‘Girls’ Cast Covers Glamour’s Powered by Women Issue

Before Girls makes its final bow later this year, the stars of the HBO show earn a collective cover for Glamour’s February “Powered by Women” issue. Lena Dunham, Jemima Kirke, Allison Williams, and Zosia Mamet wear Marc Jacobs platforms as they cover the issue that serves as a platform (see what we did there?) for inspiring women. Plus, the entire issue was produced by women—from the photographers to the stylists to the makeup artists, except for FLOTUS’ personal makeup artist. Emma Summerton shot the cover and the show’s executive producer Jenni Konner got the ultimate exit interview. Below, a few fave soundbites. Get the full story when the issue comes out on January 10.   

Jemima Kirke on job satisfaction…
“The least and the most satisfying thing about my job was my relationship with Lena. [Laughter.] In a good way. It definitely caused us to get closer [after 15 years of friendship], and it caused us to fight. And then at the end of it, you know, [our relationship] was nicer.”

Lena Dunham on Kirke wanting to quit the show…
“I think it’s time for us to disclose to the world that, like, three days before season two, Jemima tried to quit. [Laughter.] … I remember being in a cab. And Jemima called me. She was like, ‘I have to tell you something. It’s not a big deal. I don’t want you to freak out. I want to quit the show.’” [Laughter.]

Allison Williams’ one complaint about the job…
“I started playing one person, then she evolved so much. I got to exercise all kinds of muscles. The least satisfying? I always wanted to be in the show more. [Laughter.] That was my M.O. every year. I wanted to be a piece of furniture in Hannah’s apartment, if that’s what it took.”

Lena Dunham on what she would change about her experience…
“Making my deal with HBO as a 23-year-old woman, I felt that I had so much to prove. I felt like I had to be the person who answered emails the fastest, stayed up the latest, worked the hardest. As much as I loved my job, I really, like, injured myself in some ways. If I had felt like, ‘You’re worthy of eight hours of sleep, not four; you’re worthy of turning your phone off on a Saturday,’ I don’t think it would have changed the outcome of the show. [But] I could have worked with a sense of joy and excitement, rather than guilt and anxiety of being ‘found out.’ The advice I would give any woman going into a job if she has a sense of impostor syndrome would be: There will be nothing if you don’t look out for you. And I can’t wait, on my next project, to go into it with the strength that comes from, like, valuing your own body and your own mental health. Jenni’s like, ‘We’ll believe it when we see it.’ [Laughter.]”

Zosia Mamet on returning to a Girls revival…
“So often you work on another project and there’s that feeling of, like, ‘I think it’s gonna be good, and I hope that they want to cut together my scene in a pleasant way.’ But there isn’t just innate, intrinsic trust that exists of, like, ‘Oh, no matter what happens on set, even if we all vomited, we would still make a good show.’ We were allowed to grow. Not only as ourselves but as characters. And if I got to do that for the rest of my life, I would die a happy woman.”

Jemima Kirke’s favorite memory…
“My best day was the day that I experienced what it’s like to be picked up [in the air] by Adam Driver. [Laughter]…You know the big thing that you jump over in gymnastics? That’s Adam Driver. [Laughter.] Like, you can just run and jump on it. It doesn’t move, and it supports you fully.”