Girls fans, this one’s for you … Anderson Cooper once dated Andrew Rannells, and their brief romance inspired a plot point on the TV show, Girls.
During an appearance on the Obsessed podcast while promoting Miss You, Love You with Allison Janney and Bonnie Hunt, Andrew Rannells confirmed a Girls storyline was influenced by his relationship with the legendary CNN anchor.
After confirming his romance with Anderson Cooper, Andrew revealed that his character Elijah’s short-lived love affair with fictional TV host Dill Harcourt (Corey Stoll) was based on his romance with AC.
“I told Lena [Dunham] and [co-creator] Jenni Konner a story about when I was 25 that I had dated Anderson Cooper, and I told them about the experience and what that was like,” he explained.
“Then it became the story that Elijah had in the series,” Andrew revealed after reacting to an earlier question he believed would be about Anderson. “That’s what I thought you were gonna ask about.”
The Tony-nominated actor noted that he and Anderson had “a very brief relationship.” Andrew explained, “But when I told them that, they were like, ‘Oh, that’s a fun story.’”
ICYMI, during season 5 of Girls, Elijah (Andrew Rannells) found himself caught up with the well-regarded and successful Dill (AC). But after Elijah realizes Dill intends to keep his other “friends” around while dating him, their relationship ends.
Since the show aired, the cast and crew haven’t commented on who Dill was based on. “I think the general idea that he’s this powerful, you know, adult, is what’s important. For my money, his job could have been any number of things. It just represents that he’s very much from the outside of these characters’ world. We were in this very grown-up situation. That’s what Dill represents.”
Girls fans, if you haven’t read/listened to Lena Dunham’s book, Famesick, the first half details making the show and her life in those years.
