Lena Dunham: I Listened to Taylor Swift While Writing 'Girls'

By
ETONLINE

Whether it's her groundbreaking HBO show Girls or her new book of personal essays, Not That Kind Of Girl, Lena Dunham is one of a kind. The producer, writer, author and star draws inspiration from everywhere -- including her new bestie Taylor Swift.

ET special guest correspondent Jessica Shaw sat down with the multi-hyphenated star, who gushes how much she loves listening to T-Swift when she writes.

"Long before she was my friend, she was my friend in my head," she says. "I was listening to her while I wrote my first film, while I wrote the first season of Girls, while I wrote the second season of Girls -- so she's definitely a soundtrack to many of my feelings."

The 28-year-old Dunham has been called the voice of her generation and for good reason. As the star, creator, producer and often also the director on Girls, Dunham earns an estimated $6 million a year. She also landed a reported $3.6 million advance for her book, in which she writes fearlessly about her own problems and hang-ups.

"I had these terrifying talk show images of what anorexia is," she says. "Obviously anorexia is a very, very serious illness. But my 9-year-old self was just like, 'Don't let that happen to me! I don't want to be like the girl on Maury Povich.'"

VIDEO- Lena Dunham Offers Advice to Plus Size Women

Dunham is candid about her own struggles with her weight and obsessive compulsive disorder but says that she is comfortable now in her own skin.

"So many people feel so much shame about what's happening in their head,” she says. “And I really hope that if this book serves any purpose it's to make that burden a little lighter for some people.”

VIDEO- Lena Dunham On Her Jaw Dropping Emmys Look

Watch the video for more of our interview with Lena. Hear what she has to say to her own fashion critics.

Not That Kind Of Girl is available online and in retail stores now.

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