Rachel Sennott appears on the digital interview and immediately begins an excuse. “I can’t believe I’m late!” she states, appearing really regretful. Although she's only slightly delayed, she wants to explain. “I tend to talk too much during calls. I had two calls before this, and I’m like, I’ve gotta stop talking!” Luckily, for a writer, that’s precisely what is ideal to encounter. Additionally, it’s pretty unsurprising. Those familiar with her boldly openly gay and outspoken film titled Bottoms—which Sennott penned with Emma Seligman and appeared in with collaborator the talented actress—can already know that she holds much to share, whether about roles, relationships, or the merits of forming a high-school fight club. Plus, after watching her latest eight-part show I Love LA, viewers realize that the star carries further insights about the challenges of Gen Z life (As a millennial, Sennott is a bridge for this generation, straddling eras with a knack for bridging different age groups).
Inspirations and Artistic Direction
Parallels to the iconic series Girls are inevitable and the actress admits to being a fan, referencing the show together with the classic series, the acclaimed comedy and the innovative program as guides for the project, which follows the journey of an influencer played by Odessa A’Zion and ally and fledgling representative Sennott’s character. Perhaps, the largest spot on concept was reserved for Entourage, the HBO sitcom about a rising celebrity succeeding in a gritty LA scene (choice quote: “happiness eludes everyone but failures in this city”). Sennott began viewing it during COVID-19, became “hooked”, and chose to put her own twist on it “targeting women and LGBTQ+ viewers”.
“I wanted to make a show where the internet, not Hollywood, was the industry, because my career started online,” she says. The inspiration for this project originated—to some extent—from her own, originally difficult, transition to Tinseltown and from the cosmic event, a much-talked-about event for followers. That period marked a phase that involved her learn some big life lessons, professionally and in private life. “My twenties began with constant public emotional outbursts and disorganization,” she admits. “In my mid-20s, I moved to LA and got settled. And then I felt like everything started to just fall apart. “The struggles felt almost mythic in scale…”
Humble Origins
Brought up in Connecticut, the star began creating and acting stand-up while pursuing acting at NYU’s Tisch. “I followed traditional paths to get on stage, but nothing clicked,” she states. “Auditions for university comedy troupes led to universal rejection. I tried out for all the NYU plays and didn’t make it into any of them. “It left me questioning my purpose and place.”
She seized control, appearing at live shows with Ayo and posting hysterical (and distinctly) weird skits digitally. One, titled Baby Cult, centered on several females obsessively obsessed with pregnancy; another imagined working at the brand Hollister as like being trapped in a thriller. Interestingly, she encountered Emma through NYU’s movie community and ended up appearing in her first film, Shiva Baby, an anxious film set at a religious event with shades of the intense thriller. The central motif of her journey, she notes, has been people her own age giving her a shot, as opposed to established gatekeepers. Does that mean bypassing the usual powers? “Definitely not them”, she repeats, stating amusedly: “They don’t want us to win.”
Career Breakthrough
Those who had doubts regarding Sennott previously will likely be kicking themselves now. Through she describes as a “incredibly circular” development, she has achieved the perfect project. A few years back she posted a clip named “it’s LA” online, in which she mocked movie previews (“Substance abuse is rampant here”). Years later, she’s the co-showrunner (with Emma Barrie) of a show about city dwellers juggling benefits of internet fame (such as partying at a celebrity’s house) with downsides (your associate being labeled as being a intoxicated stealer, and potentially becoming a unreliable outcast). Some could tempting to make a show about digital influence that was horribly glamorous—or, more problematic, one that punched down at its subjects. I Love LA does neither, resulting in a portrait of privileged twentysomething existence that’s frank about the chaos and the glamour.
Nuanced Portrayal
“Many programs portray youth and online life with disdain and mockery,” she observes. “I think that young people have been through a lot – I’m mostly thinking of people younger than me, like my little sister, who went to college during Covid, so she had to come home, or my other sister who was doing school online.”|“The younger generation has faced significant
