Lena Dunham is a multi-talented American artist known for her work in television and film. She gained significant recognition for creating, writing, directing, and starring in the HBO series "Girls," which earned her numerous awards and nominations, including two Golden Globe Awards and the distinction of being the first woman to win the Directors Guild of America Award for Outstanding Directing – Comedy Series. Her career began with the independent film "Tiny Furniture," which she wrote, directed, and starred in, winning an Independent Spirit Award. She has continued to write and direct, with more recent projects including the films "Sharp Stick" and "Catherine Called Birdy" in 2022.
May 13, 1986: Lena Dunham is Born
Lena Dunham was born on May 13, 1986.
1998: Sex and the City Premieres
The HBO series "Sex and the City," which later influenced Dunham's "Girls," premiered in 1998.
2005: Barry Controversy
In 2005, Lena Dunham graduated from Oberlin College. Details in her book, "Not That Kind of Girl," about an alleged sexual assault by a classmate she called "Barry," sparked controversy and led to a reprint with a disclaimer from Random House.
2006: Pressure DVD Release
"Pressure" was released as a DVD extra with "Tiny Furniture" in 2006.
2006: Pressure Released
Dunham produced and released the short film "Pressure" in 2006.
2007: Tight Shots Web Series
Dunham starred in the ten-episode web series "Tight Shots" for Nerve.com in 2007.
2007: Short Films Released on DVD
Dunham's short films "Open the Door," "Hooker on Campus," and "The Fountain" were released as DVD extras with "Tiny Furniture" in 2007.
2008: Oberlin College Graduation
Dunham graduated from Oberlin College with a degree in creative writing in 2008.
2009: Delusional Downtown Divas
Dunham created the web series "Delusional Downtown Divas" for Index Magazine, satirizing the New York City art scene, in 2009.
2009: Creative Nonfiction Premieres
Dunham's film "Creative Nonfiction" premiered at the South by Southwest Festival in 2009.
2010: Tiny Furniture Breakthrough
Dunham's film "Tiny Furniture" had its breakthrough year in 2010, winning Best Narrative Feature at South by Southwest and screening at various festivals.
2010: Tiny Furniture Wins Award
Dunham's film "Tiny Furniture" won Best Narrative Feature at South by Southwest and was screened at other festivals in 2010.
2011: Girls Greenlit by HBO
HBO greenlit Dunham's television series "Girls" in early 2011.
April 2012: Girls Renewed for Second Season
"Girls" was renewed for a second season by HBO in April 2012.
April 15, 2012: Girls Premieres on HBO to Critical Acclaim
The first season of "Girls" premiered on HBO on April 15, 2012, and received critical acclaim.
2012: Girls Premieres on HBO
In 2012, Dunham's television series, "Girls," premiered on HBO.
2012: Lena Dunham's Obama Campaign Ad
In 2012, Lena Dunham appeared in a video for Barack Obama's re-election campaign, targeting young voters. The ad drew criticism for comparing voting to losing one's virginity. Dunham defended the ad, stating its message about voting for women's rights was serious.
2012: Assault Allegations Against Murray Miller
In 2012, actress Aurora Perrineau accused "Girls" writer Murray Miller of sexual assault.
2012: Relationship with Jack Antonoff Begins
Lena Dunham started dating musician Jack Antonoff in 2012.
2012: Girls Screened at SXSW
Three episodes of "Girls" were screened at the 2012 South by Southwest Festival.
2012: Book Deal with Random House
In 2012, Dunham signed a $3.5 million deal with Random House to publish her first book.
2012: Film Appearances
Dunham appeared in the films "Supporting Characters" and "This Is 40" in 2012.
January 2013: Girls Season 2 Premiere
The second season of "Girls" premiered on HBO in January 2013, receiving positive reviews for its realistic portrayal of young urbanites.
February 2013: Dunham Wins DGA Award
In February 2013, Dunham became the first woman to win a Directors Guild of America Award for Outstanding Directing – Comedy Series for her work on "Girls."
March 2013: Girls Season 2 Conclusion and Renewals
The second season of "Girls" concluded in March 2013 on HBO, and the show was subsequently renewed for third and fourth seasons.
2013: Time 100 Recognition
Dunham was included in the Time 100 list of the most influential people in the world in 2013.
January 2014: Girls Season 3 Premiere
The third season of "Girls" premiered in January 2014 with over one million viewers.
September 2014: Not That Kind of Girl Publication
Lena Dunham's first book, "Not That Kind of Girl: A Young Woman Tells You What She's "Learned"," was published in September 2014.
October 2014: Not That Kind of Girl Best Seller Status
In October 2014, "Not That Kind of Girl" reached number two on The New York Times Best Seller list.
2014: Horizon Award
In 2014, Lena Dunham received the Horizon Award from the Point Foundation for her contributions to and support of the LGBTQ+ community.
2014: Cyrus Dunham Graduates from Brown University
Dunham's younger sibling, Cyrus, graduated from Brown University in 2014.
2014: Not That Kind of Girl Published
Dunham released her first book, "Not That Kind of Girl: A Young Woman Tells You What She's "Learned"", in 2014.
2014: Happy Christmas Appearance
Dunham appeared in the film "Happy Christmas" in 2014.
January 5, 2015: Girls Renewed for Fifth Season
On January 5, 2015, "Girls" was renewed for a fifth season.
February 20, 2015: Dunham Cast in Scandal
On February 20, 2015, it was reported that Dunham was cast in a guest role on the ABC drama series "Scandal".
March 19, 2015: Dunham's Scandal Episode Airs
Dunham's guest appearance on "Scandal" aired on March 19, 2015.
September 2015: Girls Sixth Season Announced as Final
In September 2015, it was announced that the sixth season of "Girls" would be its last.
2015: Lenny Letter Launched
Dunham and Jenni Konner co-created the feminist online newsletter Lenny Letter in 2015.
2015: Lenny Letter Launched
Dunham and Jenni Konner co-founded the feminist online newsletter Lenny Letter in 2015.
2015: Television Guest Roles
Dunham had guest roles on "Scandal" and "The Simpsons" in 2015.
April 2016: Dunham's Political Stance
In April 2016, Lena Dunham endorsed Hillary Clinton and stated she would move to Canada if Donald Trump won the election. After Trump's victory, she decided to stay in the US.
September 2016: Odell Beckham Jr. Incident
In September 2016, Dunham publicly criticized NFL player Odell Beckham Jr.'s behavior towards her at the Met Gala, leading to accusations of "white entitlement" and a subsequent apology from Dunham.
December 2016: Abortion Comments Controversy
In December 2016, Dunham caused controversy by stating on a podcast that she wished she'd had an abortion. She later apologized for the insensitive remark on Instagram.
2016: Work Begins on Second Book
Dunham began working on her second book in 2016.
2016: Voice Acting Role
Dunham voiced Mary in the animated film "My Entire High School Sinking Into the Sea" in 2016.
2016: Dunham's Film and Voice Acting Roles
In 2016, Dunham appeared in her mother's film, "My Art," and voiced Mary in the animated film "My Entire High School Sinking Into the Sea."
February 2017: Unedited Glamour Cover
Dunham appeared on the cover of Glamour in February 2017, praising the magazine for featuring an unedited photo.
April 16, 2017: Girls Series Finale
The sixth and final season of "Girls" concluded on April 16, 2017.
June 2017: Political Endorsements
In June 2017, Dunham publicly endorsed Jim Johnson for New Jersey governor and Jeremy Corbyn, leader of the UK Labour Party.
November 2017: Defense of Murray Miller
In November 2017, Dunham defended "Girls" writer Murray Miller against sexual assault allegations, sparking backlash and accusations of racism.
November 2017: Controversy Surrounding Lenny Letter
In November 2017, controversy arose surrounding Dunham and Konner's letter denouncing accusations against Murray Miller, leading to contributor Zinzi Clemmons' departure from Lenny Letter.
December 2017: Separation from Jack Antonoff
Dunham and Jack Antonoff ended their relationship amicably in December 2017.
2017: American Horror Story Role
Dunham portrayed Valerie Solanas in "American Horror Story: Cult" in 2017.
2017: Dunham in American Horror Story: Cult
In 2017, Dunham portrayed Valerie Solanas in "American Horror Story: Cult".
2017: Girls Concludes its Run
In 2017, Dunham's television series, "Girls," concluded its run on HBO.
February 2018: Camping Production Announced
In February 2018, Dunham and Konner announced their production of "Camping," a remake of the British series.
February 2018: Hysterectomy Due to Endometriosis
In February 2018, Dunham shared her experience of undergoing a hysterectomy due to endometriosis in a Vogue essay.
July 25, 2018: Camping Panel at TCA Press Tour
"Camping" held a panel at the Television Critics Association's summer press tour on July 25, 2018.
August 2018: Dunham Cast in Once Upon a Time in Hollywood
In August 2018, it was announced that Dunham would appear in Quentin Tarantino's "Once Upon a Time in Hollywood".
October 2018: Lenny Letter Shutdown
Lenny Letter ceased operations in October 2018.
October 2018: Screenwriting Project Backlash
In October 2018, Dunham's hiring to write a film about a Syrian refugee sparked criticism and accusations of her taking away an opportunity from a Syrian woman.
October 2018: Dunham and Konner Split
Dunham and Konner ended their producing partnership and dissolved their production company in October 2018.
December 2018: Retraction of Miller Defense
In December 2018, Dunham retracted her previous defense of Murray Miller, admitting she had no "insider information" to exonerate him.
2018: Lenny Letter Ceases Publication
Lenny Letter ceased publication in late 2018, after running for three years.
2018: Rehab for Benzodiazepine Addiction
Dunham entered rehab for benzodiazepine addiction in 2018.
July 26, 2019: Once Upon a Time in Hollywood Release
The film "Once Upon a Time in Hollywood," featuring Dunham, was released on July 26, 2019.
August 2019: Good Thing Going Launched
Dunham launched a new production company, Good Thing Going, in August 2019.
2019: The C-Word Podcast Launched
Dunham and Alissa Bennett started "The C-Word Podcast" in 2019.
2019: Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome Diagnosis
Dunham revealed her Ehlers-Danlos syndrome (EDS) diagnosis in 2019.
March 2020: Verified Strangers and Industry
In March 2020, Dunham announced a serialized novel, "Verified Strangers," and directed the first episode of HBO's "Industry".
April 2020: Two Years of Sobriety
Dunham celebrated two years of sobriety in April 2020, after seeking treatment for benzodiazepine addiction in 2018.
July 2020: COVID-19 Experience
In July 2020, Dunham shared her experience with COVID-19, describing severe symptoms lasting three weeks.
January 2021: Relationship with Luis Felber Begins
Dunham began dating musician Luis Felber in January 2021.
September 2021: Marriage to Luis Felber
Dunham and Luis Felber married in September 2021 in a Jewish ceremony.
2021: Music and Genera+ion
In 2021, Dunham had a role in the film "Music" and served as an executive producer on "Genera+ion".
January 2022: Sharp Stick Autism Controversy
In January 2022, Dunham faced criticism for allegedly "ghosting" an autistic consultant who was approached to work on her film "Sharp Stick."
September 12, 2022: Catherine Called Birdy Premiere
"Catherine Called Birdy" premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival on September 12, 2022.
September 23, 2022: Catherine Called Birdy Limited Release
"Catherine Called Birdy" was released in limited theaters on September 23, 2022.
October 7, 2022: Catherine Called Birdy Streaming Release
"Catherine Called Birdy" began streaming on Prime Video on October 7, 2022.
2022: Sharp Stick and Catherine Called Birdy Released
Dunham wrote and directed two films, "Sharp Stick" and "Catherine Called Birdy," in 2022.
December 2023: Too Much Announced
Netflix announced "Too Much," a series co-created by Dunham, in December 2023.