News | Entertainment
3 Dec 2025 3:02
NZCity News
NZCity CalculatorReturn to NZCity

  • Start Page
  • Personalise
  • Sport
  • Weather
  • Finance
  • Shopping
  • Jobs
  • Horoscopes
  • Lotto Results
  • Photo Gallery
  • Site Gallery
  • TVNow
  • Dating
  • SearchNZ
  • NZSearch
  • Crime.co.nz
  • RugbyLeague
  • Make Home
  • About NZCity
  • Contact NZCity
  • Your Privacy
  • Advertising
  • Login
  • Join for Free

  •   Home > News > Entertainment

    Lena Dunham admitted her privilege helped her find success in Hollywood

    The 'Girls' star was just 23 years old when HBO commissioned her hit comedy - which she created, wrote, directed and starred in while acting as ex ecutive producer - and she admitted her "career took off at a young age with relative ease" as she responded to backlash on social media


    In a series of tweets, she wrote: "Whenever I found out I'm trending, I have to immediately check if I'm alive! Then, I try and see if there's a constructive dialogue to have on Twitter. Often there isn't, but today there really WAS.

    "It actually wasn't a dialogue - it was just me agreeing that the Hollywood system is rigged in favour of white people and that my career took off at a young age with relative ease, ease I wasn't able to recognise because I also didn't know what privilege was."

    Lena, now 34, insisted she has learned a lot of lessons over the past decade, and she opened up on what she needs to do now to help bring about change.

    She added: "The past ten years have been a series of lessons. The lesson now? Sit down. Shut up, unless it's to advocate for change for Black people.

    "Listen. Make art in private for awhile- no one needs your book right now lady. Give reparations widely. Defund the police. Rinse & repeat. (sic)"

    The actress was responding after critics on social media brought up a past interview with The Hollywood Reporter in which she opened up about her lack of preparation and development when she signed with HBO for 'Girls', while others pointed to her family's wealth.

    Discussing her pitch to HBO - which she described as the worst "you've ever read" - Lena admitted she didn't even go into characters or a plot.

    She previously said: "I wrote HBO this one sheet. It was like a tone poem about millennial life. It doesn't mention a character, doesn't mention a plot. "'They're everything, they're nothing, they're everywhere, they're nowhere.'

    "I mean, it's the worst pitch you've ever read -- pretentious and horrifying -- but I remember writing it, sitting on the floor listening to Tegan and Sara in my underwear, being like, 'I'm a genius.' "

    © 2025 Bang Showbiz, NZCity

     Other Entertainment News
     02 Dec: Elizabeth Olsen has always "idolised the British countryside"
     02 Dec: Lisa Vanderpump thinks the new series of Vanderpump Rules is "very different"
     02 Dec: Halle Bailey feels fully "healed"
     02 Dec: Taylor Swift has hailed Travis Kelce as the "greatest surprise" of her life
     02 Dec: Lauren Jauregui relished reuniting with Normani at Dancing With the Stars
     02 Dec: Paul Mescal has a "real desire to love and be loved"
     02 Dec: Ariana Grande and Jonathan Bailey had a scene cut from Wicked: For Good because it was "too passionate"
     Top Stories

    RUGBY RUGBY
    All Black Rieko Ioane is poised to make his Leinster rugby debut in Sunday's Champions Cup opener against Harlequins More...


    BUSINESS BUSINESS
    Fears of spying and interrogation as 'mega' Chinese embassy in London looks set for approval More...



     Today's News

    Motoring:
    A man's in custody after a chase with Police in Invercargill tonight 23:07

    Entertainment:
    Elizabeth Olsen has always "idolised the British countryside" 21:32

    Accident and Emergency:
    A crash has closed State Highway Six near Lochiel, north of Invercargill 21:17

    Entertainment:
    Lisa Vanderpump thinks the new series of Vanderpump Rules is "very different" 21:02

    Entertainment:
    Halle Bailey feels fully "healed" 20:32

    Entertainment:
    Taylor Swift has hailed Travis Kelce as the "greatest surprise" of her life 20:02

    Entertainment:
    Lauren Jauregui relished reuniting with Normani at Dancing With the Stars 19:32

    Law and Order:
    A 14-year-old has been arrested after a dairy worker was stabbed in an aggravated robbery in Christchurch this morning 19:17

    Business:
    Fears of spying and interrogation as 'mega' Chinese embassy in London looks set for approval 19:07

    Entertainment:
    Paul Mescal has a "real desire to love and be loved" 19:02


     News Search






    Power Search


    © 2025 New Zealand City Ltd