Lena Dunham Wanted to Direct Jennifer Lawrence and Andrew Scott in a ‘Scandoval’

For Lena Dunham, there’s no such thing as “too much” reality TV. The beloved filmmaker even wanted to adapt the viral “Vanderpump Rules” for the big screen, especially after the “Scandoval” of it all.

“Vanderpump Rules” Season 10 revealed the explosive affair between co-stars Tom Sandoval and Rachel Leviss; Sandoval’s ex Ariana Madix confronted both cast members during the Season 10 reunion in 2023. The episode was Emmy-nominated.

While the scandal shocked audiences at the time, Dunham was looking to add a high(er)brow twist with the help of her fellow Bravo bingers, Andrew Scott and Jennifer Lawrence.

“We should basically create like a mini movie in which actors treat this as canon and get up and perform it with all the passion and virtuosity of Shakespeare,” Dunham said during the “Shut Up Evan” podcast. “I went so far as to abuse Andy Cohen‘s contact information to pitch him the idea.”

She added that her “Too Much” actor Scott would portray Sandoval, with Lawrence as Madix. “I want to take these words and direct them like it’s really serious theater,” Dunham said.

IndieWire’s Jim Hemphill compared the decision by “Vanderpump Rules” editors to let the story unfold onscreen in reverse chronological order to being “reminiscent of Christopher Nolan‘s ‘Memento’ or the Harold Pinter play ‘Betrayal’ (a work that has more than a few thematic parallels to this season of ‘Vanderpump’).”

Lawrence, who famously loves the “Real Housewives” franchise and is a frequent “WWHL” guest alongside host Cohen, is set to lead Apple Original Film and A24’s “The Wives,” about a group of elite housewives who may or may not be murderers.

“The Wives” will be produced by Jeremy O. Harris (“Zola,” “Slave Play”) and Josh Godfrey under their bb2 banner, with Lawrence and Justine Ciarrocchi also producing for their banner Excellent Cadaver.

Lawrence has been a mega-fan of the “Housewives” Bravo tentpole franchise for years, and even told E! that she would give her Oscar to the cast of “The Real Housewives of Salt Lake City” for making the “best reality TV finale, I think, ever.”

Other than “Scandoval,” that is.

Dunham, meanwhile, is in production on “Good Sex” and will write a movie about FTX founder Sam Bankman-Fried for A24 and Apple, which also over see “The Wives.”