History of Lena Dunham in Timeline

Lena Dunham is an American writer, director, actress, and producer, most notably recognized as the creator, writer, and star of the HBO series "Girls." Her work on "Girls" garnered her Emmy nominations and two Golden Globe Awards. She also won a Directors Guild of America Award for directing the series. Dunham began her career with the semi-autobiographical independent film "Tiny Furniture," earning an Independent Spirit Award for Best First Screenplay. She has continued her work in film, writing and directing projects like "Sharp Stick" and "Catherine Called Birdy."

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Full Timeline

2012: Obama Re-election Advertisement

In fall of 2012, Lena Dunham appeared in a video advertisement promoting President Barack Obama's re-election. The monologue was compared to having sex for the first time. Conservatives criticized the advertisement as tasteless and inappropriate.

2015: Co-founded Lenny Letter

In 2015, Lena Dunham, with Jenni Konner, co-founded Lenny Letter, a feminist online newsletter. It was initially supported by Hearst Corporation advertising and subsequently by Condé Nast. They published a Fiction Issue and a Poetry Issue during fall 2015.

April 2016: Support of Hillary Clinton

In April 2016, Lena Dunham wrote in support of Hillary Clinton, pledging to move to Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, if Donald Trump won the election. After Trump's win, Dunham decided against moving, opting to stay and fight for what she believed in.

September 2016: Odell Beckham Jr. Criticism and Apology

In September 2016, Lena Dunham criticized NFL player Odell Beckham Jr. for his interactions with her at the Met Gala. She later apologized for her characterization of his interactions and thoughts after being criticized for her comments.

December 2016: Abortion comments and apology

In December 2016, Lena Dunham declared on a podcast that she wished she had had an abortion, explaining that she wanted to better understand women who have. Dunham later issued a lengthy apology on her Instagram after widespread condemnation of the comment as insensitive.

February 2017: Glamour Cover Praise

In February 2017, after posing with bare legs for Glamour's cover, Lena Dunham praised the magazine for featuring an unedited photo and leaving the cellulite on her thighs visible.

June 2017: Endorsement of Jim Johnson

In June 2017, Lena Dunham endorsed Jim Johnson, a Democratic New Jersey gubernatorial candidate.

November 2017: Dunham defends Murray Miller

In November 2017, Lena Dunham defended Girls writer Murray Miller, whom actress Aurora Perrineau had accused of sexually assaulting her in 2012. Dunham's initial statement, questioning the validity of Perrineau's accusation, drew immediate backlash, leading to an apology and a retraction of her claims.

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November 2017: Zinzi Clemmons leaves Lenny Letter

In November 2017, following Dunham and Konner's controversial letter denouncing Aurora Perrineau's accusation of sexual assault by Murray Miller, Zinzi Clemmons announced that she would no longer contribute to the Lenny Letter, citing Dunham's racism as "well-known" and calling for women of color to "divest" from Dunham.

December 2017: Separation from Jack Antonoff

In December 2017, Lena Dunham and Jack Antonoff separated after dating since 2012, announcing that the separation was "amicable".

February 2018: Hysterectomy Essay in Vogue

In February 2018, Lena Dunham wrote an essay for Vogue about her decision to have a hysterectomy due to endometriosis.

October 2018: Lenny Letter Shutdown

In October 2018, Lena Dunham and Jenni Konner announced that Lenny Letter would be shutting down, reportedly due to a decline in subscribers and failure to build momentum upon other platforms.

October 2018: Hired to write screenplay

In October 2018, Lena Dunham was hired to write the screenplay for an untitled film based upon the memoir A Hope More Powerful Than the Sea: One Refugee's Incredible Story of Love, Loss, and Survival, by Melissa Fleming. The hiring choice generated backlash from people believing a Syrian woman should have been hired.

A Hope More Powerful Than the Sea: One Refugee's Incredible Story of Love, Loss, and Survival

Check it on Amazon

December 2018: Dunham Recants Support for Miller

In December 2018, Lena Dunham stated that, contrary to her previous statement in November 2017, she had no "insider information" that exonerated Murray Miller from accusations of sexual assault.

2018: Rehab for Benzodiazepine Addiction

In 2018, Lena Dunham entered rehab for an addiction to benzodiazepines.

April 2020: Sobriety Milestone

In April 2020, Lena Dunham celebrated two years of sobriety.

July 2020: COVID-19 Experience

In July 2020, Lena Dunham reported on Instagram her experience with COVID-19, noting that she had "severe symptoms for three weeks" due to people not taking social distancing seriously. She was not hospitalized.

January 2021: Began dating Luis Felber

In January 2021, Lena Dunham began dating English-Peruvian musician Luis Felber after being set up on a blind date by a mutual friend.

September 2021: Marriage to Luis Felber

In September 2021, Lena Dunham and Luis Felber married in a Jewish ceremony at the Union Club in Soho.

December 2023: Netflix Announces 'Too Much'

In December 2023, Netflix announced that 'Too Much,' a new series co-created, written, executive produced, and directed by Lena Dunham, would enter production the following year in the United Kingdom.

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2024: Finding Your Roots episode

A 2024 episode of Finding Your Roots revealed that Lena Dunham is a descendant of Stephanus van Cortlandt (1643–1700), the first native-born mayor of New York City.

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