Lena Dunham on fatphobia, courting recommendation and her new London rom-com Too A lot

Lena Dunham is sort of synonymous with New York Metropolis. The US actress, author and director rose to fame along with her award-winning semi-autobiographical collection Ladies, which adopted 4 20-something girls as they navigated love, life and friendship within the Massive Apple.

However her newest challenge – a Netflix rom-com loosely based mostly on her life over the previous couple of years – is about on the opposite aspect of the Atlantic.

Too A lot follows Jessica (Megan Stalter), who strikes from New York to London after breaking apart along with her boyfriend, and falls in love with punk musician Felix (Will Sharpe).

Simply as Dunham did when she moved to London in 2021, Jessica rapidly learns the vital issues concerning the UK: all people loves Paddington, the Jaffa Cake debate is very contentious (it is undoubtedly a biscuit) and a “housing property” is not the sprawling gardens of a lavish manor home.

Dunham tells the BBC that whereas Too A lot has “superficial similarities” to her life and is “about 5% autobiographical”, she did not see herself ever taking part in the present’s protagonist in the best way she did in Ladies.

“I did not take into account Jessica to be me – she’s impressed by my life however is her personal character and was written with Megan in thoughts,” she says.

Megan Stalter says Ladies “was all about intercourse and Too A lot is about falling in love”, which is a much like how Dunham sees the present.

There was additionally another excuse she selected to step away from the highlight. Whereas filming Ladies, in her 20s, Dunham’s physique was closely scrutinised and final yr, she informed the New Yorker she “was not up for having my physique dissected once more”.

She explains that physique shaming was a part of the explanation she stepped additional behind the digicam. “Simply being perceived was overwhelming,” she says.

Dunham has spent the previous few years specializing in writing tasks that do not centre her as an actor.

She believes society has made some strides in the direction of being extra physique optimistic, however says the tradition we reside in continues to be “so deeply fatphobic, misogynistic, racist and ageist and that informs our dynamic with our physique”.

The 39-year-old has been vocal about challenges she’s confronted along with her well being, significantly her endometriosis, which led her to have a hysterectomy aged 31.

Requested how her relationship along with her physique has modified since then, she says she’s developed a brand new love for the way she seems to be.

“I have been capable of have a relationship with my physique that exists exterior of the cultural pressures and I really feel fortunate for that.”

In addition to reflecting on how her self picture has modified, Dunham additionally says she’s discovered lots since her 20s.

Having been within the highlight for greater than decade, the actress has had her justifiable share of controversies.

In 2017, she defended Ladies author Murray Miller when he was accused of sexual assault. Dunham later apologised, saying it was “completely the unsuitable time” to share her perspective. Miller vehemently denied the claims and was not charged.

She additionally apologised for a “distasteful joke” she had made on a podcast saying she wished she’d skilled a termination when discussing the US abortion.

“I assumed, again then, it was vital to simply hold going and be robust it doesn’t matter what occurred,” she displays.

“I used to be so centered on work and never letting any of the noise in however I want I had allowed myself to take extra time and area. All of us must acknowledge our personal complexities and sensitivities however it’s arduous to wrap your head round that while you’re in your 20s.”

Dunham’s new 10-episode collection stars Hacks actor Megan Stalter and Will Sharpe, greatest identified for enjoying Ethan Spiller in The White Lotus and movies corresponding to A Actual Ache.

Sharpe, 38, says he pertains to the challenges his character faces, as “everybody carries baggage from their earlier relationship” and feels susceptible after they enter a brand new one.

Stalter pertains to her character too. The 34-year-old says she usually “felt like she was an excessive amount of” in her 20s however with time, has come to be happy with her who she is.

Written with Dunham’s husband, musician Luis Felber, Too A lot focuses on the evolution of 1 romantic relationship.

It is refreshing in its realness – from critical conversations between Jessica and Felix to the actual fact Jessica’s media wage stretches to a housing property in east London fairly than a Bridget Jones-esque flat in Borough Market.

I ask Dunham if she has any courting suggestions for ladies of their 20s, given she’s been by means of the rollercoaster of looking for a life associate.

She says the idea of courting has modified over time, and again within the late noughties, it was “thought of a final resort or an odd factor to satisfy somebody on-line”.

Trying again, Dunham needs she would have allowed herself to know what she actually wished fairly than simply seeing the cultural expectations that had been positioned on her.

“If I used to be letting myself perceive my very own want, my 20s would have seemed actually completely different romantically.”

Too A lot is launched on Netflix on 10 July.