News | Entertainment
14 Feb 2026 18:48
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.' "

    © 2026 Bang Showbiz, NZCity

     Other Entertainment News
     14 Feb: Nick Jonas admires Priyanka Chopra's "willingness to get her hands dirty"
     14 Feb: Jennifer Garner channelled her dance background in The Last Thing He Told Me
     14 Feb: Sarah Michelle Gellar believes James Van Der Beek's legacy "will always live on"
     14 Feb: Kim Kardashian feels "safe" with Sir Lewis Hamilton
     14 Feb: Nikki Reed has paid an emotional tribute to James Van Der Beek
     14 Feb: Priyanka Chopra found criticism of her marriage to be "hurtful"
     14 Feb: Halle Berry has "zero f**** to give" at this stage of her career
     Top Stories

    RUGBY RUGBY
    Blues fullback Zarn Sullivan has fresh motivation heading into the Super Rugby Pacific season More...


    BUSINESS BUSINESS
    OpenAI has deleted the word ‘safely’ from its mission – and its new structure is a test for whether AI serves society or shareholders More...



     Today's News

    Rugby:
    Blues fullback Zarn Sullivan has fresh motivation heading into the Super Rugby Pacific season 18:37

    Entertainment:
    Nick Jonas admires Priyanka Chopra's "willingness to get her hands dirty" 18:21

    Politics:
    The US government has just entered another shutdown. Here's what it means this time 18:17

    Cricket:
    An international sporting rivalry is set for another chapter 18:07

    Entertainment:
    Jennifer Garner channelled her dance background in The Last Thing He Told Me 17:51

    Rugby:
    News Chiefs recruit Kyren Taumoefolau is looking to continue his momentum after being named to start on the right wing for tonight's Super Rugby Pacific clash with the Blues in Auckland 17:37

    Environment:
    Otorohanga and Tairawhiti are in the path of bad weather this weekend 17:27

    Entertainment:
    Sarah Michelle Gellar believes James Van Der Beek's legacy "will always live on" 17:21

    Basketball:
    The Breakers believe shutting down star guard Bryce Cotton will be the key to beating the Adelaide 36ers in tonight's Aussie NBL basketball clash 16:57

    Entertainment:
    Kim Kardashian feels "safe" with Sir Lewis Hamilton 16:51


     News Search






    Power Search


    © 2026 New Zealand City Ltd