Kat Dennings

Dennings in 2011, image via Helga Esteb / Shutterstock.com

Birth Name: Katherine Victoria Litwack

Place of Birth: Bryn Mawr, Pennsylvania, U.S.

Date of Birth: June 13, 1986

Ethnicity: Ashkenazi Jewish

Kat Dennings is an American actress. Her roles include the series 2 Broke Girls and WandaVision, and the films Raise Your Voice, Down in the Valley, The 40-Year-Old Virgin, London (2005), Big Momma’s House 2, Charlie Bartlett, The House Bunny, Nick & Norah’s Infinite Playlist, The Answer Man, Shorts, Defendor, Daydream Nation, Thor, and its sequels; To Write Love on Her Arms, Suburban Gothic, and Friendsgiving.

Kat is the daughter of Ellen Litwack, a poet and speech therapist, and Gerald J. Litwack, a molecular pharmacologist, and college chairman and professor. She was raised in the historic house Penn Cottage, built in 1694 in Wynnewood, PA. She is married to singer, multi-instrumentalist, songwriter, record producer, and motivational speaker Andrew W.K.

Kat’s parents are both Jewish; their families emigrated from Russia. She has stated:

[I’m] a billion percent Jewish… I don’t think I have any relatives who aren’t Jewish…

In Nick & Norah’s Infinite Playlist, Kat played a Jewish high school student who mentioned the Jewish concept of tikkun olam (heal the world) in one of the scenes. Kat stated that she needed help to pronounce the Hebrew words correctly.

At some point, Kat’s father’s surname was changed to Litwack.

Kat’s paternal grandfather was named David Lytell/Litwack. David was born in Massachusetts, to Russian Jewish parents.

Kat’s paternal grandmother was named Edith Jean Berkman (the daughter of Jacob Berkman and Ada). Edith was born in Massachusetts, to Russian Jewish parents.

Kat’s maternal grandfather was Joel Schatz (the son of Julius Schatz and Gussie Katz). Joel was born in New York. Julius and Gussie were both Russian Jewish immigrants. Gussie was the daughter of Jacob Katz and Ida.

Kat’s maternal grandmother was Ruth Weissman (the daughter of Nathan Weissman and Bertha Liebowitz). Ruth was born in New York. Nathan’s parents were Russian Jewish immigrants. Bertha was born in Hungary, the daughter of Romanian Jewish parents, Antol Liebowitz and Hannah Helen, who were born in Sighetu Marmatiei, Maramures.

Sources: Genealogy of Kat Dennings – https://www.geni.com

Kat’s father on the 1930 U.S. Census – https://familysearch.org

Kat’s maternal grandfather, Joel Schatz, on the 1930 U.S. Census – https://familysearch.org