Kat Dennings, star of Thor and 2 Broke Girls, has revealed that she changed her real name because she found it “hideous.”

Speaking to Channel 4, Dennings said that she grew up in Bryn Mawr, Pennsylvania, and that her mother would rent classic movies from the library as they didn’t have much money.

However, Dennings was not allowed to watch TV except for PBS and Sesame Street.

Watching classic movies inspired Dennings to pursue a career in entertainment.

“I would watch these films and I just took that ‘little kid wanting to be a movie star’ thing way too far,” she said.

Dennings’ brother’s friend from karate was on the show Pete & Pete, and through meeting his manager, Dennings started auditioning in Philadelphia and New York.

This led to her getting commercials, then Sex and the City, and eventually 2 Broke Girls.

Dennings changed her name to Kat Dennings simply because she preferred it to her birth name, Kat Litwack.

She also didn’t want to use her family name because “I wanted to know when someone really knew me or they didn’t,” she explained in an interview with Philadelphia.

“I was a precocious youngster.”

Catherine Keener, who played Trish in The 40-Year-Old Virgin, recalled meeting Dennings in an article for The New York Times.

She was impressed by Dennings’ talent, writing that “when someone is that beautiful, it’s great when they’re funny too, and from the beginning, Kat had her own rhythm: a way of being funny and emotional at the same time.”

Keener was particularly struck by a scene in which she acted alongside Dennings.

Despite being thrown by Dennings’ improvised lines, Judd Apatow kept them in the movie.

“Even though it was improvised, Judd kept that line in the movie — I clearly sounded like a frustrated mom and it was all due to Kat’s rant,” Keener wrote.

In response to being told that her real name, Kat Litwack, had a nice ring to it, Dennings quipped, “No.

No, it doesn’t. 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.”

Dennings is known for her acting talent as well as her sense of humor. She has also been open about her struggles with mental health.

“I’m not always super confident, and I definitely struggle with anxiety and all kinds of things,” she told Glamour in 2016.

Despite this, Dennings remains a popular figure in Hollywood. She starred in the hit Disney+ series WandaVision, and has been confirmed to reprise her role as Darcy Lewis in the upcoming Marvel film Thor: Love and Thunder.

She will also star in the new Hulu series, Dollface.

Dennings has credited her mother with shaping her love for entertainment. “My mom was definitely the person who put the spark in me for that,” she said in an interview with Harper’s Bazaar.

“I grew up in the woods, so she would bring classic movies home and we’d watch them. That’s how I first saw Marilyn Monroe and Audrey Hepburn and Bette Davis.”

Despite her success, Dennings remains grounded. In a tweet from 2013, she wrote, “I will never think I’m cool. I’m grateful that my job requires me to always play the opposite of cool.”

Dennings has also been open about her love for animals. She has several pets, including a rescue dog named Mill

In addition to her acting career, Dennings has been a vocal supporter of various causes. She has supported organizations like Oceana, which works to protect marine life, and the SPCA.

Dennings has also been a strong advocate for body positivity. She has spoken out about the importance of self-love and acceptance, especially in the face of societal pressures to conform to certain beauty standards.

In a 2014 interview with The Guardian, Dennings said, “We should be celebrating individuality and not holding up certain people as being the poster girls for being a certain way.”

Dennings’ talent and outspokenness have made her a role model for many young people.

She has said that she takes her role as a public figure seriously and wants to use her platform to inspire others.

“I feel very lucky to be in this position where I can reach people,” she told Glamour in 2016.

“I hope that I can inspire some people and make them feel less alone.”

Looking to the future, Dennings has said that she is excited about the opportunities that lie ahead.

“I don’t know what’s next, but I’m excited for whatever it is,” she told Harper’s Bazaar.

“I love acting, and I love trying new things.”

Fans of Dennings can look forward to seeing her in upcoming projects like the Netflix series “Dropping the Soap” and the film “Friendgiving.”

She has also expressed interest in pursuing other creative endeavors, like writing and directing.

Throughout her career, Dennings has shown herself to be a talented and versatile performer.

From her early beginnings in Philadelphia to her current success in Hollywood, she has never been afraid to follow her dreams and be true to herself.

As she continues to make her mark on the entertainment industry, there is no doubt that she will continue to inspire and entertain audiences around the world.