Is Lena Dunham's Too Much series based on a true story? The inspiration behind Netflix's latest rom-com, explored

Aashna
Is Lena Dunham
Is Lena Dunham's Too Much series based on a true story? (Image via Instagram/@netflixuk)

For all the Notting Hill-obsessed, hopeless romantics out there, Netflix released its latest romantic comedy series, Too Much, created by Girls' fame Lena Dunham.

The series stars Megan Stalter (Hacks) as Jessica, a New Yorker who moves to London after a messy breakup to experience British life. There, she meets and falls in love with a British musician, Felix, played by The White Lotus alum Will Sharpe.

Too Much is inspired by creator Lena Dunham's own love story with her now-husband, Luis Felber, who is also a British musician. The couple developed this latest romantic comedy series together, based on their experience of falling in love with each other.

In an interview with Netflix's Tudum, Dunham called her series 'semi-autobiographical', which contains the 'germ' of her love story with husband Luis.

Stalter essentially plays a version of Dunham herself, back when she moved to the UK for work and met her now-husband. However, the situations and plot of the series are also fictional.

More on this in our story.


Netflix's Too Much is inspired by creator Lena Dunham's love story

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Netflix's Too Much is a semi-autobiographical account of creator Lena Dunham's love story with her now husband, Luis Felber.

Much like Meg Stalter's protagonist, Dunham also moved to London and met her musician husband, with whom she fell in love and the rest is history. Dunham has also lived in the UK for several years. Stalter began commuting to the UK a lot for work, which is where she developed a romantic relationship with Felber. Later, the couple got married.

In addition to the romantic plot, Too Much also taps into London's culture and the fantasies Jessica had before moving there. Dunham wanted to create a show that reflects her experiences in the UK, as she told Netflix Tudum:

“When I first started coming to the UK for work … I thought to myself, ‘I want to write something about the experience of being a foreigner here, and the fantasies we have of [London] versus the realities.’ Then when I met my husband, Luis, I felt like I was experiencing all of that, but in the context of a relationship.”

Too Much captures the 'essence' of Lena Dunham's love story

While Too Much is inspired by its creator's love story, it certainly has many fictional elements, including the many situations Jessica finds herself in (with Felix) throughout the show.

In an interview with Deadline, Stalter revealed how Dunham did not want the romantic comedy series to feel like their documentary, which is why the actors had full creative control over their characters.

“I loved how it was kind of capturing the essence of them and not just a direct documentary about them.'' Stalter said.

While Too Much is still essentially Dunham's love story with her husband, the show captures the energy of their love, instead of the actual events from their time in the UK.

In an interview with The Hollywood Reporter, Dunham broke down the approach she had for the show:

“We feel really, really lucky that we got to do this together, and then of course the actors come in and the characters become different because the actors have taken over. So while the germ of it may be autobiographical, it’s gone in directions I never could’ve dreamed.”

She added:

“I have wanted to make a romantic comedy about what happens when a loud, messy, complicated Jewess descends on a city of deeply repressed people—what will occur.”

Too Much is now streaming on Netflix.


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Edited by Aashna