Netflix Reveals First Look, Details From New Lena Dunham Series Starring Meg Stalter

Lena Dunham has struck up a new creative partnership with Netflix, which has released the first look at her new series Too Much. Starring Hacks fave Megan Stalter and The White Lotus Season 2 breakout Will Sharpe, the series is likely the first of multiple new projects from Dunham at Netflix.

Variety reports that the Girls creator and streaming giant announced their team up during the “Next on Netflix” event in London on Wednesday, where the streamer revealed the first look at the new comedy series (below). Too Much follows New York workaholic Jessica (Stalter), who’s left reeling from the break-up of a relationship that she thought would last forever. Haunted by her past, she flees the bustling blocks of New York City for a job in London, eager to isolate herself from everyone she knows and live her best solo life, like a Brontë sister. However, her plans are flipped upside down when she meets Felix (Sharpe), who’s “less Hugh Grant in Notting Hill and more Hugh Grant’s drunken roommate.”

Fans will recognize Stalter as Kayla Schaffer from the hit Max series Hacks. She previously gushed about working with Lena Dunham for the upcoming London-set series, praising her talent and versatility. Stalter compared the comedy and tone of the new series to Dunham’s Girls. Rounding out the cast are Adèle Exarchopoulos, Adwoa Aboah, Andrew Rannells, Daisy Bevan, Richard E. Grant, Rita Wilson, Dean-Charles Chapman, Emily Ratajkowski, Stephen Fry and more. Rannells previously starred alongside Dunham in Girls, as well as her recent film Treasure, starring Stephen Fry. Grant had a recurring role on Girls, where he played the father of Jemima Kirke’s Jessa. ​​​​​​

Netflix and Lena Dunham Team Up In New First-Look Partnership

During a Q&A, Dunham shared how her own experience moving to London inspired the original concept for Too Much. Her husband, Luis Felber, co-created the series with Dunham. While the scripted comedy series predates this new exclusive partnership between Dunham and Netflix, it is sure to give audiences a good idea of what to expect from the pair. Dunham, who serves as creator, writer, director, and executive producer, said:

“My producing partner, Michael P. Cohen, and I are deeply excited to begin the next phase of Good Thing Going with Netflix as our home, one that supports artists and makes so many of the shows that we love as viewers. From the first chat with our Netflix team, we have been aligned in the vision to lean into classic genres and serve them up with a twist, always informed by surprising points of view. We are thrilled to be working across the U.S. and the U.K, and hope to engage with Netflix globally to tell a range of stories, set in a new and compelling worlds.”

Although she is not the lead, Dunham will make an appearance in the semi-autobiographical series. In an interview with The New Yorker, Dunham spoke candidly about her choice not to star in Too Much in the wake of all the body-shaming she faced as the star of her hit HBO series:

“I was not willing to have another experience like what I’d experienced around Girls at this point in my life. Physically, I was just not up for having my body dissected again. It was a hard choice, not to cast, because I knew I wanted Meg, but to admit that to myself.”

Dunham has mostly focused on writing and producing since starring in Girls, but still appeared in a few projects, including American Horror Story, the 2022 film Sharp Stick, and her 2024 film Treasure. Dunham’s production company, Good Thing Going, will continue to develop serialized first-look projects for Netflix. Jinny Howe, Vice President of drama series at Netflix, spoke about the new partnership, saying:

“Lena’s authenticity and singular voice have redefined stroytelling for this generation. She’s a cerative powerhouse, weaving together complex and nuanced narratives that are as thought-provoking as they are entertaining. We look forward to delighting audiences with more of the deeply relatable stories they love from Lena.”