Katherine Moennig

Katherine Sian Moennig (Template:IPAc-en;<ref>Template:Cite tweet</ref> born December 29, 1977)<ref name="tvg">Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref> is an American actress. She is best known for her role as Shane McCutcheon on The L Word (2004–2009), as well as Jake Pratt on Young Americans (2000). Moennig played the role of Lena in the Showtime series Ray Donovan from 2013 to 2019. She played a recurring role on Grown-ish on Freeform as Professor Paige Hewson in seasons 2 and 3. She reprised her role as Shane McCutcheon in The L Word: Generation Q in 2019. Moennig currently hosts the podcast PANTS with close friend and L Word co-star, Leisha Hailey.

Career

Moennig moved to New York City at the age of 18 to study at the American Academy of Dramatic Arts,<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref> and years later the school requested for her to make a speech to the graduating class.

In 1999, she had the central role in the Our Lady Peace video "Is Anybody Home?".<ref>Template:Cite book</ref> She also took a role in a Fleet Bank commercial,<ref>Template:Cite AV media</ref> and appeared in a Red Cross Campaign benefiting victims of Hurricane Katrina.<ref>Template:Cite AV media</ref> Moennig was a presenter at the 17th annual GLAAD awards<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> and appeared at the 10th annual Ribbon of Hope Celebration.<ref>Template:Citation</ref>

Moennig's first major role was in the television series Young Americans, playing Jake Pratt. She has played multiple lesbian roles: Shane McCutcheon in The L Word; Rosie's (Drew Barrymore) partner Jilly in Everybody's Fine; Candace, the lesbian lover of Sophia Myles' character, in Art School Confidential; and Lena, a press agent who works for Liev Schreiber's character, in Ray Donovan. She has also pursued transgender roles, auditioning for the part of the transgender man Brandon Teena in Boys Don't Cry,<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> and playing Cheryl Avery, a young transgender woman in the Law & Order: Special Victims Unit episode "Fallacy".

In April 2006, Moennig made her Off-Broadway debut as "American Girl", opposite Lee Pace, in Guardians by Peter Morris. The story is loosely based on that of Lynndie England.<ref name="GuardiansReview">Template:Cite news</ref>

In 2007, the Hetrick-Martin Institute (HMI) produced the documentary My Address: A Look At Gay Youth Homelessness in cooperation with Moennig. Directed by Gigi Nicolas, the documentary explored the experiences of homeless gay youth and the work of the HMI.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

In 2009, Moennig joined the cast of the TV series Three Rivers.<ref name="THESUNDAYCONVERSATION">Template:Cite news</ref> On November 30, 2009, it was announced that CBS had pulled Three Rivers from the schedule, with no plans to return it. Moennig appeared in several episodes of This Just Out in 2010,<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> 2015, and 2017.

In 2013, tomboy clothing range Wildfang launched in America. Moennig was an ambassador for the brand,<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> appearing in the launch video and designing a limited edition pair of boots.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Also in 2013, Moennig joined the cast of the Showtime drama Ray Donovan, starring as Lena, Ray Donovan's assistant.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

In 2017, Moennig narrated her first audiobook, The Late Show by Michael Connelly.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

In 2019, Moennig reprised her role as Shane McCutcheon in The L Word sequel, The L Word: Generation Q.<ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref>

In 2023 Moennig, Jennifer Beals, Leisha Hailey, and the co-creator of the The L Word, Ilene Chaiken appeared at the White House for lesbian visibility week.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

In 2024, Moennig along with some cast members from the The L Word (Jennifer Beals and Leisha Hailey) were brought onstage at Coachella as they introduced Renee Rapp and Towa Bird.

In 2025, Moennig co-authored a memoir, So Gay for You: Friendship, Found Family, and the Show That Started It All, with her L Word co-star Leisha Hailey.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Personal life

Moennig was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania,<ref name=tvg /> the daughter of Broadway dancer Mary Zahn and violin-maker William H. Moennig III.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> Her father's maternal half-sister is actress Blythe Danner, making her a half first cousin of Gwyneth Paltrow and Jake Paltrow.<ref name="NYOInterview">Template:Cite news</ref>

Moennig is a lesbian.<ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref> She married musician Ana Rezende<ref name="Brune">Template:Cite web</ref> in 2017.

Filmography

Film

Year	Title	Role	Notes
2000	Template:Sortname	Wanja Kasczinsky	Short film
2001	Slo-Mo	Raven	Short film
2001	Love the Hard Way	Debbie
2001	The Shipping News	Grace Moosup
2004	Invitation to a Suicide	Eva
2006	Art School Confidential	Candace
2009	Everybody's Fine	Jilly
2010	Lez Chat	Athletic Woman	Short film
2011	The Lincoln Lawyer	Gloria
2012	Gone	Erica Lonsdale
2014	Default	Juliana
2016	My Dead Boyfriend	Zoe
2017	Lane 1974	Hallelujah
2023	Squealer	Earline

Television

Year	Title	Role	Notes
2000	Young Americans	Jacqueline "Jake" Pratt	Main role (8 episodes)
2001	Law & Order	Melissa Cobin	Episode: "For Love or Money" (S12E03)
2003	Law & Order: Special Victims Unit	Cheryl Avery	Episode: "Fallacy" (S4E21)
2004–2009	Template:Sortname	Shane McCutcheon	Main role (70 episodes)
2008	CSI: Miami	Mary Landis	Episode: "Rock and a Hard Place" (S6E19)
2009–2010	Three Rivers	Dr. Miranda Foster	Main role (13 episodes)
2010	Dexter	Michael Angelo	Episode: "First Blood" (S5E05)
2013–2019	Ray Donovan	Lena Burnham	Main role (65 episodes)
2019	Grown-ish	Professor Paige Hewson	Recurring role (8 episodes)
2019–2023	The L Word: Generation Q	Shane McCutcheon	Main role
2022	Ray Donovan: The Movie	Lena Burnham	Television film
2024	No Good Deed	Gwen Delvecchio	3 episodes

Theatre

Title	Role
Guardians	American Girl
As You Like It	Shepherdess
Template:Sortname	Irene
Comedy of Art	Isabella
Morning in the City
Nolan	Karen
Love Letters	Dr. Melissa
The Shadow Box	Felicity
Template:Sortname	Byeta
The Two Gentlemen of Verona	Lucetta
Template:Sortname	Pat
Burn This	Anna
Alone at the Beach	Chris
Lovers	Maggie
Anna K	Anna<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Bibliography

• So Gay for You: Friendship, Found Family, and the Show That Started It All (2025) by Kate Moennig and Leisha Hailey, St. Martin's Press, Template:ISBN

External links

• Template:IMDb name