In a recent interview with People, actress Kat Dennings reflected on the harsh realities she faced as a young actor in Hollywood during the ’90s. The 2 Broke Girls star shared that casting directors often made “very cruel” remarks about her appearance, even when she was just a child.
Dennings, now 38, highlighted the lack of inclusivity and the harsh environment of the industry at the time. “The time that I was auditioning and starting to act, it was a very different environment than it is now,” she said. “There was not a lot of inclusivity at all. It was very harsh. There was a lot of extremely negative feedback, and people would not hold back.”
The actress began her Hollywood career at just nine years old and recounted shocking instances of body shaming. “I was 12. I’d go into an audition and… my manager would call me and say, ‘Well, they thought you weren’t pretty enough and you’re fat,’” Dennings revealed. Despite this, her strong mindset and supportive family helped her navigate the negativity. “For some reason, it didn’t break my spirit. I was like, ‘I’ll show them,’” she recalled.
Dennings also noted the significant positive changes in the industry today. “There’s body positivity, inclusivity, representation. There was none of that before. It was really gross,” she said, contrasting the “completely insane” past to the “softer, kinder” environment now.
Her story sheds light on the progress made in Hollywood regarding representation and the treatment of actors, especially young talent.