Lena Dunham

Lena Dunham

From Wild Card with Rachel Martin by NPR

April 23, 2026 · 50 min

About this episode

Lena Dunham discusses her journey of self-discovery and the challenges of fame in her conversation with Rachel Martin.

Get your tickets for Wild Card live in Los Angeles with special guest Tracee Ellis Ross on May 7! Lena Dunham tells Rachel that for much of her 20s and 30s, she took a vacation from who she was as a child. These days, though, she says she’s much more in touch with that part of her life. Her new book, “Famesick,” chronicles those tumultuous years during the rise of her hit show, “Girls.” In this episode, Dunham shares what she learned from struggling with stardom and chronic illness. To listen sponsor-free and support the show, sign up for Wild Card+ at plus.npr.org/wildcard See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences. NPR Privacy Policy

People in this episode

Host: Rachel Martin

Guest: Lena Dunham

Topics covered

  • identity
  • fame
  • mental health
  • chronic illness
  • personal growth

Keywords

  • Lena Dunham
  • Rachel Martin
  • Famesick
  • Girls
  • chronic illness
  • fame
  • self-discovery

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: NPR

Books & works: Famesick, Girls

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