Search
Close this search box.

Tessa Thompson Calls BS on Lena Dunham’s ‘Time’s Up’ Photo Op, Then Backtracks

Tessa Thompson (L) and Lena Dunham
Tessa Thompson (L) and Lena Dunham

*After Lena Dunham’s presence in a photo celebrating the Time’s Up initiative drew side-eyes, one of the participants co-signed the confusion before later backtracking, ultimately regretting that the controversy threatened to take away attention from the movement.

Actress Tessa Thompson is among the many women taking part in the anti-sexual harassment movement Time’s Up, which had a coming out party during Sunday’s Golden Globes ceremony.

In the since-deleted celebratory photo Thompson posted are Michelle Williams, Billie Jean King, Rashida Jones, Susan Sarandon, Laura Dern — and, on the end of the middle row, far right, is Dunham.

In an Instagram comment reported by IndieWire, the star of “Thor: Ragnarok” said planning for the red carpet the day before the event required “6 hours, 60 artists, 8 activists and a lot of coffee.” Dunham, Thompson said, was not among those on the ground floor.

According to Thompson, her participation in Time’s Up planning was limited to the photo op. Responding to several commenters questioning why Dunham was in the picture, Thompson wrote:

“Lena was not anywhere present in our group during the countless hours of work for the last two months. We hosted an open house for actresses for red carpet messaging and Lena presence was a surprise to us all. This is a time of reckoning. And for many, a re-education. So many women also have real work to do. I’m afraid it’s too nuanced a conversation to have on this platform. But I hear you, and know that your thoughts and words are not lost on me. It’s been discussed.”

When asked to comment by IndieWire, Dunham responded, “I was honored to be invited to the meeting by a close friend and to observe the work that these amazing women have been doing the past few months. For highly personal reasons, I’ve been unable to join previous efforts but being asked to be a part of this celebratory moment was truly beautiful. I’ve worked with Tessa and respect her artistry and admire her consistent candor.”

Hours later, Thompson took to Twitter with a clarification about Dunham’s lack of involvement.

“I sometimes lack finesse in navigating social media. Hard to discuss issues with nuance there. A response I made to comments on an Instagram became fodder for a piece that I believe was designed to create conflict where there isn’t any,” Thompson wrote in a statement posted to Twitter, which has since been deleted. “It’s perhaps more complex than that. But I, in no way, want to diminish Lena Dunham and her work, her voice, and her importance. We have spoken and she knows my heart. I feel a responsibility to women that have sometimes felt ignored, dismissed and underrepresented. They are my beacons.”

We Publish News 24/7. Don’t Miss A Story. Click HERE to SUBSCRIBE to Our Newsletter Now!

Isaiah Mustafa in 'Cross' - via Prime Video
Alfonso Ribeiro - instagram
Judas looking remorseful / via EURai
Kamala Harris (tan suit) - Getty
Rihanna pink Savage X Fenty for Valentine's Day - via Instagram-Savage Fenty
Jay-Z & Jack Dorsey - screenshot
Marion Meadows
2019 NBA Awards
Bronny James (Lakers) - Via X
Diddy (white) - Depositphotos
The Daise Family - Gullah Gullah Island
Read More
Larenz Tate - via STARZ
Read More
ZATIMA key art
Read More
Sidney Starr
Read More
Michael Harry-O Harris - IG screenshot
Read More
Denzel and Diddy - GettyImages
Read More
Snoop Dogg - via Depositphotos
Read More
Sean Diddy Combs (Reuters-Getty Images via CNN Newsource)
Read More
Jamie Foxx - Getty
Read More
Black man reacts to 'Project 2025'
Read More

POPULAR

Isaiah Mustafa in 'Cross' - via Prime Video
Isaiah Mustafa Talks 'Cross' on Prime Video | EURexclusiveWATCH
Alfonso Ribeiro - instagram
No More Dancing for Him - Alfonso Ribeiro Suffers Ankle Injury While Filming at Disney World | WATCH
Judas looking remorseful / via EURai
Will Judas Iscariot be in Heaven?
Kamala Harris (tan suit) - Getty
CNN Analyst: Biden Should Nominate Harris for Supreme Court Seat - But Would Sotomayor Step Down to Make it Happen?
Rihanna pink Savage X Fenty for Valentine's Day - via Instagram-Savage Fenty
Rihanna's Barbados Appearance Fuels Retirement from Music Rumors: 'God Has Other Plans' | WATCH
Jay-Z & Jack Dorsey - screenshot
Twitter Co-founder Jack Dorsey's Company (Block) Orders Staff's Silence on Jay-Z: An Inside Look at Corporate Censorship | VIDEO
Marion Meadows
The Pulse of Entertainment: Grammy Winning Marion Meadows Gives Love on ‘Just Doing Me’ Album | LISTEN
2019 NBA Awards
NBA
Charles Barkley Calls Out NBA Players Making Millions for Not Playing Back-to-Back Games
Bronny James (Lakers) - Via X
Bronny James Gets Grounded with ‘Planned’ Switch to G-League
1 2 3 8,391