One to Watch: Kat Dennings

Kat Dennings is just one of a crop of young stars that are set to make a real impact on cinema screens in 2009 and is the first of FemaleFirst Ones to Watch talents.

At the age of twenty two Dennings has enjoyed a very successful television career moving between shows such as Sex and the City, Raising Dad and ER but it's her role in the soon to be released Nick and Norah's Infinite Playlist that will shoot her to stardom.

Born in Bryn Mawr near Pennsylvania her family moved to Los Angeles so that their daughter could pursue her acting career, a move that proved to be fruitful.

Like many stars her career began in television as she starred in a string of commercials before moving into television shows, starting with an episode of Sex and the City, Hot Child In The City, in 2000.

She moved between television series such as Without A Trace and Less Then Perfect as well as TV movies such as The Scream Team and The Snobs.

But 2005 brought her a break when she landed the small role of Marla in Judd Aptow's breakthrough movie The 40 Year Old Virgin before moving back into television with CSI:NY and ER.

But 2008 has really seen her make a leap into movies kicking off the year starring alongside Robert Downey Jr as his daughter in coming of age movie Charlie Bartlett.

Next up for the young actress was The House Bunny which followed Shelley Darlington, a former Playboy bunny who signs up to be the new house mother at UCLA’s nerdiest sorority, Zeta Alpha Zeta.

Despite mixed reviews from the critics the film opened at number one in America on it's opening day but had to give up the top spot to Tropic Thunder. However it reached number one in the UK.

But 2009 looks bright for Kat with a handful of movies all ready for release. And it's Nick and Norah's Infinite Playlist that looks set to be the most successful of those movies as the romantic teen comedy has already bee likened to American Graffiti.

Nick frequents New York's indie rock scene nursing a broken heart and playing the bass with his queercore band, The Jerk Offs. Norah is questioning pretty much all of her assumptions about the world.

Though they have nothing in common except for their taste in music, their chance encounter leads to an all-night quest to find a legendary band's secret show and ends up becoming a first date that could change both their lives.

Other projects in the pipeline for the actress this year include Arlen Faber and Shorts.

Nick and Norah's Infinite Playlist is released 30th January

FemaleFirst Helen Earnshaw