Rachel Sennott enters the online meeting and at once launches into an explanation. “Oh my God – I’m sorry!” she exclaims, appearing truly regretful. She is only a bit delayed, she feels compelled to justify. “My phone conversations always run long.” I had two calls before this, and I’m like, I’ve gotta stop talking!” Fortunately, during an interview, this is just what is ideal to experience. Additionally, it’s fairly predictable. Those familiar with her boldly openly gay and brash film titled Bottoms—which Sennott collaborated on with the director and featured in together with collaborator The Bear’s standout—would understand that she has plenty to share, ranging from about roles, intimacy, or the pros of forming a teen fight club. Plus, after watching her recent eight-part program I Love LA, it is clear that the star carries further thoughts regarding the struggles of Gen Z life (Now in her thirties, she represents an honorary member of the gang, straddling eras with a knack for connecting both generations).
Guiding Lights and Creative Vision
Parallels to Lena Dunham’s groundbreaking show naturally arise and the actress admits to being an admirer, citing it in addition to Sex and the City, the acclaimed comedy and Atlanta as guides for the project, which details the journey of a social media star Tallulah and ally and fledgling representative Sennott’s character. Notably, the most significant presence on the moodboard belonged to the popular sitcom, the program about a rising celebrity navigating in an often-seedy Hollywood (memorable line: “nobody’s happy in this town except for the losers”). She discovered it amid COVID-19, became “obsessed”, and resolved to put her own twist on it “targeting women and LGBTQ+ viewers”.
“My aim was to focus on digital fame over traditional entertainment, as my own beginnings were on the web,” she notes. The inspiration for this project emerged—to some extent—from firsthand, originally difficult, relocation to Los Angeles and from her saturn return, a much-talked-about occurrence for astrology heads. It was an era that included her learn major life lessons, in her career and in private life. “During my younger years, I was chaotic, often breaking down in public,” she says. “After relocating to Los Angeles in my mid-twenties, I found stability, only for things to crumble. “The struggles felt almost mythic in scale…”
Starting Out
Growing up in the East Coast, Sennott began 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 states. “Every campus humor group turned me down after tryouts.” “None of the university plays cast me either.” “It left me questioning my purpose and place.”
Sennott seized control, taking the stage at live shows with Ayo and uploading hilarious (and distinctly) bizarre skits on the internet. One, titled Baby Cult, depicted several females fetishistically obsessed with motherhood; another portrayed being employed at the preppy clothing store Hollister as akin to being trapped in a scary movie. Interestingly, she encountered Emma through NYU’s movie community and eventually starring in her initial project, Shiva Baby, a tense dramedy set at a funeral gathering with hints of Uncut Gems. The big theme of her career, she says, has been people her own age offering opportunities, instead of the industry at large. Does that mean bypassing the usual powers? “Definitely not them”, she confirms, adding amusedly: “Our victory isn’t their goal.”
Career Breakthrough
Those who were skeptical about Sennott earlier will certainly be regretting it currently. In what she calls a “wild, full-circle” turn of events, she has manifested her dream vehicle. In 2019 she uploaded content titled on LA life on social media, in which she parodied film promos (“I’m addicted to drugs – we all are”). Now, she’s the co-showrunner (with her partner) of a show about Angelenos juggling the perks of digital stardom (such as socializing at a celebrity’s house) with downsides (your client being suspected of being a substance-abusing thief, and potentially becoming a unreliable outcast). It would be simple to create a series about digital influence that was overly aspirational—or, even less favorable, one that belittled at the characters. The series steers clear of each, making for a depiction of privileged twentysomething life that’s candid about the mess and the appeal.
Nuanced Portrayal
“There have been a lot of shows that depict young people and their relationship to the internet in this very condescending, hateful way,” she comments. “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
