Lena Dunham's Explosive Memoir Details Adam Driver's Alleged On-Set Outbursts
In her forthcoming memoir Famesick, Lena Dunham makes startling claims about her Girls co-star Adam Driver's behaviour during their time working together on the acclaimed HBO series. The 39-year-old creator alleges that Driver, who played her on-off boyfriend Adam in all six seasons, displayed violent tendencies and emotional volatility that created a tense working environment.
Chair-Throwing Incident During Line Rehearsal
One of the most dramatic allegations in Dunham's book concerns an incident where she claims Driver "hurled a chair at the wall" next to her during a line rehearsal. According to Dunham's account, when she struggled to deliver her lines due to what she now attributes to undiagnosed endometriosis causing dissociation, Driver allegedly screamed "F***ING SAY SOMETHING" before throwing the furniture.
"'WAKE THE F*** UP,' he told me. 'I'M SICK OF WATCHING YOU JUST STARE,'" Dunham writes in her memoir, describing the actor as "something feral" and "half-man, half-beast" during this period of their collaboration.
Additional Allegations of Property Damage and Intimidation
The memoir contains further claims about Driver's behaviour, including an allegation that he punched a hole in his trailer wall because he disliked his haircut. Dunham also writes about another occasion when Driver allegedly screamed directly in her face, creating what she describes as an intimidating atmosphere on set.
Despite these incidents, Dunham admits she "didn't tell anyone" about the chair-throwing episode at the time, explaining that her personal history with a man who inspired Driver's character had normalised such behaviour in her mind.
Intimate Scene Difficulties and Final Farewell
Dunham addresses the filming of intimate scenes in her memoir, noting that while she aimed to create a "safe" environment, her "careful blocking went out of the window" because Driver would allegedly "hurl me this way and that" during takes. She describes feeling concerned the scenes might become inappropriate, though she maintained control by calling "cut" when necessary.
The memoir reveals that when Driver filmed his final scene for Girls in 2016, he told Dunham: "I hope you know I'll always love you." However, she notes that she "never heard from him again" after that moment, despite their years of working closely together on the series that aired from 2012 to 2017 and has since gained cult status among millennial and Gen Z audiences.
Reflections on Power Dynamics and Creative Environments
In a recent interview with The Guardian, Dunham reflected on why she didn't address Driver's alleged behaviour at the time, stating: "At the time, I didn't have the skill to... it never entered my mind to say, 'I am your boss, you can't speak to me this way.'"
She added: "And, at that point in my twenties, I still thought that's what great male geniuses do: eviscerate you. Which is weird, because I was raised by a male genius who would never do that."
Famesick by Lena Dunham is scheduled for release on 14 April. Representatives for Adam Driver have been contacted by media outlets for comment regarding these allegations but have not yet responded publicly.
