Rachel Sennott enters the online meeting and at once begins an explanation. “I can’t believe I’m late!” she says, sounding genuinely remorseful. Despite being only a couple of minutes delayed, she needs to clarify. “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, during an interview, this is precisely what you want to encounter. Additionally, it’s quite expected. Viewers who know the fearlessly queer and unapologetically crass project Bottoms—which Sennott co-wrote with Emma Seligman and featured in alongside her friend The Bear’s standout—would understand that Sennott holds much to say, whether on gender, relationships, or the appeal of starting a high-school fight club. Plus, by the end her new seasonal program I Love LA, it becomes obvious that the star carries further thoughts on the struggles of young adulthood (At 30, she represents a relatable figure for this generation, on the cusp skilled for straddling millennials and Gen Z).
Inspirations and Storytelling Approach
Parallels to Lena Dunham’s groundbreaking show naturally arise and the actress is an admirer, naming the show in addition to the HBO hit, Issa Rae’s show and the innovative program as inspirations for I Love LA, which details the journey of a social media star Tallulah and close companion and aspiring talent manager portrayed by Sennott. However, the most significant spot on concept went to Entourage, that HBO sitcom depicting an emerging Hollywood star succeeding in a gritty entertainment industry (notable statement: “nobody’s happy in this town except for the losers”). Sennott started watching it during lockdown, became “hooked”, and resolved to create a new version 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 notes. The concept for this project emerged—to some extent—from firsthand, originally difficult, move to LA and from her cosmic event, a much-talked-about event for followers. It was a time that included her grasp major truths, professionally 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 …”
Early Beginnings
Growing up in New England, Sennott commenced developing and showcasing humor while enrolled in theatre at a prestigious arts school. “I followed traditional paths to get on stage, but nothing clicked,” she says. “Auditions for university comedy troupes led to universal rejection. I tried out for all the NYU plays and didn’t make it into any of them. And I just felt like, what am I doing here?”
Sennott decided to act independently, taking the stage at open mics with Ayo and sharing hilarious (and distinctly) bizarre skits online. One, Baby Cult, centered on a group of women obsessively fixated on pregnancy; a different one envisioned being employed at the preppy clothing store Hollister as like being stuck in a thriller. Interestingly, she met Emma through campus film circles and eventually featuring in her directorial debut, Shiva Baby, an anxious film set at a funeral gathering with shades of Uncut Gems. A recurring idea of her journey, she explains, has been contemporaries giving her a shot, instead of established gatekeepers. Does that mean bypassing the usual powers? “Definitely not them”, she confirms, stating with a laugh: “They prefer we don’t succeed.”
Manifesting Dreams
Those who had doubts about her then will certainly be regretting it currently. Through she describes as a “wild, full-circle” turn of events, she has achieved an ideal role. A few years back she uploaded a video named “it’s LA” on the internet, in which she parodied film promos (“Everyone’s hooked on something”). Now, she’s the co-showrunner (with her partner) of a show about LA residents managing the perks of digital stardom (such as celebrating at a celebrity’s house) with its pitfalls (your client being suspected of being a intoxicated stealer, and possibly becoming a “brand unsafe” outcast). It would be easy to produce a series about internet celebrity that was extremely aspirational—or, even less favorable, one that belittled at the characters. I Love LA steers clear of each, making for a portrait of privileged young adult existence that’s frank about the mess 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
