The Tragedy Of Kat Dennings Is So Sad

Looking at Kat Dennings' impressive filmography, it's hard to see why she isn't a bigger star. The actor born Katherine Victoria Latwick has been a staple of the Marvel Cinematic universe, playing Darcy Lewis in all three "Thor" films and the Disney+ show "WandaVision". She's starred in one of the best comedies of the '00s ("The 40-Year-Old Virgin") and one of its best rom-coms, too ("Nick and Norah's Infinite Playlist"). And although critics weren't always kind, her sitcom "2 Broke Girls" still ran for six seasons.

And we've not even mentioned the Pennsylvanian's starring and executive producer roles on "Dollface," voice work on "Dallas and Robo" and "Big Mouth," and performances in indie favorites "Charlie Bartlett" and "Defendor." Perhaps the fact that Dennings prefers to keep a low profile is the reason why she hasn't quite yet graduated to the A-list. Indeed, as one of those Hollywood names who prefers to let her work do the talking, relatively little is known about her private life compared to her more publicity-seeking peers. But we do know that she's faced some hardships during her rise to reluctant fame. From the deaths of friends and family to health woes and umpteen romantic heartbreaks, here's a look at nine.

In 2016, "Star Trek" actor Anton Yelchin died outside his Los Angeles home when his Jeep Grand Cherokee rolled back a steep incline and pinned him against his driveway gates. It was a freak accident that shocked the world, including close pal and one-time co-star Kat Dennings.

"Anton Yelchin was one of my best friends," the Pennsylvanian tweeted (via Variety) following the tragic news. "Can't say anything that conveys what this feels like." Dennings, who'd played the actor's girlfriend in "Charlie Bartlett" nine years earlier, also took to Instagram to further express her disbelief and pay her respects. "I'll think about this kid every day for the rest of my life," she captioned one particular photo of a younger Yelchin. "I'm so lucky to have had him as long as I did."

Dennings had previously discussed how her friendship with Yelchin originated at the audition stages for the indie dramedy they starred in together. She also revealed (via Yahoo! Entertainment) that their respective mothers had become bosom buddies, too: "... So three times a day I get an Anton update and he gets the same about me. It's really cute." 

In 2020, Kat Dennings leaped to the defense of Billie Eilish after the chart-topper faced a barrage of online criticism for her appearance, arguing that the trolls responsible needed to take a long hard look at themselves. And the "Shifting Gears" star knows exactly what it's like to be body-shamed.

Speaking to ET soon after, Dennings further explained why she felt "personally affronted" by the abuse, noting that she had a horrible time when she was a similar age to Eilish. "I think things have improved as far as body image for girls and boys and everybody — I think things are much more inclusive now. But when I was growing up, I mean, it was not like that."

Dennings had spoken about the difficulties she faced as a young woman in the entertainment industry during a chat with The New York Times nine years previously. The Pennsylvanian admitted that she was repeatedly told by casting agents to modify her appearance, whether it was dyeing her hair, getting a suntan, or losing weight. But proving that she's always been headstrong, the actor ignored such damaging advice.

Kat Dennings is one of 40 million American citizens who regularly deal with chronic migraine headaches. The "Daydream Nation" star has suffered from the condition since the age of 12 but only officially received a diagnosis in early adulthood. And she's since aligned herself with several initiatives to raise awareness and advocate for care reform.

In an interview with Healthline to promote the Migraine Blackout campaign, Dennings revealed that the condition has had a detrimental effect on her social life: "I cancel personal plans all the time due to my migraine attacks, and that's the worst because I feel like the ultimate flake. But the truth is, when I have a migraine, I struggle to do anything."

However, proving that she's the ultimate professional, Dennings also stated that she's refused to allow migraines to impact her career. But she also wondered aloud whether this was the right approach: "I've always pushed through the pain because I don't want to let people down and wasn't sure if people would understand if I took time off because of it. But that says something, doesn't it? There was a part of me that felt like having a migraine attack wasn't a legitimate reason to rest up."

Kat Dennings finally got a fairytale ending in 2023 when she married "Party Hard" rocker Andrew W.K. in an intimate ceremony at their Los Angeles home. The "To Write Love On Her Arms" star has previously endured her fair share of heartbreak thanks to several other failed celebrity romances.

Dennings was rumored to have dated "One Tree Hill" star Ira David Wood IV in the mid-'00s before moving on to "Criminal Minds" regular Matthew Gray Gubler, Academy Award nominee Ryan Gosling (allegedly), and then "Thor" co-star Tom Hiddleston. She then spent three years with her "2 Broke Girls" colleague Nick Zano. She later got serious with everyone's favorite adult contemporary crooner Josh Groban.

Luckily, Dennings took something positive from all these experiences. While promoting the second season of "Dollface," the Pennsylvanian told Schön! that she could relate to her heartbroken lead character Jules: "I haven't had this kind of breakup experience, but I've certainly had times in my life when I was gone for a long period and felt like I had missed major things when I came back. It's a similar feeling, so I had plenty to pull from."

Kat by name, cat lover by nature. As proven by her work with several animal charities, Kat Dennings is a feline fan, which made the sudden passing of her "soulmate" pet, Millie, in 2023 a shock to the system.

"It was very unexpected and horribly traumatic, and I was like, 'What do I do?'" Dennings told People during a chat at the Best Friends Animal Society's Los Angeles Pet Adoption Center. "I still can't believe this. I thought she was going to live to be 30, and it was just the worst." But on the advice of a friend, the "Suburban Gothic" star decided to deal with her grief by adopting not just one but two new cats.

Luckily, sisters Barley and Lentil have adapted to their new environment immediately, and Dennings couldn't be happier. "... It's really like they keep each other company, which is fantastic. They could care less if I'm out of the room. They're like, 'Whatever, lady.'" And even though he's allergic to cats, rocker husband Andrew W.K. also now seems just as enamored. "I know he was scared, but now he loves them," she added.

Kat Dennings' worst nightmare appeared to come true in 2010 when nude photos of the "Friendsgiving" star were allegedly uploaded online without her consent. The incident occurred four years before the scandal known as the Fappening, in which the likes of Jennifer Lawrence, Ariana Grande, and Mary Elizabeth Winstead all had their privacy invaded in equally traumatic ways.

Dennings has never confirmed nor denied whether the images in question were of her. But she did speak out about the double standards when her "London" co-star and one-time Sexiest Man Alive Chris Evans appeared to accidentally share an image of his manhood while showing his camera roll during an online game of Heads Up.

"The public respect for Chris Evans' privacy/feelings is wonderful," Dennings tweeted (via The Independent), referring to the amount of sympathy the one-time Captain America received following his apparent faux pas. "Wouldn't it be nice if it extended to women when this kind of thing happens?" she added, referring to how female celebrities are often blamed and shamed in similar circumstances.

The majority of Kat Dennings' education was homeschooling by her speech therapist mother Edith Judith Litwack and her molecular pharmacologist father Gerald. But on one occasion, she did get to spend at least a few hours at an actual school in her native Pennsylvania. The experience, however, no doubt left her feeling mightily relieved that it was only a one-off.

Discussing her very brief time at Friends Central in an interview with Philly Mag, Dennings stated that it well and truly broke her spirit. When asked to expand, "The House Bunny" star made it clear that she hadn't forgiven or forgotten during the intervening years. Dennings revealed that she was yelled at and poked fun at over her sartorial choices. But, the incident that appears to haunt her most is the questionnaire in which she misspelled the word 'friend.' "I remember feeling so stupid," the actor added. "And I thought, f*** this, 'I'm going back to the woods.'"

Kat Dennings' intimate wedding to rocker Andrew W.K. in 2023 was a bittersweet occasion. For just a few weeks earlier, the bride had lost her father, former molecular pharmacologist and college professor Gerald J. Litwack, just a few months short of his 95th birthday.

In an interview with Vogue, Dennings revealed she thought about postponing the ceremony at the Los Angeles home she shares with the "Party Hard" hitmaker before adding, "But I realized it was even more of a reason to grasp any joyous feeling where I could." Shortly after tying the knot, Dennings took to Instagram to pay her first public tribute to the man who raised and schooled the actor and her four siblings.

"Even though I knew he had less time than more, it still didn't prepare me for the reality of the loss and the resulting existential crisis," Dennings captioned a black and white photo of her father at work, going on to celebrate his achievements in various fields including cancer research and molecular cellular medicine. "He really wanted to leave a mark on this world, and I believe he did."

While most Hollywood stars like nothing more than seeing their faces staring back at them from the magazine aisles, Kat Dennings isn't particularly interested in being a cover girl. In fact, she admitted to feeling "really uncomfortable" after gracing the front page of Philadelphia Style in 2011.

Indeed, while chatting with The Philadelphia Inquirer at a launch party for the issue in question, Dennings acknowledged such promotional duties are part of her job, and that she was prepared to tolerate a certain level of discomfort in the line of duty. But the newspaper noted that she visibly appeared unsettled while serving as the night's guest of honor.

Of course, having only just booked the lead role in the long-running sitcom "2 Broke Girls" at the time, the Pennsylvanian had to get used to even more schmoozing. Judging by her confession to The A.V. Club several years later, that was easier said than done. "Every single social situation makes me uncomfortable, but you know what I don't like? And this is real weird: I really don't like restaurants ... I find it so psychologically strange to sit down and be forced to stay there for like an allotted amount of time, like a social contract of the restaurant thing. It makes me really want to go home."