The film, co-executive produced by Jenni Konner and directed by Matt Wolf, introduces Hilary’s milieu and his fantasy-filled life to the masses. It’s Me Hilary–part bio pic, part whimsy–quite simply is Lena’s love letter to the man whose creative sensibilities continue to inspire her work. When Hilary, now 88, found out that the star of one of his favorite cable TV series sported a prominent tattoo of Eloise on her lower back, he was smitten. That Lena Dunham and Hilary Knight bonded instantly is hardly a surprise. Lena Dunham’s tattoo honors her childhood heroine, Eloise, who gave “a slightly weird child a lot to relate to.” Photo courtesy Lena Dunham/HBO. (Check HBO On Demand and regional listings for additional HBO playdates throughout the weeks ahead.) I urge you not to miss it!

It’s Me, Hilary: The Man Who Drew Eloise premieres tonight, Monday, March 23, 2015, at 9:00 p.m. Lena Dunham, the fearless star and co-creator of one of my guilty pleasures, the HBO series Girls, has produced a whimsical and surprisingly revelatory 40-minute documentary about her new friend, Hilary Knight. Skip ahead 20 years, and now you, too, will have a chance to meet Hilary Knight and his latest cat companion, Ruff.

To say that bonding with Hilary Knight and Skeezix was a snap is an understatement. Not to be outdone , Hilary held court in the most charming, artistically “curated” New York apartment I’d ever encountered. And how could I not love a guy who doted on a cat named Skeezix? Of course, Hilary was the artist who co-created and illustrated Eloise, the book that introduced the universe to a six-year-old force of nature named Eloise who lived, as we all know, at The Plaza Hotel in New York City. Hilary’s beloved cat companion at that time, Skeezix, was the spitting image of my Maine Coon-esque cat, Fluffy. My profile of Hilary went on to win a prestigious award, but my biggest prize was the chance to meet and get to know Hilary. Eloise would feel at home here.”Īlmost 20 years have passed since I penned that lead-in to my interview with illustrator/author Hilary Knight. Skeezix is a cat that looks like a raccoon.

“ Skeezix sleeps in a bowl under a lamp in Hilary Knight’s memento-filled Manhattan apartment. Actress/writer/producer Lena Dunham turns the spotlight on her friend, illustrator/author Hilary Knight, in her new documentary.

Hilary knight eloise