Lena Dunham Talks Girls, Nudity on screen, Social Media Hate, and Her Creative Process

Interview by Kristina Moskalenko

Guess who just gave us an interview?!We still can’t believe it ourselves – it’s Lena Dunham! Yes, that Lena Dunham – fresh off the cover of Vogue, dubbed “the voice of a generation,” and never afraid to weigh in on literally anything (including whether or not you should suck in your stomach during sex… yep, really).

Still not obsessed with this wonderfully chaotic girl who couldn’t care less about traditional beauty standards and casually struts around on screen in her underwear? Time to fix that. Watching Girls is officially a must. We’re not usually the snobby type, but let’s be real – skipping the HBO hit might leave you in a total cultural black hole. You’ll have no clue what everyone’s talking about at brunch.

Anyway, consider this your heads-up. And now – the best part: what Lena told us, with all her signature sass and wit.

Kristina Moskalenko: Lena, what do you think is the secret behind the wild success of Girls?

Lena Dunham: I’d like to believe it’s the realism and honesty that draw people in. But hey, maybe they just enjoy the nudity. Honestly, I still can’t believe people outside of Brooklyn even watch Girls.

Kristina Moskalenko: Well, things like messy relationships, career confusion, and post-college existential dread are pretty universal. Speaking of which — everyone wants to know: why are you naked on screen so often?

Lena Dunham: I just don’t get how someone’s supposed to have sex on screen while wearing a bra! I’m not trying to get naked on purpose — but if it makes sense for the scene, I go for it. I’m sure when I’m 50, I’ll cringe at some of it — I definitely go a bit wild in front of the camera sometimes. But I try to know where the line is.

Kristina Moskalenko: That Vogue cover of yours just dropped — how’s your relationship with fashion? And is it true designer Zac Posen used to walk you to school?

Lena Dunham: Totally true. We went to the same school, and he’d walk me like a responsible big brother. I absolutely love his work — he’s made me a few magical dresses. But honestly, I never thought I’d end up in Vogue. A lot of people hate the way I dress — which is fine. You can’t please everyone.

Kristina Moskalenko: At one fashion show, you were spotted sitting next to Victoria Beckham — and then the rumours started flying that she might join Girls…

Lena Dunham: She’s so graceful, elegant, and kind. But nope, no one’s ever brought up her being on the show — that was 100% made up by the press.

Kristina Moskalenko: At the beginning of Season 2, it felt like you and the writing team weren’t totally sure where the story or characters were headed. What was it like starting work on Season 3?

Lena Dunham: We felt a lot more free. By Season 3, we really knew who these characters were — their flaws, their backstories — so we could start throwing them into totally new situations and see how they’d react. It gave us room to experiment and just play.

Kristina Moskalenko: It’s clear the characters have grown up a lot by Season 3. Have you?

Lena Dunham: Oh, 100%. I started working on Girls when I was 23, and I’m turning 28 this year. I’ve spent basically my entire twenties on this show — of course I’ve changed. And that shift definitely shows up in the writing.

Kristina Moskalenko: So are the things that happen in the show based on real life?

Lena Dunham: Definitely! The actual plotlines might be fictional, but all the emotional stuff comes straight from my own experience — and from the people I love. That’s why it ends up being funny, I think. I try to be brutally honest about the awkward, ridiculous situations we all find ourselves in.

Kristina Moskalenko: Can you give any examples?

Lena Dunham: Sure — like all of Hannah’s nightmare bosses? Totally based on my own. It’s my way of getting revenge. And I’d be lying if I said there weren’t bits pulled from past relationships. Anytime a guy in the show acts like a jerk, chances are it’s inspired by someone I dated. I’ve even had exes call me like, “I know that one’s me!” And I’m like — I honestly forgot you existed, I was talking about someone else. But people seem to love being the “inspiration,” even if they come off badly.

Kristina Moskalenko: Are there any lines you won’t cross — things you won’t write into the show?

Lena Dunham: For the most part, no. But I won’t put something in that could hurt someone I care about. My friends and family need to feel safe around me — like they can say something without worrying it’ll pop up on HBO six months later. Another big thing for me is avoiding anything that could be harmful to women. I want the show to celebrate how different we all are — different bodies, personalities, lives — and show that that’s a strength. I’m always trying to make space on screen for more complex and diverse female characters.

Kristina Moskalenko: You’re the producer, the writer, and the lead actor on Girls. How do you manage all that?

Lena Dunham: Sometimes it’s manageable. Sometimes it feels like if I stand up from bed I’ll just drop dead from exhaustion. But I have an amazing team of co-writers and collaborators who pick up the slack when I hit a wall.

Kristina Moskalenko: Once Girls ends, how do you see your future — as a writer, a producer or an actress?

Lena Dunham: Writing is where it all started. That’s my first love and always will be. But I do love acting — I’ve learned so much from doing it these past few years. It’s a great way to channel creative energy that writing doesn’t always use up. I feel super lucky I’ve gotten to do all three. But once Girls wraps, I think I’ll focus more on writing and producing. I want to write great roles for grown women — I just don’t necessarily want to play them myself.

Kristina Moskalenko: Ever thought of trying stand-up?

Lena Dunham: I actually did back in high school—and realized pretty quickly I had neither the talent nor the timing. But I love watching other people do it.

Kristina Moskalenko: What’s your writing process like? Are you a routine kind of writer, or do you go with the flow?

Lena Dunham: I wish I could say I had a routine. The truth is, I write whenever and wherever I can. Usually in bed or on planes. I do technically own a desk, but it’s just a fancy shelf for random stuff at this point. When you’re constantly filming, you have to snatch any free moment to write. That said, I’m trying to learn the discipline of writing on a schedule. It’s… a work in progress.

Kristina Moskalenko: So do you basically carry your laptop everywhere?

Lena Dunham: Yep. That’s why my bag looks like it’s been through a war. I haven’t upgraded to a MacBook Air yet—I still lug around this clunky beast of a laptop.

Kristina Moskalenko: Is that also why you’re so fast at replying on Twitter? And how do you deal with the haters online?

Lena Dunham: Some days, I can just laugh it off. Other times, I spiral—thinking, Why are they saying this?! This is torture! My dad always tells me, “Just quit Twitter. You’d get more done.” And yeah, part of me agrees. But deep down, I think writers need it. Writing is such a solitary thing—you crave connection. You want to know if people are thinking about the same stuff you are. But when 150 people are yelling awful things at you all at once… and you have no idea why? That can mess with your head.

Kristina Moskalenko: Speaking of social media—you rarely post nude photos on Instagram, yet there’s a lot of nudity in your show. Is that a personal boundary? Or just a difference between platforms?

Lena Dunham: First off, Instagram doesn’t allow nudity. Second, I honestly have zero desire to post naked pictures of myself online. It’s one thing to get undressed for the camera; it’s another to put it on your feed. I’d rather take photos of cool buildings, honestly. Plus, HBO gives me a lot of creative freedom. They really trust me and support the risks I take. Of course, there are lines even HBO won’t cross—but those aren’t lines I’m interested in crossing anyway.

Kristina Moskalenko: Do you improvise a lot on set?

Lena Dunham: We do! Especially Zosia Mamet—she’s got such a sharp sense of her character and often plays off-script in this wonderfully instinctive way. We’re not super rigid about sticking to the script, though it depends on the scene. Some moments need exact wording, others just need the right energy.

Kristina Moskalenko: Her character’s name is Shoshanna—a pretty old-school Jewish-Christian name. Where did you get it from?

Lena Dunham: Jerry Seinfeld dated a girl named Shoshanna in a ’90s episode of Seinfeld—she was gorgeous, stylish, that kind of unforgettable. When I was creating my Shoshanna, I thought about her—her flair, her vibe. Plus, in the U.S., the name’s had a comeback among Jewish girls from Long Island. And I love her nickname “Shosh”—it sounds like “Shush,” which is just hilarious to me. I have a soft spot for giving characters funny or unexpected names. Honestly, I could spend hours just naming people. Also, Seinfeld is a forever favorite. I adore any comedy that leans into the neurotic Jewish archetype.

Kristina Moskalenko: Neurotic men? Does your character Hannah is into them too?

Lena Dunham: Ha! Well, Hannah—my character—hasn’t exactly been blessed with great guys in her life. She doesn’t have many male friends either, which makes it harder for her to trust men. I, on the other hand, have always had amazing, supportive guy friends—starting with my dad. So yeah, I guess my views and tastes are a little more formed and optimistic.

Kristina Moskalenko: What do you think of Lily Allen’s Hard Out Here—that whole take on how tough it is to be smart, beautiful, and successful at the same time?

Lena Dunham: I love it. I think it’s so important to speak up about those things. If we want to change the culture in entertainment, we have to say the uncomfortable stuff—loudly—and not be afraid of losing gigs over it. That said, I don’t think we should shame women who play the game either—who go the silicone route or conform to the system just to survive it. I really admire Jennifer Lawrence—she’s got a clear stance on body standards in Hollywood. She even said we should ban the word “fat.” That’s bold.

A lot of people still act like Hollywood is this closed-door mafia, and if you say the wrong thing, you’re done. But honestly, the only way anything ever changes is if someone has the guts to be radically honest.