Rannells' Girls Role Inspired By Anderson Cooper Romance

Andrew Rannells disclosed that a past romance with Anderson Cooper inspired a storyline for his character on the hit HBO series Girls. Rannells recounted sharing details of his brief relationship with Cooper, which occurred when he was 25, with the show's creators. This personal experience was subsequently woven into the narrative for his character, Elijah, who pursued a relationship with an older news anchor named Dill.

During season 5 of Girls, Elijah's romance with Dill concluded due to their age difference, a plot point that resonated with Rannells' own past. This revelation marks the first public confirmation of Rannells' connection to the CNN broadcaster. While Rannells maintained a degree of ambiguity about the inspiration at the time of the season's airing in 2016, Cooper himself had previously commented on fan speculation, expressing amusement and a willingness to be flattered if true.

Rannells has since found a long-term partner in Tuc Watkins, with whom he met in 2019. Anderson Cooper has also been in a long-term relationship with Benjamin Maisani, with whom he shares two sons.