Rachel Sennott enters the online meeting and at once starts an apology. “I can’t believe I’m late!” she states, sounding genuinely regretful. Despite being only a bit behind, she feels compelled to explain. “I have such a problem, because I’m a yapper on the phone. I had two calls before this, and I’m like, I’ve gotta stop talking!” Fortunately, in this context, that’s just what you want to hear. Moreover, it’s fairly unsurprising. Those who know her fearlessly openly gay and brash project titled Bottoms—that she collaborated on with her creative partner and appeared in alongside her friend Ayo Edebiri—will already know that she possesses plenty to say, be it on identity, sex, or the appeal of starting a high-school combat group. Furthermore, by the end her latest seasonal program titled I Love LA, it is clear that she has further perspectives on the struggles of Gen Z life (As a millennial, Sennott serves as an honorary member for this generation, a tale-end millennial with a knack for straddling different age groups).
Inspirations and Storytelling Approach
The comparisons to Lena Dunham’s groundbreaking show are inevitable and the actress admits to being enthusiastic, referencing it in addition to the HBO hit, the acclaimed comedy and the innovative program as influences for her series, which follows the travails of a social media star Tallulah and ally and new representative Maia. Perhaps, the largest influence on the moodboard belonged to the popular sitcom, that program depicting an emerging Hollywood star making his way in an often-seedy Hollywood (memorable line: “nobody’s happy in this town except for the losers”). Sennott began viewing it during lockdown, became “hooked”, and chose 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 explains. The inspiration for I Love LA emerged—to some extent—from her own, initially difficult, transition to LA and from the astrological phase, a much-talked-about event for astrology heads. That period marked a phase that included her learn significant truths, professionally and in private life. “My twenties began with constant public emotional outbursts and disorganization,” she says. “Settling in LA during my mid-twenties brought calm, but soon everything unraveled.” “The struggles felt almost mythic in scale…”
Starting Out
Growing up in New England, the star commenced developing and showcasing stand-up while pursuing acting at NYU’s Tisch. “Despite trying every conventional route, I couldn’t find my footing,” she says. “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?”
She seized control, performing at live shows with Edebiri and sharing uproarious (and very) weird comedy videos on the internet. One, titled Baby Cult, followed characters obsessively fixated on motherhood; a different one envisioned being employed at the preppy clothing store Hollister as akin to being caught in a scary movie. In a neat twist of fate, she connected with Emma through campus film circles and ended up starring in her directorial debut, Shiva Baby, a tense film set at a Jewish wake with hints of the Safdie brothers’ movie. The central motif of her journey, she says, has been contemporaries offering opportunities, as opposed to the industry at large. So the old guard wasn’t helpful? “Definitely not them”, she confirms, stating with a laugh: “Our victory isn’t their goal.”
Rising Success
Anyone who had doubts regarding her earlier will likely be feeling foolish now. In what she calls a “incredibly circular” turn of events, she appears to achieved her dream vehicle. Previously she shared content called about Los Angeles online, in which she parodied movie previews (“Everyone’s hooked on something”). Now, she’s the co-showrunner (with the co-writer) of a show about Angelenos juggling the perks of online celebrity (such as socializing at a celebrity’s house) with downsides (your client being labeled as being a substance-abusing stealer, and perhaps becoming a risky persona non grata). It would be easy to produce a series about digital influence that was overly glamorous—or, more problematic, one that punched down at those depicted. The series does neither, creating a depiction of privileged millennial living that’s candid about the grot and the glamour.
Nuanced Portrayal
“Numerous series present younger generations and digital culture in a derogatory manner,” 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
