Girls Gets A Re-Evaluation From OG Star Nearly 10 Years After Hit HBO Show Ended

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An actress from the HBO show Girls is looking back at the show’s impact and the criticism it received, nearly ten years after it finished airing.

Andrew Rannells, known for his role as Elijah Krantz on the show Girls, shared a recent experience with a fan in an interview with ScreenRant. The story highlights how public opinion of Girls has evolved since it originally aired.

The actor was supporting Lena Dunham at events celebrating her bestselling memoir, Famesick. While they were at the Brooklyn Academy of Music, they met a young fan who had just finished watching Girls for the first time.

Many viewers have found the characters in Girls to be self-centered and difficult to like. But one fan explained to Lena Dunham and Alex Rannells that they didn’t see the characters as selfish, but rather as people prioritizing their own needs.

Rannells admits the characters were somewhat self-centered and flawed, but he also recognizes this fan interaction shows a wider shift in how people are now viewing them in popular culture.

Rannells explained that some people who were the same age as the characters when the show first aired didn’t enjoy it, likely because it felt too personal. He added that now, after 15 years, those same people can rewatch it and realize how true to life it was.

The actor acknowledged he acted badly and was self-centered when he was in his early twenties, and he believes his behavior on Girls mirrored a truth that many viewers weren’t ready to accept when the show originally aired.

Recently, I had a great experience helping Lena with her book launch. I interviewed her at an event at BAM, and since then, we’ve collaborated on a few projects and become very close friends.

So, this young woman came up to me after we were talking about ‘Girls,’ and she told me she was just discovering it – she was probably a kid when it originally aired. It was really interesting because she said she didn’t see the characters as selfish, but as people prioritizing self-care. Honestly, we thought the characters were pretty selfish at times, so we gently pointed out they weren’t exactly role models, but it was cool she had a different take.

Looking back, I definitely wasn’t my best self in my twenties. I was self-centered and overreacted to things. It’s fascinating to see how people’s perspectives change over time, though. Some viewers who were around that age when the show first came out didn’t appreciate it, likely because it felt too relatable. But now, after fifteen years, they can rewatch it and realize how true to life it actually was.

Marnie Michaels, portrayed by Allison Williams in the show Girls, is often considered one of television’s most frustrating characters. She’s known for being rigid, self-centered, and unaware of her own flaws, often coming across as critical and controlling.

Looking back on the series now, both fans and critics view characters like Marnie differently. Thomas Mann, who played Gideon, has noted that Jenny Slate received a lot of criticism for her portrayal of Marnie, but he doesn’t think it was deserved, saying she wasn’t actually that bad.

He’s glad his co-star is no longer being criticized, especially now that Marnie’s situation has been resolved fairly.

It’s great to see Marnie finally getting what she deserves. I’m really pleased for Allison; she faced a lot of criticism for playing that role, but she’s a good person.

As a big fan of Girls, I’m always amazed by Lena Dunham. She didn’t just act in the show – she was the creative force behind it all! She created the series, ran things as showrunner, and even wrote and directed a bunch of episodes. The show really centers around her character, Hannah Horvath, and follows her and her friends as they navigate life and all the ups and downs of being young in New York City.

Once Girls wrapped up, I was so excited to see Jeremy Rannells popping up everywhere! He’s been fantastic in films and series like A Simple Favor, The Boys in the Band, Girls5eva, and now Miss You, Love You which you can find on HBO Max. But honestly, what a lot of people might not know is he’s a total stage veteran – he’s performed in incredible shows like Jersey Boys, The Book of Mormon, Hedwig and the Angry Inch, and even Hamilton! He’s seriously talented.

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2026-05-29 22:29