- published: 02 Oct 2015
- views: 498480
Lena Dunham ( /ˈlinə ˈdənəm/ LEE-nə DUN-um; born May 13, 1986) is an American filmmaker and actress. She directed the independent film Tiny Furniture (2010), and is the creator and star of the HBO series Girls.
Dunham was born in New York City and is the daughter of Laurie Simmons, a photographer and designer, and Carroll Dunham, a painter. Dunham attended Saint Ann's School in Brooklyn, NY, where she met Tiny Furniture actress and co-star in the HBO series Girls, Jemima Kirke.
She graduated from Oberlin College in 2008, where she studied creative arts. Her father is Protestant (Dunham has said that her father is a Mayflower descendant) and her mother is Jewish; Dunham has stated that she feels "very culturally Jewish".
Dunham's 2010 feature film, Tiny Furniture, won Best Narrative Feature at South by Southwest Music and Media Conference. Dunham herself plays the lead role of Aura.
Dunham's television series, Girls, was greenlit by HBO in early 2012. The show is executive produced by Judd Apatow. Three episodes were screened to positive response at the 2011 South by Southwest Festival. The series premiered April 15, 2012.