Rachel Sennott joins the digital interview and right away launches into an apology. “I can’t believe I’m late!” she states, seeming genuinely regretful. She is only slightly delayed, 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!” Thankfully, for a writer, this is just what is ideal to hear. Besides, it’s fairly expected. Viewers who have seen her unapologetically queer and outspoken film Bottoms—that she penned with Emma Seligman and appeared in with her friend The Bear’s standout—would already know that Sennott has much to share, ranging from on identity, intimacy, or the merits of starting a teen fight club. And, by the end her new eight-part program titled I Love LA, viewers realize that the star has additional perspectives about the struggles of young adulthood (At 30, Sennott is a bridge to younger audiences, a tale-end millennial skilled for connecting millennials and Gen Z).
Inspirations and Artistic Direction
Parallels to Lena Dunham’s groundbreaking show naturally arise and the actress is enthusiastic, citing the show in addition to the HBO hit, Issa Rae’s show and Atlanta as guides for the project, which follows the journey of online personality Tallulah and close companion who is also aspiring talent manager Sennott’s character. However, the biggest spot on concept was reserved for Entourage, that show about an emerging celebrity succeeding in a corrupt Hollywood (choice quote: “nobody’s happy in this town except for the losers”). Sennott discovered it throughout lockdown, became “hooked”, and decided to put her own twist on it “with female and queer audiences in mind”.
“I wanted to make a show where the internet, not Hollywood, was the industry, because my career started online,” she explains. The concept for the series came—partly—from firsthand, at first rocky, relocation to Los Angeles and from her astrological phase, a popular event for followers. That period marked a time that saw her understand some big truths, in her career and personally. “My twenties began with constant public emotional outbursts and disorganization,” 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 …”
Early Beginnings
Brought up in New England, Sennott commenced developing and showcasing humor while pursuing acting at a prestigious arts school. “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?”
Sennott decided to act independently, performing at open mics with Edebiri and posting uproarious (and distinctly) unconventional online content digitally. One, titled Baby Cult, centered on characters intensely fixated on having babies; a different one imagined working at the preppy clothing store Hollister as akin to being stuck in a thriller. In a neat twist of fate, she met Emma through the university’s film scene and ultimately starring in her initial project, Shiva Baby, an anxious comedy set at a Jewish wake with hints of Uncut Gems. The big theme of her career, she explains, has been people her own age giving her a shot, rather than traditional networks. So, not the gatekeepers, then? “Not the gatekeepers”, she confirms, continuing amusedly: “Our victory isn’t their goal.”
Career Breakthrough
Individuals who questioned regarding her then will certainly be kicking themselves currently. Through she calls a “astonishingly complete” story, she has achieved the perfect project. Previously she posted a clip titled on LA life on social media, in which she lampooned movie previews (“Substance abuse is rampant here”). Now, she’s executive producer (with her partner) of a comedy about Angelenos balancing the perks of online celebrity (such as celebrating at a celebrity’s house) with downsides (your friend being labeled as being a intoxicated criminal, and perhaps becoming a unreliable outcast). One might tempting to create a series about internet celebrity that was overly glamorous—or, worse, one that mocked at its subjects. I Love LA avoids both, making for a representation of advantaged young adult living that’s candid about the grot and the shine.
Balanced Perspective
“Many programs portray youth and online life with disdain and mockery,” 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
