Rachel Sennott joins the video call and right away launches into an excuse. “Oh my God – I’m sorry!” she states, appearing truly remorseful. Although she's only slightly delayed, she needs to clarify. “I tend to talk too much during calls. “Previous discussions went over, and I realized I talk too much!” Luckily, for a writer, this is precisely what is ideal to hear. Additionally, it’s pretty expected. Those who have seen her unapologetically queer and brash film Bottoms—that Sennott co-wrote with Emma Seligman and appeared in alongside her friend Ayo Edebiri—will understand that Sennott holds a lot to discuss, be it about identity, relationships, or the pros of creating a teen fight club. And, after watching her recent eight-part show titled I Love LA, viewers realize that she carries additional perspectives on the struggles of modern youth (At 30, she represents a relatable figure for this generation, on the cusp with a knack for bridging different age groups).
Inspirations and Artistic Direction
Likenesses to Lena Dunham’s Girls naturally arise and Sennott readily acknowledges a fan, citing it in addition to Sex and the City, the acclaimed comedy and Donald Glover’s series as inspirations for I Love LA, which tracks the journey of an influencer played by Odessa A’Zion and close companion who is also aspiring representative Maia. However, the biggest spot on creative vision went to the HBO series, that show focusing on a rising A-list actor succeeding in a gritty LA scene (memorable line: “nobody’s happy in this town except for the losers”). Sennott started watching it during COVID-19, became “hooked”, and chose to put her own twist on it “for the girls and the gays”.
“My aim was to focus on digital fame over traditional entertainment, as my own beginnings were on the web,” she says. The idea for the series emerged—partly—from firsthand, at first difficult, move to Tinseltown and from the astrological phase, a much-talked-about occurrence for astrology heads. That period marked a time that saw her learn significant truths, in her career 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. It was almost like these biblical tests …”
Starting Out
Raised in Connecticut, the star started creating and acting stand-up while pursuing theatre at NYU’s Tisch. “I followed traditional paths to get on stage, but nothing clicked,” she explains. “Auditions for university comedy troupes led to universal rejection. “None of the university plays cast me either.” And I just felt like, what am I doing here?”
Sennott took matters into her own hands, appearing at open mics with her friend and posting uproarious (and very) bizarre skits on the internet. A particular video, Baby Cult, depicted characters intensely obsessed with pregnancy; a different one portrayed working at a trendy retail outlet as like being stuck in a horror film. Interestingly, she met Emma through campus film circles and ultimately appearing in her initial project, titled Shiva Baby, a stressful comedy set at a religious event with hints of Uncut Gems. The big theme of her journey, she says, has been people her own age supporting her, rather than the industry at large. So, not the gatekeepers, then? “They were not involved”, she emphasizes, stating with a laugh: “They don’t want us to win.”
Rising Success
Individuals who had doubts regarding her then will likely be kicking themselves now. As part of she calls a “astonishingly complete” story, she has achieved an ideal role. In 2019 she posted a video named “it’s LA” on the internet, in which she mocked film promos (“Everyone’s hooked on something”). Years later, she’s executive producer (with her partner) of a show about city dwellers balancing advantages of digital stardom (such as celebrating at a celebrity’s house) with drawbacks (your friend being suspected of being a substance-abusing thief, and perhaps becoming a risky persona non grata). It would be easy to produce a show about internet celebrity that was horribly aspirational—or, worse, one that punched down at those depicted. I Love LA steers clear of each, resulting in a portrait of affluent millennial 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
