Lena Dunham Reveals She’s Related to Larry David
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Originally appeared on E! Online
Lena Dunham might be the voice of her generation—or a generation—but this news made her speechless.
After all, the Girls creator found out that she is distantly related to Curb Your Enthusiasm creator Larry David.
"No! My husband's gonna freak out," Lena—who is married to musician Luis Felber—said during the April 2 episode of PBS's Finding Your Roots. "This is the hottest information I could have gotten."
The ancestry show's host, Henry Louis Gates Jr., explained that the 37-year-old shares at least one common ancestor on her mother's side with the 76-year-old, as shown by their "multiple long identical segments of DNA."
"I could not have turned the page and been more delighted," Lena gushed. "This is incredible. You saved the best for last."
And fans of the television creators won't be surprised by their distant relativity. After all, Lena scored several Golden Globe nominations—and one win—as well as eight Emmys nominations for her work writing, directing, and starring in Girls.
Lena Dunham's Red Carpet Style
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Her HBO comedy series—which ran from 2012 to 2017 and also included Adam Driver, Allison Williams, Jemima Kirke, and Zosia Marmet in the main ensemble cast—detailed a group of 20-something women navigating a New York lifestyle. It is not entirely unlike Larry's own creations, which include Seinfeld and his more recent and still airing self-parody, Curb Your Enthusiasm.
In fact, at Girls' inception, Lena was often compared to a younger version of the comedian, and even drew a comparison herself in a 2012 interview while discussing her seemingly quick success.
"People are ultimately threatened by young people taking positions of power, but there's also this feeling of ‘I could do that, too,'" she told Esquire at the time. "People don't feel rabidly jealous of Larry David or Salman Rushdie because they don't think, ‘I could do that.' And with what I've done, I think a lot of people think, ‘I could do that in my sleep. If I'd just met one person along my path, I would have that TV show.'"
Lena and Larry aren't the only celebrities who are surprisingly related. Read on for more.
Lena Dunham & Larry David
On an April 2 episode of Finding Your Roots, host Henry Louis Gates Jr., revealed that Lena Dunham had a distant ancestor in common with Larry David on her mother's side.
Stassi Schroeder & Gypsy Rose Blanchard
Genealogist Dr. Adina Newman, known on Instagram as My Family Genie, revealed Blanchard and the Vanderpump Rules alum are allegedly related on their paternal grandmother's side dating back all the way to the 1600s.
Schroeder, a self-professed true crime fan, commented on Newman's post, "Omg I'm unwell."
Dakota Johnson and Antonio Banderas
The Mask of Zorro star was married to the Fifty Shades of Grey actress' mother Melanie Griffith for 20 years before they ultimately split in 2015, but that doesn't mean the stepfather and daughter's bond has been severed.
Johnson got emotional when she presented an award to Banderas at the 2019 Hollywood Film Awards.
"I come from a family of many a marriage and I got very lucky," Johnson, whose dad is actor Don Johnson, said. "I got a bonus dad who I realized that, over time, is actually one of the most influential people in my whole life," she said. "When I was six years old, my mother married a man who brought an unbelievably bright light and a whole new world of creativity and culture—and one remarkably magical little sister into our family."
Robyn Lively & Blake Lively
The Teen Witch star and the Gossip Girl alum are half-sisters who share the same mom, talent manager Elaine Lively.
Elle King & Rob Schneider
The "Ex's & Oh's" singer is the SNL vet's daughter, born from his relationship with former model London King.
Ludacris & Monica
The Fast & Furious star is cousins with the R&B singer thanks to her stepfather, Reverend Edward Best, who happens to be the rapper's uncle.
Conan O'Brien & Denis Leary
The late-night host and the Rescue Me creator are third cousins.
Steven Spielberg & Jessica Capshaw
The onetime Grey's Anatomy doc has called the legendary director stepdad ever since he married her mom Kate Capshaw in 1991.
Yara Shahidi & Nas
The Grown-ish star calls the rapper her second cousin. She was even the flower girl in his 2005 wedding with now ex-wife Kelis!
Lea Thompson & Zoey Deutch
The actress is the daughter of the Back to the Future icon.
Kiefer Sutherland & Sarah Sutherland
Not only did the Veep vet make a name for herself playing a famous daughter on the HBO comedy, but she's also a famous daughter in real life. The erstwhile Jack Bauer star is her father.
Phil Collins & Lily Collins
Some Emily in Paris viewers were très shocked to discover Lily is the daughter of the English Grammy winner.
Amy Schumer & Chuck Schumer
The comedian and the New York Senator are actually related, as he's the first cousin of her father.
Kate Middleton, Dakota Fanning & Elle Fanning
According to a 2014 People interview, a family historian from Ancestry.com claimed that the Fannings and the Princess of Wales are all descendants of King Edward III, who ruled England from 1327 to 1377, making them very distant relatives—21st cousins, to be exact.
Jonah Hill & Beanie Feldstein
The actors are actually brother and sister!
Niecy Nash, Danielle Brooks & Sterling K. Brown
Talent runs in this family, as the Reno 911! alum, Orange Is the New Black actress and This Is Us star are all cousins.
"We are blood related!" Nash wrote on Instagram January 2024, sharing a photo of the trio at the Academy Museum of Motion Pictures Third Annual Fundraising Gala. "REAL cousins!"
Jason Sudeikis & George Wendt
The SNL alum calls the Cheers icon Uncle George whenever he seems him. At least, we assume he does.
Stephen Dillane & Frank Dillane
Yep, Game of Thrones' Stannis Baratheon is the real-life dad of Fear the Walking Dead's Nick Clark.
Lily Allen & Sam Smith
The brunette beauty and the "Stay With Me" singer are third cousins. During a radio interview, Smith admitted that the pair have never met because their family is "huge."
Liev Schreiber & Pablo Schreiber
The Salt actor and the memorable Law & Order: SVU guest star are half-brothers.
Melissa McCarthy & Jenny McCarthy
You may not have guessed but the Bridesmaids comedian and the former View co-host are cousins.
Julia Roberts & Emma Roberts
The We're the Millers actress has the perfect mentor in the Pretty Woman star, who happens to be her auntie.
Lacey Schwimmer & David Schwimmer
Who knew the stunning Dancing With the Stars pro is second cousins with the Friends alum?
Alexander Skarsgård & Stellan Skarsgård
The True Blood vampire caught the acting bug from his dear old dad who stars in both The Avengers and Thor franchises.
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