"Always want to work with those people again" - Lena Dunham discusses her idea of what a return of HBO's Girls would look like

Lena Dunham's comedy-drama series Girls aired for six seasons from April 15, 2012, to April 16, 2017, on HBO. In addition to creating, directing, and writing the series, Dunham also starred as one of the show's main characters, Hannah Horvath, a 20-something aspiring writer.

Other characters, Allison Williams as Marnie Michaels, Jemima Kirke as Jessa Johansson, and Shoshanna Shapiro as Zosia Mamet, rounded out the core friend group.

On July 8, 2025, Variety asked Dunham about her thoughts on reviving her acclaimed HBO series. The 39-year-old star replied that she was open to the idea as long as she could justify bringing the characters back.

"If we had something to say that was really specific and it was a moment in their lives where we felt like revisiting it — like millennial women becoming mothers or stepping into menopause or going to live at old-age homes — I would always want to work with those people again," she said.

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Lena Dunham reflects on the fates of the characters from Girls

In the interview, Lena Dunham gave fans a glimpse into what she imagines the characters from Girls might be doing in the present. She began with Shoshanna, the most naive member of the group, who walked away from her friends' toxicity at the end of the series. Dunham also added how her character's best friend, Marnie, might still be working through her issues.

"Shoshanna was married to, then divorced from, the mayor of New York City, and she runs an athleisure startup that’s zero-waste. Marnie — it’s third marriage. She still sings, but I think Marnie really needs to take it to s*x and love addicts anonymous."

She further speculated that Jessa likely continues her bohemian lifestyle in a European country. Meanwhile, her ex-boyfriends, Adam and Elijah, are both finding success as actors in their own ways. Ray, the most level-headed member of the group, is thriving in his life.

"Jessa is unvaccinated and lives on a boat in Croatia. Adam is a cult theater actor, and he’s probably living in Berlin, and Ray is still on city council and running his coffee shop and doing better than anyone. Elijah is the fourth lead on a sitcom, making a good amount of money and still looking for love in all the wrong places."

Speaking of her own character, Dunham imagines Hannah leading a more fulfilling life and finally at peace with herself and her life choices.

"She teaches at Bard and loves raising her son. She probably has a girlfriend who’s, like, a chef. And she’s less obsessed with being famous. That is where I feel that she would land."

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Lena Dunham's Girls was a groundbreaking series on female friendships

Spanning six seasons, Lena Dunham's Girls featured 62 episodes that explored the complexities of female friendships, romantic relationships, and career challenges in its honest and messy form.

In April 2012, Time Magazine's James Poniewozik called the series' portrayal of four millennial women on a journey of self-discovery "audacious, nuanced and richly, often excruciatingly funny." The series has an average score of 89% on Rotten Tomatoes, based on 202 critic reviews.

Throughout its run, the series was nominated for 19 Primetime Emmy Awards. It won twice, with Jennifer Euston receiving the award for 'Outstanding Casting for a Comedy Series' in 2012 and Peter Scolari winning for 'Outstanding Guest Actor in a Comedy Series' in 2016.

It also received 6 Golden Globe Award nominations and two wins for 'Best Television Series – Musical or Comedy' and 'Best Performance by an Actress in a Television Series – Musical or Comedy' for Lena Dunham, both in 2013.

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Watch all episodes of Girls exclusively on HBO Max.