HBO's 'Girls'
HBO's "Girls" will have to continue without Christopher Abbott, who quit the series after fighting with Lena Dunham. HBO

HBO’s immensely popular “Girls” series has lost one of its fan favorites.

Actor Christopher Abbott, who played Allison Williams’ boyfriend Charlie on the first two seasons of the hit series, has quit the show, the New York Post reports. Abbott’s abrupt departure comes amid reports that he has been clashing with series creator (and Golden Globe winner) Lena Dunham.

"[Chris] is grateful for the experience of collaborating with Lena, Judd [Apatow], and the entire Girls cast and crew, but right now he’s working on numerous other projects and has decided not to return to the show," Abbott’s reps told the Post.

Sources close to the situation told the Post that Abbott has been less than pleased with the direction of the show’s upcoming third season, leading to friction with Dunham. “They’ve just started work on Season 3, and Chris is at odds with Lena,” a source told the Post. “He didn’t like the direction things are going in, which seems a bit odd since the show put him on the map.”

Considering the recent reunion between Abbott’s character, Charlie, and on-again, off-again girlfriend Marnie, the departure of Abbott will create a significant hole in the show’s plot.

While “Girls” was instrumental in launching Abbott’s career, the 27-year-old actor has appeared in several recent projects, including the indie film “Hello I Must Be Going” and the SXSW film “Burma.” Additionally, Abbott will star alongside Brady Corbet in an upcoming film called “Sleepwalkers.”

RELATED STORIES