For Lena Dunham, life has taken on a new rhythm — one that’s far from the flashing lights of Hollywood.
The Girls creator and actress, now 38, is embracing a quieter, more intentional chapter with her husband, musician Luis Felber.
And part of that next big step? Starting a family — though not in the traditional way.
A New Journey After a Life-Altering Decision
Back in 2018, Lena made the tough and emotional decision to have a total hysterectomy, removing her uterus, cervix, and an ovary after battling the chronic pain of endometriosis for years.
The surgery brought a swift and final end to her fertility — something she had to come to terms with quickly.
“I thought I’d have the chance to gradually watch my fertility fade,” she shared in a heartfelt interview with The Sunday Times.
“Instead, it was a sudden, sharp cut-off.”
Now, years later, Lena says she and Luis are in the midst of “expanding our family in new ways.”
Though she’s keeping the details private for now, she’s clear on one thing: “I want to meet our children first, safely, and then figure out how to talk about it.”
Countryside Dreams and Little British Accents
Since moving to the UK and marrying British-Peruvian musician Luis Felber in a small London ceremony in 2021, Lena’s life has slowed down in the most peaceful of ways.
The couple now split their time between a home in London and another in Connecticut next to her parents — where their two pigs currently reside.
But Lena and Luis have big dreams for the future: “A farm in the countryside with children in little uniforms and British accents skipping off to school.
It’s just too charming,” she gushed.
Back on Screen with a Story Close to Home
Although she’s been enjoying a break from the spotlight, Lena is back this summer with a new Netflix series titled Too Much.
The story follows an eccentric New Yorker navigating life and love in London — not too far off from Lena’s real experience.
Luis had a big role behind the scenes too.
As a writer, executive producer, and composer for the show, he even helped shape the male lead character, Felix, played by Will Sharpe, ensuring he felt real and relatable.
Lena joked that if she’d met Luis in her twenties, it would’ve been a completely different — and chaotic — story.
“He would have broken my heart,” she laughed.
“We’d have had one amazing afternoon, and I’d never have heard from him again.”
Reflecting on Pain and Strength
In the past, Lena has been open about the physical and emotional toll of her reproductive health journey.
She’s spoken about the dozens of surgeries she underwent, trying everything from pelvic floor therapy to acupuncture before finally choosing the hysterectomy.
Doctors later discovered a host of complications — from retrograde bleeding to a misshapen uterus.
She once described her uterus as heart-shaped rather than light bulb-shaped, with one ovary wrapped around the nerves in her lower back.
After the surgery, she still hoped for a biological child and tried IVF with her remaining ovary.
Unfortunately, the eggs weren’t viable.
“You can fix a lot of things in life,” Lena once wrote in Harper’s Magazine.
“But you can’t force the universe to give you a baby your body was never meant to have.”
Looking Forward with Hope
Despite the heartache of those years, Lena is stepping into this new phase of life with optimism and love.
Whether it’s building a family through adoption or other means, or simply creating a nurturing space for those she welcomes into her life, Lena Dunham’s story is one of resilience, evolution, and finding joy in the unexpected.