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Lena DunhamΒ (/ΛliΛnΙΒ ΛdΚnΙm/; born May 13, 1986)Β is an American writer, director, actress, and producer. She is the creator, writer, and star of theΒ HBOΒ television seriesΒ GirlsΒ (2012β2017), for which she received severalΒ Emmy AwardΒ nominations and twoΒ Golden Globe Awards.Β Dunham also directed several episodes ofΒ GirlsΒ and became the first woman to win theΒ Directors Guild of America Award for Outstanding Directing β Comedy Series.Β She started her career writing, directing, and starring in her semi-autobiographicalΒ independent filmΒ Tiny FurnitureΒ (2010), for which she won anΒ Independent Spirit AwardΒ for Best First Screenplay. She has since written and directed the 2022 filmsΒ Sharp StickΒ andΒ Catherine Called Birdy.
In 2013, Dunham was included in the annualΒ Time100 list of the most influential people in the world.Β In 2014, Dunham released her first book,Β Not That Kind of Girl: A Young Woman Tells You What She's "Learned".Β In 2015, along withΒ Girls showrunnerΒ Jenni Konner, Dunham created theΒ publicationΒ Lenny Letter, aΒ feministΒ online newsletter. The publication ran for three years before its discontinuation in late 2018.
Dunham briefly appeared in films such asΒ Supporting Characters, This Is 40Β (2012), andΒ Happy ChristmasΒ (2014). She voiced Mary in the 2016 filmΒ My Entire High School Sinking Into the Sea, which premiered at theΒ Toronto International Film Festival. Aside fromΒ Girls, she has played guest roles on television inΒ ScandalΒ andΒ The SimpsonsΒ (both 2015). In 2017, she portrayedΒ Valerie SolanasΒ inΒ American Horror Story: Cult.
Dunham's work and her outspoken presence onΒ social mediaΒ and in interviews have attracted significant controversy, praise, criticism, and media scrutiny throughout her career.