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The Schmooze

‘Girls’ Stars Reveal Behind-the-Scenes Fights, Growing Pains and Lessons Learned

Lena Dunham’s hit series “Girls” is coming to an end this year, and the show’s four actresses came together to dish one last time.

Dunham, Zosia Mamet, Allison Williams and Jemima Kirke all sat down with “Girls” executive producer Jenni Konner to talk fighting, growing and their best and worst memories from the show for Glamour’s February cover story.

Here are just a few of the behind-the-scenes gems.

Jemima Kirke once almost quit the show.

Kirke called Dunham, who is a long-time friend of hers, to say she wanted to leave the series before season two began filming. “My sense of who I was and what I wanted was really thin. I really wasn’t sure what the f-ck I was doing,” Kirke explained.

She was talked out of quitting, though the two noted they had their share of fights throughout shooting. According to Dunham, Kirke was often “six steps from murdering her.”

Dunham sometimes didn’t like to be the boss.

Dunham said that she would find herself wanting to be a part of the group of actresses and not the one dealing all the criticism and problem-solving.

“Even though I was surrounded by love, there were times where I felt very “by myself” in the process,” Dunham noted.

It’s really fun to be picked up by Adam Driver.

Kirke and Dunham, both of whom played Driver’s love interests, noted how enjoyable it was to be manhandled by the actor during scenes. “Driver cradled me like a motherf-cking baby for, like, eight takes, and I won’t lie, it felt good,” Dunham said. Also fun, she noted, was hanging out in bed with actor Patrick Wilson.

Zosia Mamet gives the best advice.

According to Dunham, Mamet is the cast member she turned to for help and inspiration quotes during hard times. “Zosia is Oprah,” Dunham said.

Thea Glassman is an Associate Editor at the Forward. Reach her at [email protected]

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