Lena Dunham Makes Rare Comment on Falling Out With Girls’ Jenni Konner

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Lena Dunham is looking back at her youth.

The creator of Girls discussed the end of her working and personal relationship with Jenni Konner, which started when she was 24.

Lena recently told The New York Times that she didn’t fully understand how working closely with others – especially when money and creative projects are involved – can strain friendships. She admitted she was very young at the time, still living at home and longing for stability and unwavering support.

However, as the now 39-year-old learned, “Business relationships are conditional. They have to be.”

Lena recalled her father once pointing out that it’s unusual to tell everyone you work with, or stay overnight with, ‘I love you.’ Now, at 40, she realizes she was hoping for a level of closeness from work that just isn’t realistic.

Lena explained that she and Jenni separated when she needed to completely disconnect from her life and start fresh.

Lena described a difficult period in her life where she ended her business partnership, ended her relationship with Jack Antonoff after five years together, and underwent a hysterectomy. She also took a break from work, going from a very busy life to quietly spending time at her parents’ apartment, making collages.

The actress added that, at the time, she was not “capable of keeping anything going.”

The show Girls concluded in 2017 after running for six seasons. While Lena Dunham and Jenni Konner collaborated again on the series Camping, they revealed in 2018 that they were no longer working together.

The pair released a joint statement to The Hollywood Reporter explaining that they share a strong and respectful relationship. Although their individual goals are currently leading them in different directions, they remain enthusiastic about their ongoing projects and dedicated to completing them. They also expressed their continued commitment to HBO, where they’ve worked for a long time, as they both pursue their individual paths.

I’ve been following this situation closely, and while Jenni hasn’t said anything herself, Lena did share that the whole thing happened after she went to rehab for issues with benzodiazepines. It’s just really sad to see, but I’m glad Lena’s being open about what led to it all.

In a 2022 interview with The Hollywood Reporter, Lena explained that her recovery process contributed to her split with Jenni, because it helped her realize she needed to step back and begin anew. She felt she needed to rediscover her own thoughts and feelings.

Even though Lena and Jenni are no longer friends, let’s take a look at some other well-known friendships in Hollywood.

Nicole, who has always loved her sister-in-law’s films, asked her a few years ago if she’d recreate some memorable scenes, including a famous one from My Best Friend’s Wedding.

During a May 2024 appearance on the Everything Iconic with Danny Pellegrino podcast, she recounted telling Cameron, ‘I need you to run towards me from behind the luggage cart, towards the airport.’ She explained that she started directing Cameron while they were driving, telling her exactly what to say. According to her, Cameron happily complied and was very accommodating.

Thank goodness Lawrence is down to hang or we might have been robbed of one of our most beloved set of besties. Their friendship was born from an email the Oscar winner sent after watching Schumer’s 2015 comedy. “I emailed her after I saw Trainwreck and said, ‘I don’t know where to get started. I guess I should just say it: I’m in love with you,'” she recalled to The New York Times. “We started emailing, and then emailing turned to texting.”

But what really solidified their bond was Schumer’s casual invite for her new pal to join her and her high school friends in the Hamptons. Shocked when she said yes, Schumer relaxed when she realized Lawrence is “the coolest chick you’ll ever meet,” she said on The Daily Show. “She’s the best hang, she was like one of the gang.”

Everyone would want a friend who’s successful and established in their neighborhood! Jennifer Lopez and Sofia Vergara have been incredibly close ever since they met and instantly connected at the premiere of Man on Fire in 2004. Lopez described it as an immediate, strong chemistry – feeling like she loved being around Vergara and that she made her laugh.

Vergara was also enthusiastically cheering on Lopez when she performed at President Joe Biden’s inauguration. She told TopMob News that she messaged Lopez, reminding her that she’s a girl from the Bronx, and that her performance was truly inspiring and beautiful to watch.

Considered the ultimate celebrity friendship, these three have been incredibly close ever since they bonded while working on the Warner Brothers lot. According to a source, they “grew up together and shared the defining experience of being on Friends.” Just like staying in touch with former colleagues, they prioritize regular get-togethers, from casual happy hours to big reunions. The source adds that it’s easy for them to connect, whether it’s at Courteney’s Sunday dinners or Jennifer’s pool parties, and that their strong bond will always remain.

Amy Poehler and Tina Fey have been incredibly close friends ever since they met in an improv class in 1993, and they consider each other family. Poehler, who has one younger brother named Greg, explained to PopSugar while promoting their 2015 movie Sisters that she and Fey are like “chosen sisters” and that their friendship has given her a family experience she hadn’t had before.

Philipps described meeting Williams on the set of Dawson’s Creek as love at first sight. They quickly became close friends, bonding over shared activities like drinking wine, smoking, and even getting into trouble. She said they instantly connected and developed a deep affection for each other that has lasted for years. Luckily for fans, we get a glimpse into their lives as they navigate red carpets, coordinate outfits, and occasionally give Williams a fun, pink hair makeover.

As a huge fan of both artists, I was absolutely thrilled when Drake and Adele started hinting at a collaboration! They’ve both been massive stars for years, with a combined 19 Grammys, and it felt like a natural fit. Adele actually told etalk Canada that she really wants to do an official remix with Drake, and she’s such a fan – she even ordered the same red coat he wore in his video! Drake’s response was equally amazing; he said he’d do anything for Adele, even do her laundry! Instead of immediately hitting the studio, they just hung out, grabbed a meal, and went bowling in L.A., which is perfectly them. Honestly, I’m holding out hope for that remix – and maybe a call on their cell phones for us fans!

As a mother of two, Washington always wants to help others the way people helped her during her pregnancies. She told Entertainment Tonight that she makes an effort to have open and honest conversations, especially with her close friend Eva Longoria. When Longoria had her son Santiago in 2018, Washington’s advice was invaluable – Longoria affectionately called her “basically my doula.”

After winning an Oscar over 20 years ago for Good Will Hunting, Matt Damon and Ben Affleck are collaborating again on the film The Last Duel. Despite not working together on screen for a while, their close friendship remains strong. Damon explained to Entertainment Tonight that they’ve known each other for 35 years and grew up together, sharing a passion for acting and filmmaking. He believes this shared obsession during their younger years created a lifelong bond.

Oh my gosh, can you believe it? Oprah and Gayle’s friendship goes ALL the way back to 1976! They were both working at a Baltimore news station, but they didn’t really know each other then – Oprah was an anchor, and Gayle was a production assistant. Gayle told Oprah in an interview that back then, the newsroom was really strict about who hung out with whom. But then, a HUGE snowstorm hit! Oprah, being the amazing person she is, invited Gayle – who was only making $12,000 a year! – to stay with her. And the very next day? They went to the mall! Can you even imagine? They bonded over sweaters at Casual Corner, and that’s how their incredible friendship began! It’s just… the cutest origin story ever!

While your dates probably don’t involve Wimbledon finals or palace visits, Meghan Markle and a certain tennis star actually connected in a very relatable way. Meghan described how they ‘hit it off immediately’ when they met at a 2014 Super Bowl event. She wrote on her now-closed website, The Tig, that they spent time taking pictures, laughing during a flag football game, and chatting about everyday things – not tennis or acting, but just typical ‘girly stuff’.

Even though Game of Thrones is over, the close bond between Sophie Turner and Maisie Williams remains strong. Williams, who was a bridesmaid at Turner’s wedding to Joe Jonas in 2019, playfully suggests the show’s greatest achievement wasn’t its 12 Emmy Awards. She told TopMob News at the final season premiere that the series felt like a long, complex journey to help her find a best friend. “It’s been incredible,” she said, “and having a friend like that during something as crazy as Game of Thrones has been a real blessing.”

Everyone’s heart probably melted watching Ryan Reynolds and Blake Lively’s adorable reaction when their oldest daughter, James, recognized Taylor Swift’s song “Gorgeous” at a concert. Lively jokingly called the video embarrassing, telling Robin Roberts on Good Morning America that it showed their unfiltered and over-the-top parental pride. But their genuine friendship – which includes celebrating the Fourth of July at Taylor’s Rhode Island home, gatherings at the couple’s New York country house, and appearances in Taylor’s music videos – is something special and worth cherishing.

Jennifer Aniston and Reese Witherspoon have a friendship that goes way back, even before their Apple TV+ series, The Morning Show. They first acted together in 2000, playing sisters on an NBC show. Witherspoon, who had recently given birth to her daughter Ava Phillippe, remembers being 23 and breastfeeding on set. Aniston kept asking about the baby, and Witherspoon found it a little strange. She recalls Aniston asking where she was going, and Witherspoon replying, “I’m pumping!” Despite her initial nervousness, Witherspoon said Aniston was incredibly kind, and they’ve been close friends ever since.

Their unlikely friendship began to blossom at the 2015 Comedy Central Roast of Justin Bieber, and was later showcased on their VH1 cooking show, Martha & Snoop’s Potluck Dinner Party. Snoop Dogg explained to LA Weekly that Martha Stewart was different from people he usually hangs out with, but surprisingly relatable. He appreciated that she was genuine and easygoing, noting that despite their different backgrounds and generations, he felt comfortable and understood around her. He described their connection as feeling like a natural partnership, joking that it was more like a sacred bond than just a casual friendship – “holy matrimony, not holy macaroni.”

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2026-04-14 01:48