Rachel Sennott enters the digital interview and immediately begins an apology. “I can’t believe I’m late!” she states, appearing really remorseful. She is only a couple of minutes delayed, she needs to clarify. “My phone conversations always run long.” “Previous discussions went over, and I realized I talk too much!” Thankfully, for a writer, this is precisely what you want to hear. Moreover, it’s quite predictable. Those who have seen the unapologetically LGBTQ+ and outspoken project titled Bottoms—which Sennott co-wrote with the director and appeared in alongside her friend the talented actress—can be aware that she holds much to discuss, whether on gender, sex, or the pros of creating a high-school brawl society. And, by the end the latest seasonal HBO series I Love LA, it becomes obvious that she carries further insights about the struggles of Gen Z life (Now in her thirties, she serves as a relatable figure of the gang, straddling eras adept for connecting different age groups).
Inspirations and Artistic Direction
Parallels to Lena Dunham’s groundbreaking show can’t be avoided and Sennott admits to being a fan, naming the show alongside the classic series, the acclaimed comedy and the innovative program as inspirations for I Love LA, which tracks the struggles of a social media star played by Odessa A’Zion and ally and new representative Maia. Notably, the largest influence on concept belonged to the HBO series, that HBO sitcom about an up-and-coming A-list actor navigating in a corrupt LA scene (memorable line: “only the unsuccessful find joy here”). Sennott began viewing it during the pandemic, became “hooked”, and decided 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 idea for I Love LA came—to some extent—from her own, originally fractious, move to Tinseltown and from the cosmic event, a popular occurrence for enthusiasts. This represented a phase that included her grasp major life lessons, work-wise and in private life. “During my younger years, I was chaotic, often breaking down in public,” she recalls. “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
Growing up in the East Coast, the star started creating and acting comedy while studying acting at a prestigious arts school. “I followed traditional paths to get on stage, but nothing clicked,” 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 seized control, performing at live shows with Ayo and sharing uproarious (and very) weird comedy videos on the internet. A particular video, Baby Cult, centered on a group of women obsessively fixated on having babies; another envisioned being employed at a trendy retail outlet as like being caught in a horror film. By chance, she met Emma through campus film circles and ended up featuring in her initial project, Shiva Baby, an anxious film set at a religious event with shades of the intense thriller. The big theme of her career, she explains, has been peers giving her a shot, rather than the industry at large. So, not the gatekeepers, then? “Not the gatekeepers”, she repeats, stating humorously: “They prefer we don’t succeed.”
Rising Success
Individuals who questioned regarding Sennott earlier will certainly be regretting it now. Through she describes as a “astonishingly complete” turn of events, she seems to have achieved the perfect project. Previously she shared a clip titled “it’s LA” on the internet, in which she lampooned movie previews (“Substance abuse is rampant here”). Now, she’s executive producer (with her partner) of a comedy about LA residents juggling benefits of digital stardom (such as celebrating at a celebrity’s house) with its pitfalls (your client being accused of being a substance-abusing stealer, and potentially becoming a unreliable pariah). One might easy to create a series about internet celebrity that was horribly idealized—or, worse, one that punched down at the characters. This show steers clear of each, making for a representation of privileged millennial life that’s candid about the grot and the appeal.
Nuanced Portrayal
“Numerous series present younger generations and digital culture in a derogatory manner,” 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
