Andrew Rannells reveals brief romance with Anderson Cooper inspired “Girls” storyline

Leigh BlickleyTue, June 16, 2026 at 4:20 PM UTC

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Andrew Rannells at the premiere of 'Griffin in Summer' in 2025; Anderson CooperCredit: GettyKey Points -

Andrew Rannells confirms he dated Anderson Cooper, and their brief romance inspired a storyline on Girls.

The actor says he told Lena Dunham and Jenni Konner about his relationship with Cooper.

He starred on Girls from 2012 to 2017.

Andrew Rannells is spilling the tea on his brief, but inspirational, fling with Anderson Cooper.

The actor confirmed his past romance with Cooper on the May 28 episode of the Daily Beast podcast Obsessed, telling host Kevin Fallon that he shared details of their relationship with Girls creator Lena Dunham.

"I told Lena and 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, and then it became the story that Elijah had in the series," Rannells explained.

Rannells played Elijah Krantz, Hannah's (Dunham) gay ex-boyfriend from college and eventual roommate, on all six seasons of Girls from 2012 to 2017.

In season 5, aspiring Broadway actor Elijah begins dating Dill Harcourt (Corey Stoll), an older, clean-cut news anchor. They eventually split due to their age gap and Dill's desire to find "someone less aimless."

Rannells said that although his relationship with Cooper was "very brief," Dunham and Konner were intrigued by their connection, and reportedly created the character of Dill because of it.

"When I told them that, they were like, 'Oh, that's a fun story,'" Rannells said on Obsessed, also noting that he choreographed his sex scenes with Stoll on the show due to the lack of intimacy coordinators at the time.

Entertainment Weekly has reached out to Cooper for comment.

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Corey Stoll and Andrew Rannells in 'Girls'Credit: HBO

At the time the storyline between Elijah and Dill aired on the show, Stoll was asked if his character was inspired by Cooper, to which he told Queerty, "I don't know. I was playing Dill Harcourt. I did not base this character on anybody."

When Rannells was asked to confirm if Cooper was the inspiration behind his onscreen love interest, the Miss You, Love You star told Elle in April 2016 that Dill was a "general idea" of a "powerful, you know, adult."

"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," he added.

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Even Cooper weighed in on the theories at the time, telling the New York Post that same month that he assumed Bill O'Reilly was Dunham's muse.

"I just met Lena Dunham at Sundance and she didn't mention anything to me, but I'd be flattered," Cooper said, questioning, "Wait — is that the guy Andrew Rannells' [character] is dating? I thought he was more of an O'Reilly character. I'm a friend of Andrew's. I should ask him."

Rannells has been with his current partner, Tuc Watkins, since 2019. Cooper, meanwhile, dated Benjamin Maisani from 2014 to 2019, and they now co-parent their sons, Wyatt and Sebastian.

on Entertainment Weekly

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