Lena Dunham said she now understands why the lack of diversity on her hit HBO show Girls was “really disappointing to people.”
The coming-of-age comedy-drama, which ran for six seasons from 2012 to 2017, was previously criticized for its characters not accurately representing New York City’s diverse population. The creator and star defended the series in 2012, saying she’s “half-Jew, half-WASP” and wanted to avoid “tokenism in casting.”
More than a decade after Girls first premiered, Dunham recently reflected on the show, telling The Independent, “I think one of the profound issues around Girls was that there was so little real estate for women in television that if you had a show called Girls, which is such a monolithic name, it sounds like it’s describing all the girls in all the places. And so if it’s not reflecting a multitude of experiences, I understand how that would be really disappointing to people.”
Girls, which also starred Allison Williams, Jemima Kirke, Adam Driver, Zosia Mamet and Alex Karpovsky, followed the lives of a group of young women in their early twenties as they navigated life, love and careers in New York City.
Dunham added that she appreciated “the conversation around Girls” and that it helped her make sure her new show Too Much, which sees her serving as producer, writer and director, featured different perspectives and experiences.
“The thing I have really come to believe is that one of the most important things is not just diversity in front of the camera, but it’s diversity behind the camera,” she explained. “As a producer, one of my goals is to bring a lot of different voices into a position where they can tell their story.”
Too Much, which stars Megan Stalter and Will Sharpe, follows New York workaholic Jessica, who moves to London planning on being alone following a breakup, only to meet Felix, who causes her to reconsider finding love again. The show debuts on Netflix July 10.