Lena Dunham says she's ‘protective’ of Taylor Swift in 'every single way'

Whether she's performing on stage or attending her boyfriend's football games, Taylor Swift always has a loyal group of girls by her side, and her friendship with Lena Dunham is no exception.

In a recent interview with The New Yorker on July 9, Dunham talked about how "protective" she is of the "Karma" singer.

"I’m always very careful to be protective of her in every single way,” Dunham said. “Probably the two things I get asked most in life are ‘What is Taylor like?’ and ‘Can I have tickets to the Eras Tour?’ And usually my answer to both things is no.”

Dunham continued on to say that Swift is "everything that you would want her to be."

“She’s kind, she’s devoted, she’s introspective, she’s emotional, she’s funny as f---,” Dunham added.

The actor said that she has been to every one of Swift's tours, telling the outlet, "Even since before Taylor and I were friends, I just always had felt such a deep connection to her music. Something unique to only me, obviously."

Dunham also dated Swift's producer and friend, Jack Antonoff, and Swift was her bridesmaid in 2021 when she married Luis Felber, reported Vogue.

Read on to learn more about Dunham and Swift's friendship.

2012: Lena Dunham posts about Taylor Swift on social media

The “Girls” actor has been connected to the pop star for over a decade, with Dunham posting about the singer’s music on X in 2012.

After the release of Swift's fourth studio album "Red," Dunham took to X again to let her followers know how much she loved it.

2014: Lena Dunham and Taylor Swift pictured at the Golden Globes together

Dunham and Swift were pictured at the 71st Annual Golden Globe Awards together.

During the awards ceremony on January 12, 2014, Dunham won best performance by an actress in a television series (musical or comedy) for her role in her TV show "Girls," while Swift's song "Safe & Sound" on "The Hunger Games" soundtrack earned her a nomination for best original song (motion picture).

2015: Lena Dunham joins Taylor Swift on stage at '1989' show

Swift often asks her friends and fellow artists to join her on stage for her performances, including during her "1989" tour.

At the East Rutherford, New Jersey, stop of the tour in July 2015, Dunham was part of the posse of friends to reunite with Swift in front of the crowd. Hailee Steinfeld, Lily Aldridge and Gigi Hadid were also alongside them on stage.

2016: Taylor Swift and Lena Dunham have dinner together

Swift and Dunham were seen leaving Blue Ribbon Brasserie in New York City in 2016. Their dinner happened the same night Dunham’s show “Girls” was premiering its fifth season.

2018: Lena Dunham and Jack Antonoff, Swift's music producer, confirm breakup after dating for five years

Dunham and Jack Antonoff, Swift's longtime friend who has co-produced multiple songs of hers, started dating after meeting on a blind date in April 2012, Antonoff recalled to Vulture.

“It was a blind date by modern standards,” Antonoff told the outlet in June 2014. “I mean, I used the internet.”

The two spoke highly of each other during their relationship, and Antonoff told Vulture that the connection he felt for Dunham was instantaneous.

“I told Lena everything about my whole life, because when you really like someone, you want them to know everything about you,” he said.

In a 2017 issue of Variety Magazine, Dunham wrote a tribute to Antonoff, who was one of 50 people to make the magazine's "New Power of New York" list at the time.

"It’s safe to say that before Jack my life was full of far fewer sights," Dunham said. "He showed me the importance of making political statements using your public platform. He showed me the joy of collaboration. He showed me the magic of his home state of New Jersey and turned the butt of my snotty New Yorker jokes into a glimmering fantasyland.

"I know he does the same for all the artists he produces for, the fans who come to his shows and the recipients of his love. I try and share nicely," she added.

Antonoff frequently co-writes and produces Swift's music. The first album they worked on together was "1989" in 2014, which won best pop vocal album and album of the year at the 2016 Grammy Awards. He's since been part of the production of Swift’s subsequent albums “Reputation,” “Lover,” “Folklore,” “Evermore," “Midnights" and "The Tortured Poets Department."

Antonoff and Dunham's relationship has served as inspiration for Swift's music in the past. In 2015, the singer told Elle in a cover story that she wrote her song “You Are in Love,” featured on her “1989” album, about her two friends' connection.

In the interview, Swift was asked about the love song's lyrics, "You're my best friend," and the singer shared that she hadn't experienced that but rather "wrote that song about things that Lena (Dunham) has told me about her and Jack (Antonoff). That’s just basically stuff she’s told me.”

After dating for more than five years, Antonoff and Dunham broke up, which a rep confirmed to E! News in January 2018.

2021: Swift is a bridesmaid in Dunham's wedding

Dunham got married to musician Luis Felber in September 2021, and Swift was one of her bridesmaids.

The wedding was at the members-only Union Club in London with about 60 guests in attendance, Vogue reported.

In a series of photos from the wedding posted by Vogue on Instagram, Swift is pictured with comedian Jerrod Carmichael and fellow bridesmaid Tommy Dorfman. The bridesmaids wore matching metallic dresses, which Dunham described in her Vogue feature as having "Swinging Sixties" energy.

2023: Dunham attends Swift's 'Era's Tour'

The actor told The New Yorker in July 2024 that she attended the Boston and Pittsburgh shows of Swift’s “Eras Tour” in 2023 to support the singer in cities “that are a little bit more off the beaten path."

Dunham also shared with the outlet that her favorite Swift era is “Reputation,” saying that “it’s so much about ‘If you’re not going to see me, if you’re going to so refuse to understand what’s in front of you and what I’m trying to say, then why don’t I just put on a black catsuit and move it all the way over to villain mode?’”

This article was originally published on TODAY.com