Kat Dennings is reflecting on what she describes as a far harsher casting culture in Hollywood when she first started auditioning as a child. In a recent interview, the actor said she was given blunt, appearance-focused feedback at just 12 years old—comments she now calls “very cruel,” especially because they were directed at a kid.
Dennings told PEOPLE that after auditions, her manager would relay what she says casting offices said about her looks—feedback that included being told she “wasn’t pretty enough” and that she was “fat.” Looking back, she said she still can’t believe adults felt comfortable speaking that way about a child.
What stands out in Dennings’ account is that she didn’t let the criticism define her. She said the comments didn’t “break” her spirit, and she credited her parents with helping her keep perspective—encouraging her not to internalize other people’s judgment.
Dennings also pointed to a broader shift she feels the industry has made since then, saying casting today is “much softer” and more open-minded, with more emphasis on representation and body positivity than when she was coming up.
The conversation arrives as Dennings continues working steadily on screen, including her role on ABC’s Shifting Gears. But her message—delivered without theatrics—is less about career victory laps and more about naming a kind of behavior she says should never have been normalized in the first place.
