Rachel Sennott joins the video call and immediately launches into an explanation. “I can’t believe I’m late!” she exclaims, appearing genuinely remorseful. Although she's only slightly behind, she wants to justify. “I have such a problem, because I’m a yapper on the phone. “Previous discussions went over, and I realized I talk too much!” Luckily, for a writer, that’s just what one hopes to encounter. Besides, it’s pretty predictable. Those who have seen the boldly openly gay and brash movie Bottoms—that she co-wrote with her creative partner and starred in with her friend Ayo Edebiri—will understand that Sennott has plenty to say, be it about identity, intimacy, or the merits of forming a youth fight club. Furthermore, after watching her recent eight-part HBO series I Love LA, viewers realize that she has additional insights regarding the darker side of Gen Z life (As a millennial, she serves as an honorary member for this generation, straddling eras with a knack for connecting different age groups).
Influences and Creative Vision
Parallels to Lena Dunham’s groundbreaking show naturally arise and the actress admits to being enthusiastic, referencing it in addition to the HBO hit, the acclaimed comedy and Donald Glover’s series as influences for I Love LA, which follows the struggles of an influencer played by Odessa A’Zion and ally and fledgling representative portrayed by Sennott. Perhaps, the biggest presence on concept belonged to Entourage, the HBO sitcom depicting an up-and-coming A-list actor navigating in an often-seedy LA scene (choice quote: “only the unsuccessful find joy here”). Sennott began viewing it amid lockdown, became “captivated”, and resolved to create a new version on it “for the girls and the gays”.
“I sought to highlight online platforms as the new industry, since my professional journey launched there,” she says. The concept for this project originated—partly—from firsthand, originally difficult, transition to LA and from the astrological phase, a popular phenomenon for enthusiasts. It was a time that included her learn some big life lessons, in her career and individually. “In my early 20s I was so messy, crying in public everywhere, all the time,” she recalls. “Settling in LA during my mid-twenties brought calm, but soon everything unraveled.” “It resembled a series of extreme challenges…”
Starting Out
Growing up in the East Coast, the star started writing and performing stand-up while pursuing performance at a prestigious arts school. “Despite trying every conventional route, I couldn’t find my footing,” she explains. “Every campus humor group turned me down after tryouts.” “Theatre productions at school also didn’t accept me. And I just felt like, what am I doing here?”
She decided to act independently, taking the stage at open mics with her friend and sharing hilarious (and decidedly) unconventional comedy videos digitally. A particular video, Baby Cult, depicted characters obsessively obsessed with motherhood; a different one imagined working at the preppy clothing store Hollister as like being trapped in a horror film. By chance, she connected with Seligman through the university’s film scene and ended up appearing in her directorial debut, Shiva Baby, a stressful film set at a Jewish wake with hints of Uncut Gems. The big theme of her career, she notes, has been peers offering opportunities, as opposed to the industry at large. Does that mean bypassing the usual powers? “Not the gatekeepers”, she repeats, continuing amusedly: “Our victory isn’t their goal.”
Manifesting Dreams
Those who were skeptical about Sennott previously will surely be regretting it currently. Through she calls a “wild, full-circle” story, she seems to have achieved her dream vehicle. Previously she posted content named “it’s LA” online, in which she mocked film promos (“Everyone’s hooked on something”). Six years on, she’s the co-showrunner (with the co-writer) of a show about city dwellers balancing advantages of digital stardom (such as celebrating at a celebrity’s house) with drawbacks (your friend being accused of being a drug-addled criminal, and possibly becoming a risky persona non grata). It would be easy to make a program about digital influence that was overly idealized—or, worse, one that mocked at those depicted. I Love LA avoids both, creating a representation of privileged millennial existence that’s frank about the chaos and the glamour.
Balanced Perspective
“Many programs portray youth and online life with disdain and mockery,” she says. “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
