Jemima Kirke: Artist, Accidental TV Star
But what a career. Dunham has written a great vehicle for her old schoolmate (and costars Zosia Mamet and Allison Williams), and Jemima knows it: “I am so happy and honored that Lena sees me as a tool to help realize her writing. And I have never had so much fun as I do when I’m acting out her scenes.”
Almost everyone seems to be obsessed with the idea that Jemima is her character, Jessa, or that Jessa is Jemima, but given Kirke’s drive and ambition, not to mention talent, it’s hard to believe there isn’t a fair amount of invention. Still, like Jessa, she has had some crappy jobs—plenty of crappy jobs—and maybe a whisper of a Jessa-ish attitude: “I had a lot of jobs for about five minutes… basically until I stopped showing up. My favorite was the fish-and-chips shop. The only one I got fired from. Maybe I fucked up a few delivery orders but I don’t think I was that bad at it. I’m still a bit resentful about that one, actually.”
And, like the Girls girls (well, most of them) she does live in Brooklyn, having fairly recently moved from Brooklyn Heights to Carroll Gardens. But that wasn’t part of the master plan either.
Asked if she’d wanted to become a Brooklynite when she was younger, Kirke laughs at the idea: “I swore it off after high school. As soon as I graduated I was like, ‘I’m outta here! Never coming back again!’ Guess I was somewhat short-sighted. A few years ago I started to realize all the possibilities that come with having a Brooklyn home.”
