Katherine Moennig Biography: Wife, Age, Net Worth, Parents, Movies, LGBTQ+

Katherine Moennig is an American actress and producer, best known for her iconic role as Shane McCutcheon in The L Word (2004–2009) and its sequel The L Word: Generation Q (2019–2023).

Born on December 29, 1977, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, she has built a career playing androgynous and LGBTQ+ characters, earning a dedicated fanbase for her advocacy and authentic performances.

Profile

• Full Name: Katherine Sian Moennig
• Stage Name: Kate Moennig
• Born: December 29, 1977
• Age: 47 years old
• Birthplace: Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
• Nationality: American
• Occupation: American Actress, Producer, Model
• Height: 1.73 m
• Parents: Mary Zahn (mother, Broadway dancer), and William H. Moennig III (father, violin maker)
• Siblings: William Moennig (brother), and Pamela Moennig (sister)
• Spouse: Ana Rezende (married 2017)
• Children: None
• Relationship: Married
• Net Worth: $2 million to $4 million

Early Life and Education

Katherine Sian Moennig was born on December 29, 1977, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, to Mary Zahn, a Broadway dancer, and William H. Moennig III, a violin maker whose family ran William Moennig & Son, a renowned violin-making business for over a century. She grew up in a creative household with two siblings, William and Pamela, and is the half-niece of actress Blythe Danner, making her a first cousin to Gwyneth Paltrow and Jake Paltrow.

Her mixed German, Scottish, and Irish ancestry shaped her cultural background. At age 10, she performed in a school production of Winnie the Pooh, sparking her acting interest, and later co-wrote and staged a version at Philadelphia’s Free Library.

She attended the Academy of Notre Dame de Namur in Villanova, Pennsylvania, for high school, where she played baseball for the women’s “Beast” team. At 18, she moved to New York City to study at the American Academy of Dramatic Arts, graduating with a theater arts degree.

She also apprenticed at the Williamstown Theatre Festival for two seasons, performing in Shakespeare’s As You Like It alongside Gwyneth Paltrow.

Career

Moennig began her career modeling in print and TV ads, including a Fleet Bank commercial. In 1999, she debuted in the music video for Our Lady Peace‘s Is Anybody Home? and auditioned for Brandon Teena in Boys Don’t Cry (1999), losing the role to Hilary Swank.

Her first major acting role was as Jake Pratt, a gender-nonconforming teen, in Young Americans (2000). She gained fame as Shane McCutcheon, a charismatic hairstylist, in The L Word (2004–2009), a groundbreaking series about lesbian and queer lives. She reprised this role in The L Word: Generation Q (2019–2023).

Other notable roles include Lena, a press agent in Ray Donovan (2013–2020), Dr. Miranda Foster in Three Rivers (2009–2010), and Professor Paige Hewson in grown-ish (Seasons 2–3).

Film credits include The Shipping News (2001), Art School Confidential (2006), Everybody’s Fine (2009), The Lincoln Lawyer (2011), and Lane 1974 (2017). In 2006, she made her Off-Broadway debut as “American Girl” in Guardians, inspired by Lynndie England.

Moennig produced the 2007 documentary My Address: A Look at Gay Youth Homelessness with the Hetrick-Martin Institute and narrated Michael Connelly‘s The Late Show audiobook in 2017. She co-hosts the podcast PANTS with L Word co-star Leisha Hailey and was an ambassador for Wildfang, designing a limited-edition boot in 2013.

Awards and Nominations

• Won: None documented for major awards
• Nominated: Satellite Award for Best Actress in a Supporting Role (The L Word, year unspecified)

Her performances, particularly in The L Word and Ray Donovan, have earned critical acclaim, but she has not received major industry awards, likely due to her focus on niche roles.

Social Media

• Instagram Handle: @kateomoennig
• Twitter Handle: @katemoennig
• Facebook Handle: @KatherineMoennig

Personal Life

Katherine Moennig lives in Los Angeles, California, owning a two-bedroom cottage in the Hollywood Hills, purchased for $1.4 million in 2017 after selling her Laurel Canyon home for $1.115 million. She is openly lesbian and married to Brazilian film director and musician Ana Rezende in 2017 in a private ceremony, confirmed in a 2019 interview on RuPaul‘s podcast What’s The Tee with Michelle Visage.

Previously, she dated Francesca Gregorini (2005, rumored), Holly Miranda (2008–2013), Evan Rachel Wood (2014), and Amanda Moore (undated). She has no children.

Moennig is an animal lover, advocating for animal rights and rescue, and enjoys surfing, hiking, and reading authors like Kurt Vonnegut and Sylvia Plath. Her tattoos include a “2” (numerology life number), a red square, a cross (formerly “K”), a swallow, “audere est facere” (Latin for “to dare is to do”), ivy, “Mary” (for her mother), and a violin with an “M” (for her father).

She is a vocal LGBTQ+ advocate, speaking at the 17th GLAAD Awards and supporting homeless queer youth through the Hetrick-Martin Institute.

Filmography

• The Ice People (2000, short) – Minor role
• Love the Hard Way (2001, film) – Minor role
• The Shipping News (2001, film) – Grace Moosup
• Art School Confidential (2006, film) – Candace
• Everybody’s Fine (2009, film) – Jilly
• The Lincoln Lawyer (2011, film) – Gloria
• Gone (2012, film) – Erica
• Lane 1974 (2017, film) – Hallelujah
• Young Americans (2000, TV series) – Jake Pratt
• Law & Order: Special Victims Unit (2003, TV series, “Fallacy”) – Cheryl Avery
• The L Word (2004–2009, TV series) – Shane McCutcheon
• Three Rivers (2009–2010, TV series) – Dr. Miranda Foster
• CSI: Miami (2008, TV series, Season 6, Episode 19) – Mary Landis
• Ray Donovan (2013–2020, TV series) – Lena
• grown-ish (2019–2020, TV series, Seasons 2–3) – Professor Paige Hewson
• The L Word: Generation Q (2019–2023, TV series) – Shane McCutcheon

Net Worth

Katherine Moennig‘s net worth is estimated at $2 million to $4 million, derived from her acting roles in The L Word, Ray Donovan, The Lincoln Lawyer (2011, grossed $87 million), and other projects, plus modeling, producing, and brand partnerships like Wildfang