Adam Driver ‘Girls’ revival return will not happen. The actor, who played Adam Sackler across the HBO comedy-drama’s six-season run, told CinemaBlend in an interview published Friday that he is not joining the five-episode revival, adding that he wishes those involved well. His answer was brief and left little room for interpretation.
The confirmation follows HBO’s announcement last month that “Girls” would return for a limited five-episode run, with production scheduled to begin next year. Lena Dunham is set to reprise her role as Hannah Horvath, and Allison Williams, Jemima Kirke, Zosia Mamet and Andrew Rannells are also confirmed to return as Marnie, Jessa, Shoshanna and Elijah, respectively.
A notable absence from the cast announcement
Driver’s name was missing when the revival was first announced, and the omission drew questions from fans who had followed the on-again, off-again relationship between his character and Dunham’s Hannah. The new interview turns that speculation into a firm answer.
Driver, 42, appeared in the original series throughout its 2012 to 2017 run. In the years since, he has built a film career that includes work in the “Star Wars” franchise. He has recently been promoting “Paper Tiger,” including a London premiere on Oct. 10, a New York event on Oct. 27 and a Los Angeles premiere on Nov. 5, two days before his “Girls” comments were published.
Dunham's memoir claims resurface
Driver’s decision comes about seven months after the April release of Dunham’s memoir, “Famesick,” in which she described her former co-star as “spectacularly rude” during filming. She also alleged that he threw a chair against a wall near her, punched a hole in his trailer wall and frequently screamed in her face.
In an interview with the Guardian published around the book’s release, Dunham reflected on her position as the show’s creator, writer and director as well as its star. She said that at the time she did not have the skill to address the behavior, and that it never occurred to her to tell him she was his boss and that he could not speak to her that way.
She added that in her 20s she still believed that was how great male geniuses behaved, eviscerating those around them. She contrasted that with her father, painter Carroll Dunham, whom she described as a male genius who would never do such a thing.
Dunham also used the memoir and its surrounding interviews to praise what she called the amazing men in her life, including “Girls” executive producer Judd Apatow, whom she described as a great hero of hers.
Driver's response to the claims
When asked about Dunham’s allegations during a press conference for “Paper Tiger,” Driver did not engage directly. He joked that he had no comment on any of it and that he was saving it all for his book.
His latest comment to CinemaBlend was similarly concise. Asked whether he would return to the revival, he said no and offered his best wishes to the production.
For fans of Adam Sackler, the answer closes off one of the more anticipated possibilities of the revival. The five-episode run will move forward with Dunham and the confirmed returning cast members, while Driver’s schedule remains focused on his film work.
