The actress and writer exploring her hilarious show about the chaotic glamour of Gen Z existence
Rachel Sennott joins the online meeting and right away begins an explanation. “Apologies for the delay!” she states, sounding genuinely apologetic. Although she's only slightly late, she wants to justify. “I have such a problem, because I’m a yapper on the phone. “Earlier calls made me late—I just can’t stop chatting!” Fortunately, during an interview, this is exactly what you want to hear. Besides, it’s quite expected. Viewers familiar with the boldly queer and outspoken film titled Bottoms—which Sennott penned with Emma Seligman and appeared in alongside collaborator the talented actress—would already know that Sennott possesses plenty to say, ranging from about roles, relationships, or the appeal of creating a high-school fight club. Plus, after watching her latest seasonal program I Love LA, it becomes obvious that she holds additional thoughts about the darker side of modern youth (Now in her thirties, she represents a bridge of the gang, on the cusp skilled for bridging different age groups).
Influences and Artistic Direction
Parallels to the iconic series Girls naturally arise and the actress is enthusiastic, citing it together with Sex and the City, Issa Rae’s show and the innovative program as inspirations for her series, which follows the travails of a social media star Tallulah and close companion who is also fledgling agent Maia. However, the biggest influence on concept was reserved for Entourage, that HBO sitcom about an emerging A-list actor succeeding in an often-seedy entertainment industry (choice quote: “nobody’s happy in this town except for the losers”). She discovered it amid the pandemic, became “captivated”, and resolved to add a fresh perspective 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 explains. The concept for this project emerged—to some extent—from firsthand, initially fractious, relocation to Los Angeles and from her cosmic event, a frequently discussed event for followers. This represented an era that included her grasp some big life lessons, professionally and personally. “My twenties began with constant public emotional outbursts and disorganization,” she admits. “After relocating to Los Angeles in my mid-twenties, I found stability, only for things to crumble. “The struggles felt almost mythic in scale…”
Humble Origins
Brought up in New England, the star commenced creating and acting stand-up while studying theatre at New York University (NYU) Tisch School of the Arts. “Despite trying every conventional route, I couldn’t find my footing,” she explains. “Every campus humor group turned me down after tryouts.” “None of the university plays cast me either.” And I just felt like, what am I doing here?”
Sennott decided to act independently, appearing at open mics with Edebiri and uploading hilarious (and distinctly) weird skits on the internet. A particular video, titled Baby Cult, centered on a group of women obsessively drawn to motherhood; another imagined being employed at a trendy retail outlet as similar to being stuck in a scary movie. Interestingly, she connected with Seligman through NYU’s movie community and ended up featuring in her initial project, Shiva Baby, a tense film set at a Jewish wake with echoes of Uncut Gems. The big theme of her career, she explains, has been people her own age offering opportunities, instead of established gatekeepers. So, not the gatekeepers, then? “They were not involved”, she emphasizes, continuing amusedly: “Our victory isn’t their goal.”
Rising Success
Individuals who had doubts regarding Sennott earlier will surely be feeling foolish now. In what she labels a “wild, full-circle” story, she appears to achieved the perfect project. A few years back she shared a video named “it’s LA” on social media, in which she lampooned movie previews (“Substance abuse is rampant here”). Now, she’s a lead creator (with Emma Barrie) of a comedy about LA residents juggling advantages of digital stardom (such as celebrating at a celebrity’s house) with drawbacks (your client being accused of being a drug-addled criminal, and potentially becoming a “brand unsafe” outcast). It would be easy to make a show about digital influence that was overly aspirational—or, even less favorable, one that mocked at its subjects. I Love LA does neither, resulting in a depiction of privileged young adult living that’s frank about the mess and the glamour.
Balanced Perspective
“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