Lena Dunham opens up about health struggles and online hate

Lena Dunham gained fame for her role in the "Girls" series, which aired from 2012 to 2017. Recently, she has been appearing less frequently on screen, mainly due to illness and the body shaming she has experienced.

While appreciated, Lena Dunham's role in the series "Girls" came with a price: the actress became the target of online hate and mockery. Despite the series "Girls" ending seven years ago, she still encounters offensive comments directed at her. As an actress, director, and film producer, she stated that this has made her reluctant to appear on screen to avoid provoking another wave of criticism.

Few haters knew, however, that Dunham suffers from a rare genetic disorder that causes excessively stretchy skin and joint hypermobility. Additionally, the actress underwent a hysterectomy due to endometriosis, which caused her to gain weight.

In an interview with "The New Yorker," the "Girls" star revealed that long-standing struggles with online hate have negatively affected her mental health. The 38-year-old boldly displayed her body in the series and at public events, making her the subject of controversy online.

Lena Dunham received a lot of support from feminist communities that appreciated her breaking taboos related to plus-size women's sexuality, but body shaming ultimately made her stop acting.

In the coming year, her series is set to premiere on one of the streaming platforms, where she describes her life experiences. However, we will not see Dunham in "Too Much" — another actress will play her.

In the interview with "The New Yorker," Dunham also admitted that she has understood what success means to her over the years.

"I used to think that winning meant you just keep doing it and you don't care what anybody thinks. I forgot that winning is actually just protecting yourself and doing what you need to do to keep making work," she said.