direction.
Kat Dennings and Beth Behrs of 2 Broke Girls light up the set of Extra on April 14, 2014, in Los Angeles, with Kat in a sharp black blazer featuring leather sleeves and a lacy top, and Beth in a strapless black dress and chunky gold necklace (Credit: WENN)
Dennings was the first to be cast during the audition process. The show’s co-creator, Michael Patrick King, said about Kat Dennings, “I don’t think there’s anybody else like her, so we basically hunted her down for this. She has a kind of amazing outsider edge. It made everything else fall into place.”
Behrs and Dennings each earned $150,000 per episode during the show’s run, for a total of about $20 million.
Audiences fell in love with this dynamic duo throughout their six seasons and 138-episode run. In May 2017, CBS canceled the series after declining ratings and the need to make space for new sitcoms coming in the door the following season.
Kat Dennings transforms into quirky sorority sister Mona Rita in The House Bunny (2008), sporting side-swept blonde hair with bold pink streaks, a green graphic tee, hoop earrings, and a chunky blue cocktail ring (Credit: WENN / Columbia Pictures)
Luckily for Dennings, the continued syndication royalties from 2 Broke Girls remain a huge source of income for her career. Dennings and Behrs are each set to make around $50 million in syndication royalties. The co-creator, Whitney Cummings, will earn about that same amount.
While Dennings is very proud of the show, she did tell the Los Angeles Times in 2019, “By the end, I just wanted to burn that waitress uniform.” She was ready for something new.
Kat Dennings’ Romantic Relationships and Engagement to Andrew W.K.
Dennings has been linked to many famous men. Rumors of her dating Ryan Gosling circulated back in 2009. Dennings was also briefly romantically linked to Tom Hiddleston, her co-star on Thor.
Kat Dennings and then-boyfriend Nick Zano, who met on the set of 2 Broke Girls, pose together at the Iron Man 3 premiere—Dennings turning heads in a romantic floral lace dress and bold pink lipstick during their relationship from 2011 to 2014 (Credit: FayesVision / WENN)
From 2011 to 2014, Dennings dated her 2 Broke Girls co-star, Nick Zano. After that relationship, she dated singer Josh Groban until 2016.
Kat Dennings and then-boyfriend Josh Groban, who dated from October 2014 to August 2016, dazzle on the red carpet—Kat glowing in a strappy black gown with classic red lips, and Josh sharp in a burgundy paisley jacket (Credit: Adriana M. Barraza / WENN)
In 2021, Dennings met musician Andrew W.K., and the two announced their engagement in May 2021. They married on November 27, 2023, in an intimate ceremony at their Los Angeles home.
“It’s great. It’s the best thing that’s ever happened to me. He’s a sweet, baby angel,” Kat on The Drew Barrymore Show said about her engagement.
“Well I’m 35, so I waited a very, very good chunk of time to get married, and I am so glad I waited until I found the right person. It’s really hard. Everybody goes through the nightmarish time of life looking for that person, or not whatever floats your boat, but I feel very lucky, and he’s the best.”
Kat Dennings and fiancé Andrew W.K. coordinate stylishly at the Thor: Love and Thunder premiere on June 23, 2022, with Kat in a black buttoned mini dress featuring a crystal brooch belt and platform sandals, and Andrew in a sleek navy suit and black dress shoes (Credit: BauerGriffin / INSTARimages)
“He had a special moment that makes me believe in magic. We were doing kissing, and we had like a shared feeling. I felt this intense feeling, this is my person; this is it. I can’t be without him this is the man I am supposed to be with. And we looked at each other and we both proposed at the same time. Not planned. No knee down. I don’t even remember what happened after that. We just, we were like, ‘Should we get married?’ ‘Yes.’ And I just burst into tears. I never thought I had it in me because I kind of a toughie, but I did, I wept happy tears. I felt this sense of relief, like I’ve done it. I made it through the wilderness and found this incredible person. Yeah, no one believes me, but I assure you that’s what happened.”
Kat Dennings’ Vintage-Inspired Style and Timeless Beauty Secrets
Dennings told InStyle that she used to shop with her mother at thrift stores. During this time, she realized that modern fashions were not suited to her body type.
Dennings said, “Like it wasn’t for me. But whenever I went to a vintage store, and tried on dresses from the 1940s and 1950s, everything fit perfectly. Just because a curvier shape was more, like, of the time.” She committed to this vintage fashion and remembers thinking, “Fine, I belong in this style. It feels like I am included in this.”
Kat Dennings turns heads in a plunging black top and patterned skirt while posing with Dollface co-star Brenda Song, who wore a chic navy blazer dress, at The Paley Honors: A Special Tribute to Television’s Comedy Legends on November 21, 2019, in Beverly Hills (Credit: Avalon / WENN)
The actress has also shared, “I don’t drink and I don’t smoke and I don’t like being around people who do.”
No wonder she looks like she hasn’t aged. With minimal toxins in her body, she can maintain her natural beauty. She also practices Transcendental Meditation, another natural way to keep the mind, spirit, and body young.
Kat Dennings stuns in a sculptural two-tone Maticevski Pre-Fall 2019 dress featuring bold orange accents and asymmetrical tailoring, paired with classic black platform pumps at the 2019 E! People’s Choice Awards in Santa Monica on November 10, 2019 (Credit: Avalon / WENN)
However, Dennings isn’t always comfortable displaying her beauty fully. Back in 2011, she shared with the Philadelphia Inquirer that it makes her really uncomfortable to be on the covers of magazines.
Kat Dennings shows off her feet in strappy black suede sandals, paired with a glossy dark pedicure that adds a bold contrast against the red carpet (Credit: Nikki Nelson/ WENN)
She continued, “if being successful means tolerating a certain amount of being uncomfortable, that’s part of my job.”
Beyond Acting: Kat Dennings as a Producer and Creative Force
Dennings moved behind the camera for her role as an executive producer on Hulu’s 2019 show, Dollface.
She shared with Who What Wear that she could contribute from her own experiences, “But then I enjoyed sitting back and learning from other departments when I hadn’t dealt with something before. I also wanted to be an ally for the actors, to make sure they knew they could come to me with anything and everything.”
Jake Short, Trevor Gagnon, Jimmy Bennett, Kat Dennings, and William H. Macy in the 2009 American comic fantasy family film Shorts (Credit: WENN / Warner Bros. Pictures)
We have not seen the last of Kat Dennings, and we look forward to following the next 20+ years of her career.
After cementing her place in the Marvel Cinematic Universe as Darcy Lewis, Kat brought her signature glam to the red carpet in one of her most memorable style moments.
Red-Hot on the Red Carpet: Kat’s Striking Thor Premiere Look
Kat Dennings at the Los Angeles premiere of ‘Thor: The Dark World’ held at the El Capitan Theatre in Hollywood, California, on November 4, 2013 (Credit: RHS / FayesVision / WENN)
In November 2013, Kat Dennings was a lovely lady in red at the Los Angeles premiere of her film Thor: The Dark World, which stars some of Hollywood’s finest, such as Tom Hiddleston, Anthony Hopkins, Natalie Portman, and Chris Hemsworth.
She looked gorgeous in an intricately embroidered number from Naeem Khan and a classic pair of nude Jimmy Choo pumps.
Kat Dennings displayed her curves in a Spring 2014 crimson-and-nude sheath dress (Credit: FayesVision / WENN)
The stunning actress proudly displayed her curves in a Spring 2014 crimson and nude sheath dress from Naeem Khan, which featured damask-style embroidery and intricate floral details.
She carried an Edie Parker gold clutch and showed off her feet in nude Jimmy Choos. Her hair was styled in a loose chignon with soft tendrils that framed her gorgeous face.
Kat Dennings toting a gold clutch by Edie Parker (Credit: FayesVision / WENN)
Vampy red lips, crimson nails, and Neil Lane diamonds completed her sultry, classy look—and her choice of nude Jimmy Choo “Anouk” pumps was no coincidence, as they subtly elongated her legs and added a polished finishing touch.
Kat Dennings showing toe cleavage in nude “Anouk” pumps from Jimmy Choo (Credit: FayesVision / WENN)
Stepping Out in Style: Celebrities Who Love Jimmy Choo Anouk Pumps
The Jimmy Choo Anouk pumps have become a staple among celebrities, gracing red carpets and high-profile events. Here are some notable instances:
Penélope Cruz in Nude Patent Leather Anouk Pumps
- Event: Premiere of ‘Ma Ma’ at the Toronto International Film Festival
- Outfit: Penélope Cruz stunned in a white strapless drape front dress from the Roland Mouret Resort 2016 collection.
- Footwear: She styled the feminine frock with a pair of patent leather Anouk pumps from Jimmy Choo.
- Read more: Penélope Cruz Rocks Nude Patent Leather Anouk Pointy-Toe Pumps
Gigi Hadid Shines in Gold Glitter Anouk Pumps
- Event: Gigi Hadid x Maybelline Party in London
- Outfit: Gigi Hadid looked radiant in a yellow Ralph Lauren sequined strapless minidress and matching coat.
- Footwear: She paired her ensemble with gold glitter Jimmy Choo Anouk pumps, adding a sparkling finish.
- See more: Gigi Hadid Sunny in Yellow Ralph Lauren Dress and Gold Jimmy Choo Anouk Pumps
Elizabeth Banks in Navy Suede Anouk Pumps
- Event: Audi’s 68th Emmys Celebration
- Outfit: Elizabeth Banks highlighted her curves in a navy David Koma jumpsuit with edgy zip detailing and a jeweled neckline.
- Footwear: She completed her head-to-toe navy look with a pair of velvety suede Jimmy Choo Anouk pumps.
- Discover more: Elizabeth Banks Stuns in Navy David Koma Jumpsuit and Jimmy Choo Anouk Pumps
Rita Ora Dazzles in Metallic Anouk Pumps
- Event: Late-night studio session in London
- Outfit: Rita Ora turned heads in a DKNY metallic silver skirt and matching jacket.
- Footwear: She paired her outfit with shimmering metallic Jimmy Choo Anouk pumps, adding a bold touch to her look.
- See her look: Rita Ora Slays in Jimmy Choo Anouk Heels at 1:30 A.M.
Liv Tyler’s Elegant Look with Black Anouk Pumps
- Event: GQ Men of the Year Awards in Berlin
- Outfit: Liv Tyler radiated elegance in a floral dress and tailored black coat from her Liv Tyler x Belstaff line.
- Footwear: She completed her look with sleek black Jimmy Choo Anouk pumps, adding the perfect touch of sophistication.
- Explore her style: Liv Tyler Shines as Gentlewoman of the Year at GQ Awards in Berlin
These moments highlight the versatility and timeless appeal of the Jimmy Choo Anouk pumps, making them a favorite choice among celebrities for various high-profile events.
Her shoes, which are available at Mytheresa and Farfetch, are made of nude suede, have pointed toes, and have lacquered heels.
Jimmy Choo “Anouk” Pumps in Nude, $575
The Anouk pumps are also available in a multitude of styles for you to choose from:
Jimmy Choo “Anouk” Glitter and Calf Pumps, $595
Jimmy Choo “Anouk” Pumps in Red Patent Leather, $595
Jimmy Choo Black Studded “Anouk” Pumps, $776.49
Jimmy Choo “Anouk” Petrol Iridescent Pumps, $675
The Story Behind Kat Dennings and Beth Behrs’ Iconic 2 Broke Girls Necklaces
Are you a fan of the hit TV show 2 Broke Girls? You probably loved the show’s promotional video aired during the Super Bowl break, if you are. Here’s a recap:
It featured Max (Beth Behrs) and Caroline (Kat Dennings) in two different personas! The video is funny and catchy, so I’m sure fans were delighted — and surprised — to see this teaser.
Seeing this clip also reminds me of two things related to this blog. It’s the necklaces these two girls wear on the show that are reflective of their characters and onscreen fashion styles:
Kat Dennings as Maxine “Max” George Black and Beth Behrs as Caroline Wesbox Channing in the American television sitcom 2 Broke Girls (Credit: CBS)
Since the show started, I’ve been looking for Caroline Channing’s layered pearl necklace.
In “And the Pearl Necklace,” the second episode of the second season of 2 Broke Girls, Caroline wears the necklace because she believes it will bring her luck.
Max Black’s brass heart pendant also intrigued me. However, Caroline’s necklace is the more popular one, and it has spawned many knock-offs in the DIY world and from major fashion retailers as well.
Kat Dennings as Maxine “Max” George Black and Beth Behrs as Caroline Wesbox Channing show off their necklaces in 2 Broke Girls (Credit: CBS)
The necklace is made of two layers of gold chains with two sizes of pearls strung on each chain to create a draping effect. It’s quite a statement piece. On the show, Caroline considers them her good luck pearls.
On the other hand, Max’s brass pendant necklace is also a mystery. It’s been said that her necklace is also from Lux de Ville-Retro. The pendant is shaped like a heart with an arrow piercing and a parrot embossed on the front.
The chain is accented with a single blue heart-shaped bead. It’s very vintage, like something you would find on Etsy. If you know who made these pretty pieces, please let us know!
Kat Dennings as Maxine “Max” George Black wears a brass pendant necklace, and Beth Behrs as Caroline Wesbox Channing always wears large pearl necklaces with her waitress uniform (Credit: CBS)