Now: Your Daily Dose of Celebrity NewsKat Dennings: ‘Actors Make Less Than You Think’
Kat Dennings kicked off her career at age 14 on an episode of "Sex and the City," when she played a spoiled NYC teen who hired Samantha Jones to handle publicity for her bat mitzvah. Ironically, Dennings -- now 25 -- is starring in the new CBS comedy "2 Broke Girls," created by former "SATC" scribe Michael Patrick King and comedian Whitney Cummings.
The show, which premieres Monday, September 19, is centered on two young ladies, Max Black (portrayed by Dennings) and Caroline Channing (played by newcomer Beth Behrs), who work in a Brooklyn diner as they try to make ends meet. While Max has struggled financially her entire life, Caroline is a trust fund princess who finds herself suddenly broke after her family loses all of their money. "Max and Caroline end up moving in together and trying to start a cupcake business," Behrs explains to omg!. "And because they're so completely different -- and broke -- they get into a lot of extremely hilarious situations."
Fortunately (or rather, unfortunately), being broke is something both Dennings and Behrs can relate to. "Actors make less than you think," cracks Dennings, who you'll probably recognize from such films as "Nick and Norah's Infinite Playlist" and "Thor." "Everyone thinks because you're an actress you make a million dollars a day -- and you just don't. Only recently was I able to live without a roommate. I've never been in jeopardy, but being an actor is a pretty shady place to be because you never know where your next job is. It's like being a gypsy. You wrap a film, and then you might not get another one for another year and a half. You just have to be careful because you never know, so I'm very practical with money. I buy food and gasoline -- that's it. I'm still wearing Target and hand-me-downs."
Meanwhile, Behrs has experience with not only being broke, but also with working in the restaurant biz. "I was a broke girl before I got 'Two Broke Girls,'" she laughs. "Right before I landed the role, I was a tutor and a nanny five days a week. And I was a waitress at Chili's and a hostess for literally a month. That was probably the worst job I've ever had. Being a hostess is super boring!"
Luckily, going to work is no longer a drag for Behrs, who graduated from UCLA in 2008 and has only been a struggling actress for three years. "I'm so incredibly grateful and lucky," she gushes. "I've wanted to do this my whole life, so it's like a dream come true."
Working with Dennings is also a dream. "She's become my best friend," smiles Behrs. "I really don't think I could have gone through all this for my first time as a lead on a show without her."
Dennings agrees. "We're pretty inseparable at this point. When we're not working, we really miss each other. We text every day. I can't imagine what it would be like to work with someone you don't love." Or someone you can't share cupcakes with. "Beth only likes the cake, and I only like the frosting," she notes. "That means when we share a cupcake, we're both getting what we want, which further drives home the fact that we're soulmates!"
Their faces are also plastered on billboards across the country. "Do you want to hear the craziest story ever?" asks Dennings. "This morning before, I went to work I opened my mailbox and there was a coupon pack with my face on it. I got myself in the mail! Do you know what that's like?" Um, no. "It's terrifying. Opening my mailbox and seeing me peeking out at me -- it was weird and surreal and hilarious." So is "Two Broke Girls." Check out the premiere on Monday, September 19 at 9:30 p.m. ET/PT on CBS.
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