What was Lena Dunham’s last TV show? Actress opens up about PTSD, public criticism, and more ahead of her Netflix rom-com ‘Too Much’

After almost eight years of stepping back from the limelight, Lena Dunham making her return to TV with Netflix rom-com Too Much, a show she created with her husband, Luis Felber.

In a recent interview with The Times dated June 28, 2025, Dunham opened up about her hiatus from TV after the final season of her last show, Girls, in 2017. She had not only starred in the show, but had also written, directed and created it.

Ahead of the release of the show inspired by her life, Lena Dunham discussed her experience with PTSD, public criticism, and more. Talking about the backlash she faced for the depiction of nudity, s*x, and abortion on Girls, Dunham said:

“I always joke that I need a T-shirt that says, ‘I survived New York media in 2012 and all I got was this lousy T-shirt.’ And all I got was this lousy PTSD."

Suggesting that the criticism and backlash was the reason why she had stepped away from the limelight, Dunham confessed to not understanding "how to distinguish between what was and wasn’t necessary for the public."

Reflecting on her mindset before the hiatus, Lena Dunham mentioned that she was confused about how she was supposed to respond, stating:

"I thought if I explain properly who I am, or give a glimpse of who I am, people are going to have a different perception of me, that we would be friends. But no one cares — and that’s fine.”

The Tiny Furniture actress also shed light on how she became addicted to prescription anxiety medication after Girls had ended. Dunham told the publication that her addiction had a lot to do with combating physical pain. She eventually went to rehab for the same.

Talking about her "intentional break" from public life, Dunham said that she felt as if the aspects of change and maturity that were kept at bay during the shoot of Girls, were suddenly happening at a pace "that was overwhelming.” The actress dubbed the process of taking a sabbatical, a "painful metamorphosis."

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Lena Dunham reflects on resonating with Girls, public opinions on her body, and more ahead of new Netflix show

During her interview with The Times, Lena Dunham talked about her HBO series Girls, which had earned her the Golden Globes for Best Performance by an Actress in a Television Series - Musical or Comedy in 2013.

Dunham said that the HBO series was a reflection of how she saw her twenties, adding:

“It’s interesting — when I am reminded of the seasons [of Girls], I can see what I was thinking, what place I was in, when I was falling in love, when I was in pain. It’s all in there. I also felt in my twenties there was something embarrassing about writing things that were saccharine or sincere or happy."

Dunham added that while working on Girls, she felt the need to reflect on the harshest aspects of life so that people would feel less lonely by connecting to it.

As for her current state of mind in the context of her upcoming Netflix show, Dunham said that it was fine to reflect on the sweeter parts of life to people to make them feel hopeful.

Apart from discussing PTSD, the backlash that made her back down from public life, and Girls, Lena Dunham also talked about the public opinion on her body. The actress shared that she expected people to have a response to the kind of nudity or depiction of s*x portrayed in the HBO series.

However, the actress revealed that having the shape of her body become the focal point of discussion felt "insane" to her, saying:

“I can’t say I was never rocked, but I’m lucky enough that my thing has never been looking at a picture of myself and picking myself apart or feeling tortured about how I looked—it’s just not my area."

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Lena Dunham's latest Netflix series, Too Much, is set to release on July 10, 2025. The show revolves around a protagonist in her mid-30s called Jessica, played by Megan Stalter, who navigates her life in London following a breakup.