“Girls” Lena Dunham: Talking to the Guys

Lena Dunham, 26, the creator and star of the Golden-Globe-winning HBO series, Girls, was recently interviewed by Charlie Rose at his legendary round table. (Is it just me or does everyone feel just a little smarter after watching Charlie Rose?) I first took notice of Dunham when she wrote and starred in the independent film, Tiny Furniture. And with the Golden-Globe win for Girls, Dunham has been transitioning out of small independent-film circles and into the mainstream—her professional collaboration with the Hollywood powerhouse Judd Apatow solidifies this as well.

In the January 2013 Special All-Star Comedy Issue of "Vanity Fair," guest-edited by Apatow, Dunham writes a short list entitled, "12 Things I Learned in 2012 That Are Totally Irrefutable (Unless You Decide to Refute Them)." Number 6 on the list: “People will always find something in your work to argue with. Get used to being humbled, shutting out the noise, second-guessing yourself, and realizing that one out of six times those cretins are right.”

The refreshing Dunham is smart, quick-witted and brutally honest, always there to turn a phrase or paint a very clear, specific scene that leads me to chuckle and to really “get” what she’s describing. It’s been fascinating and inspiring to follow her career, as she enters the mainstream arena, while still presenting someone “untouched” by the potential (superficial) trappings that can result with that shift. She’s confident and sure, yet free enough to admit insecurity, uncertainty and feelings of being overwhelmed with regards to this transition and subsequent managerial responsibilities.

And her number 1: “Self-love and self-loathing are constant, bickering bedfellows. If utilized correctly, both keep you moving forward.”

Here’s a six-minute clip from Rose’s 30-minute interview:



A snippet from Dunham on The Late Show with David Letterman, speaking about the first season and recent premiere of the second season of Girls. She also responds to Howard Stern’s own critique of Dunham’s physicality, which she takes wonderfully in stride. BSo



Here’s a link to "Vanity Fair" to read the other 10 things:

http://www.vanityfair.com/hollywood/2013/01/lena-dunham-girls-what-i-learned-in-2012