Few TV series in recent memory inspired more water-cooler conversation than HBO’sGirls. From its 2012 premiere to its 2017 finale, fans and critics alike rushed to defend or excoriate it. Creator, showrunner, and starLena Dunhamnever shied from thorny subject matter and frank sexuality. If anything, she embraced both.
A millennial answer toSex and the City (but with the spirit of an arthouse dramedy),Girlsfollowed Dunham’s Hannah Horvath and three of her friends — Marnie (Allison Williams), Jessa (Jemima Kirke), and Shoshanna (Zosia Mamet) — as they navigated the complexities of post-college life and relationships in New York City.
Both the show and its creator-star were lightning rods for controversy. The series was called out for a bevy of perceived sins, from nepo casting to gratuitous nudity to white privilege. ButGirlswas a critical darling and a regular awards contender, ultimately bringing home a small handful of Golden Globes and Emmys, in addition to DGA and WGA prizes and even a BAFTA.
In the near-decade sinceGirlsleft the air, it has continued to find new audiences while being revisited by old ones. The 2026 publication of Dunham’s memoir,Famesick, which includes its share of revealingbehind-the-scenes details, has only increased interest. With that in mind, let’s take the opportunity to catch up with the cast ofGirlsand find out what they’re up to now.
Lena Dunham (Hannah Horvath)
Lena Dunham became a household name as Hannah, an aspiring writer trying to figure things out in her 20s. Her poor decision-making and chaotic love life were focal points of the series — sometimes to the point of frustration.
Dunham was only 23 when she sold the pilot forGirls; before she was 25, the cameras were rolling. She landed the opportunity on the strength of her feature directorial debut, 2010'sTiny Furniture, and went on to pick up eight Emmy nominations and a Golden Globe.
FollowingGirls' final season, the writer-actress re-teamed withGirlsexecutive producer Jenni Konner and HBO forCamping, but reviews were negative and it lasted just one season. In addition to occasional actor-for-hire gigs, including a role in Quentin Tarantino'sOnce Upon a Time in Hollywood(2019), she went back to directing features.
There was her barbed comedy of sexual awakening,Sharp Stick(2022), followed by the genial medieval coming-of-age comedy,Catherine Called Birdy(2022), starring Bella Ramsey. While her well-received Netflix seriesToo Muchwas another one-and-done, the streamer is the home of her next film,Good Sex, starring Natalie Portman and Mark Ruffalo.
Dunham's memoir revealed her personal struggles both during and afterGirls, including chronic illness, debilitating pain, and addiction to benzodiazepines. She also covers her five-yearrelationship with musician Jack Antonoffand current marriage to Luis Felber.
“I hope that the book makes people feel that whatever unique trip they’re taking, no matter what sort of peaks and valleys it has, that there's value in it and that out the other side, [they] could feel good and even safe,” shetold PEOPLE in 2026. “There were moments where I imagined that I would never feel safe again, and I want to be able to say to people, I do now.”
Allison Williams (Marnie Michaels)
Allison Williamsplayed Hannah’s best friend Marnie, the show’s most polarizing character. Between her type-A personality, entitlement, self-absorption, and frequent inability to read the room, the character received more than her share of hostility from audiences.
In the years since, however, there’s been a surge of pro-Marnie sentiment.
“My theory,” WilliamstoldVanity Fairin 2024, “is what was coded as selfishness among millennials is now coded as self-care and just being aware of what you need, and advocating for your needs and standing up for yourself.”
The Connecticut native and daughter of news anchor Brian Williams parlayedGirls’ success into another game-changing cultural touchstone, Jordan Peele’s Oscar-winningGet Out(2017). Her twisty role in that film helped her find a foothold in genre, with subsequent starring roles inThe Perfection(2018),M3GAN(2022), andM3GAN 2.0(2025).
On the less spooky front, she headlined the 2025 Colleen Hoover adaptationRegretting You.
In 2023, Williams married actor Alexander Dreymon, with whom she has a son.
Jemima Kirke (Jessa Johansson)
For Jessa, an unapologetic free spirit and agent of chaos, Dunham cast her childhood friendJemima Kirke, who helped inspire the character.
“We all complained a bit as actors that we were always being associated with our characters,” Kirketold BritishGQin 2023. “If I could go back, I would own that more — that this is a bit of a farce on ourselves and our generation and the people we associate with.”
Kirke, who previously appeared inTiny Furniture, was pregnant with her first child when she signed on and gave birth a few months before the pilot filmed. She was reluctant to commit to the series, and at one point asked to be written off completely.
The London-born actress has continued working sinceGirlsended, but has been selective in her choices. After recurring on the Emma Stone-Jonah Hill miniseriesManiac, she booked roles onSex Education, City on Fire,and the Sally Rooney adaptationConversations With Friends.
On the whole, she stays fairly under the radar. Her only recent TV appearance was a 2025 episode ofLaw & Order: SVU.
Kirke has two children with ex-partner Michael Mosberg.
Zosia Mamet (Shoshanna Shapiro)
Like Williams,Zosia Mamethad notable parentage (playwright/filmmaker David Mamet and actress Lindsay Crouse) and limited credits under her belt when she was cast. She played Jessa’s cousin Shoshanna, the most naive of the core four — book-smart, yes, but without the savvy or experience of the other three.
Though initially intended as a minor character, Shosh became a fan favorite. In a2025 podcast appearance, Dunham said she’d be “thrilled” to do aShoshanna-centricGirlsspinoff.
Mamet’s most prominent roles prior toGirlswere recurring characters onMad MenandParenthood. Post-Girls, she had a two-season stint onThe Flight Attendantand was the secondary lead on the twisty sex comedyLaid, alongside Stephanie Hsu.
On the film side, she has focused primarily on indie projects like Todd Solondz’sWiener-Dog(2016) and David Robert Mitchell’sUnder the Silver Lake(2018). Most recently, she appeared in the Amanda Peet-led dramedyFantasy Life(2025). Next up is a role in Luca Guadagnino's Sam Altman drama,Artificial.
Outside of acting, Mamet released her debut essay collection,Does This Make Me Funny?, in 2025. She has been married to actor Evan Jonigkeit since 2016.
Adam Driver (Adam Sackler)
Of all theGirlsalumni,Adam Driveris the biggest success story. Driver's turn as Adam, Hannah’s volatile on-again, off-again boyfriend, was his breakthrough and earned him three Emmy nominations. Since then, however, he’s become a bona fide movie star.
During the run ofGirls, Driver worked with acclaimed filmmakers Noah Baumbach (While We’re Young), Jim Jarmusch (Paterson), Martin Scorsese (Silence), and Steven Soderbergh (Logan Lucky). Meanwhile, his performance as Kylo Ren in theStar Warssequel trilogy catapulted him to mainstream attention.
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He became a two-time (and counting) Oscar nominee forBlacKkKlansman(2018) andMarriage Story(2019), and nabbed a Tony nomination for 2019'sBurn This. In subsequent years, he worked with cinematic heavyweights like Leos Carax (Annette),Ridley Scott(The Last Duel, House of Gucci),and Michael Mann (Ferrari). The busy actor reunited withMarriage Storycostar Scarlett Johansson for James Gray’sPaper Tiger, arriving later this year, and has Chris Rock’sMisty Greenand Ron Howard’sAlone at Dawnon deck.
Recently, he’s made headlines due to his depiction inFamesick, in which Dunham recounts a sometimescontentious on-set relationshipwhile revealing that the twohave not spokensinceGirlsended. Nevertheless, Dunhamsaid onTodaythat she hopes people can read her stories about Driver “in context.”
“I, in the book, really share that there were a lot of magical moments,” Dunham noted. “Our entire cast has a sort of bond that I don’t think can ever be broken.”
Driver and his wife, Joanne Tucker, have been married since 2013. The couple has two children.
Alex Karpovsky (Ray Ploshansky)
Alex Karpovsky first collaborated with Dunham inTiny Furniture, so it was only natural she’d want to bring his deadpan delivery toGirls.
Ray started off as a friend of Charlie’s before becoming more integrated into the group, eventually dating both Marnie and Shoshanna.
Karpovsky has stayed largely in the indie film sphere throughout his career, having appeared in two Coen brothers films —Inside Llewyn Davis(2013) andHail, Caesar!(2016) — in addition toLittle Sister(2016),The Front Runner(2018), andThe Sound of Silence(2019). On the small screen, he's had recurring roles onAngelyne,Nobody Wants This, and Sam Esmail’sHomecoming.
The Massachusetts native is also a filmmaker. He helmed a season 5 episode ofGirls,telling EWat the time, “It was really fun to see the show I had been working on for five years from a completely different angle — all of the meetings that take place, all of the preparation, all of the stuff you just don’t really see as an actor.”
His next feature as writer-director,Allow Me to Destroy You, is tentatively set for 2027.
Christopher Abbott (Charlie Dattolo)
As Marnie's boyfriend-turned-ex, Charlie was such a pivotal presence onGirlsthat you might be surprised to learn Christopher Abbott was never a full-time cast member.
He departed after season 2, but returned for a classic one-off episode in season 5, as Charlie reconnects with Marnie for one strange and memorable day.
Abbott has worked steadily in film since debuting inMartha Marcy May Marlene(2011). His title role inJames White(2015) earned him an Independent Spirit nomination, and he followed it up with appearances inFirst Man(2018) and Brady Corbet’sVox Lux(2018).
He snagged a Golden Globe nomination as Yossarian in George Clooney’sCatch-22(2019) adaptation and drew further acclaim forPossessor(2020),Sanctuary(2022), andPoor Things(2023).
The Connecticut native recently headlined the horror filmWolf Man(2025) and had a major supporting role inThe Testament of Ann Lee(2025). He's also a powerhouse on stage. As Biff in the 2026 revival ofDeath of a Salesman, he earned his first Tony nomination.
Abbott also appeared off-Broadway in the 2023 revival ofDanny and the Deep Blue Sea, where he reunited with Aubrey Plaza, his costar in the filmBlack Bear(2020). In April 2026, Abbott and Plaza announced they wereexpecting a baby togetherin the fall.
The actor will next be seen as Adam Trask in Zoe Kazan’s miniseries adaptation ofEast of Eden.
Andrew Rannells (Elijah Krantz)
Hannah’s gay ex-boyfriend Elijah wasn’t intended to be a recurring character.Andrew Rannells’scene-stealing performance, however, was enough to keep him around. He officially became a regular in season 4.
“I think that every scene he’s in, [Elijah] thinks he’s the star ofGirls,” the actortoldVanity Fairin 2017. “He’s the Carrie Bradshaw.”
Rannells was a prolific voice performer up to that point, but his claim to fame wasThe Book of Mormon, which premiered in 2011 and nabbed the actor his first Tony nomination. In the years since, Rannells has had runs inFalsettos(earning another Tony nom),Hamilton, andThe Boys in the Band.
He’s no stranger to TV either, with a starring role onBlack Mondayand recurring ones onGirls5evaandBig Mouth. Dunham also brought him back forToo Much. His film work includesA Simple Favor(2018) and Ryan Murphy’sThe Prom(2020).
Most recently, he starred in the HBO filmMiss You, Love Youalongside Allison Janney and Bonnie Hunt.
Since 2019, Rannells has been in a relationship with hisBoys in the Bandcostar Tuc Watkins.
Ebon Moss-Bachrach (Desi Harperin)
As Marnie’s bandmate, eventual husband, and finallyex-husband Desi,Ebon Moss-Bachrachmade quite an impression on fans when he arrived in season 3.
Moss-Bachrach had made the rounds as a TV guest player for a number of years, butGirlswas his first job as a series regular. That led to stints onThe Punisher, NOS4A2, andAndor.
Now, of course, he’s known as cousin Richie onThe Bear, for which he's won two Emmys. He also wrote abonus episode, which debuted in May 2026. “Gary” stars Jon Bernthal as Richie’s late best friend Mikey; the two actors are currently starring inDog Day Afternoonon Broadway.
His film career has taken off in recent years as well. After supporting roles inTesla(2020),No Hard Feelings(2023), and Dunham’sSharp Stick, he graduated to full-on superhero as Ben Grimm, a.k.a. The Thing, inThe Fantastic Four: First Steps(2025).
The native New Yorker has also wrapped Ira Sachs’The Man I Love, arriving later this year, and joined the cast of Andrew Haigh’s next movie,A Long Winter.
Moss-Bachrach is married to Ukrainian artist Yelena Yemchuk. The couple have two daughters.
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