Kat Dennings opened up about her early days in the industry, revealing that the environment was extremely harsh and showed little regard for inclusivity.

The 38-year-old actress shared that some casting directors shamed her for her looks, with some even calling her "not pretty enough" and "fat."

Kat Dennings credits her "strong mindset" and the support of her parents for helping her stay positive until she finally landed her debut role.

While reflecting on her stellar acting career in a recent interview, Dennings opened up about her early days in the industry as a child actress and how she often had to deal with "extremely negative feedback."

According to the actress, those in charge, such as casting directors, were merciless in their criticism, which made her often wonder why they could be "very cruel" even when they were "talking about a child".

"It was pretty crazy to think about. I'm like, 'How can someone say that to a little kid? This is crazy," said the 38-year-old People Magazine.

On some occasions, she was even insulted because of her looks, while her acting talent was completely ignored.

She added: "For example, I was 12 years old. I'd go to an audition and I'd do it and my manager would call me and I'd be like, 'How did it go?' And they'd be like, 'Well, they thought you're not pretty enough even if you're fat."'

Amidst her reflection, Dennings also said that the industry is not only highly critical, but has shown little regard for inclusivity.

"When I auditioned and started acting, it was a very different environment than it is now," the "2 Broke Girls" star said.

She added: "There wasn't a lot of inclusivity at all. It was very harsh... and people didn't hold back."

Despite the negative feedback she received, Dennings remained steadfast in her goals, believing she had what it took to become a star. With the added support of her parents, she was also able to maintain a "strong mindset" during those challenging times.

"That was my attitude," she told the magazine. "'For some reason, it didn't break my spirit. I was like, 'I'm going to show them.' I guess props to my parents for saying, 'They're idiots.' And I said, 'They're idiots, I'm not.'"

Although it took some time, Dennings eventually secured a proper acting role after starting her career in commercials at the age of nine.

Her first role was in an episode of "Sex and the City" called "Hot Kid in Town," where she played an obnoxious 13-year-old who hires a publicist for her bat mitzvah plans.

She was then cast in the WB sitcom "Raising Dad", although her time on the show was short-lived as it was canceled by the show's showrunners.

Dennings continued to appear in television and film, making her film debut in 2004 as a character named Sloane in Hilary Duff's Raise Your Voice.

Her big break finally came with a role in the popular sitcom "2 Broke Girls", which brought her widespread recognition. She also became part of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, starring in "WandaVision," "What If...?" and in "Thor: Love and Thunder".

Looking back on her journey so far, Dennings now believes that the "totally crazy" environment in which she started as an actress no longer exists.

She believes the industry has become "much softer" and "kinder", especially to those who were once underrepresented because of their looks.

The actress shared, "There's body positivity, there's inclusivity, there's representation, and there was none of that before. It was really gross."

She is currently cast in the ABC sitcom "Shifting Gears," which stars her and veteran actor Tim Allen. She also plays the role of producer in the series along with Anastasia Stanecki.

Dennings married musician Andrew WK in November 2023, and they celebrated their first wedding anniversary late last year.

During an appearance on "The View" this year, the actress was asked by one of the show's hosts, Whoopi Goldberg, if she ever thought about getting married.

In response, Dennings noted that dating has not been easy for her and that prior to her marriage, her view of relationships came from a Goldberg quote.

"It's the worst. It's the worst, isn't it? It's horrible," she said. People. "I've been in a few long relationships and I've tried dating a bit, it's just been a nightmare."

"I actually lived off your quote, Whoopi," the actress continued. "Correct me if this is a misquote, but I looked it up to make sure: I don't want someone in my house."

However, meeting her husband, WK, changed Dennings' view of marriage.

"That was my feelings about marriage in general until I met my husband," she said. "I like it in my house now. I want it in my house!"