Rachel Sennott enters the video call and right away starts an apology. “I can’t believe I’m late!” she exclaims, appearing genuinely regretful. She is only slightly behind, she wants to justify. “My phone conversations always run long.” “Earlier calls made me late—I just can’t stop chatting!” Thankfully, in this context, that’s exactly what you want to hear. Moreover, it’s quite predictable. Those who know the fearlessly openly gay and unapologetically crass film Bottoms—that she co-wrote with the director and featured in alongside close companion The Bear’s standout—would understand that Sennott possesses much to say, be it about roles, relationships, or the appeal of starting a youth fight club. And, by the end the latest eight-part show titled I Love LA, it becomes obvious that the star carries additional insights on the darker side of modern youth (Now in her thirties, she represents an honorary member for this generation, straddling eras skilled for bridging millennials and Gen Z).
Guiding Lights and Artistic Direction
Likenesses to the iconic series Girls naturally arise and Sennott admits to being enthusiastic, naming it in addition to the classic series, the acclaimed comedy and Donald Glover’s series as influences for the project, which follows the struggles of an influencer Tallulah and close companion who is also aspiring agent portrayed by Sennott. Perhaps, the largest presence on concept was reserved for the HBO series, the HBO sitcom about an emerging A-list actor navigating in a corrupt LA scene (notable statement: “only the unsuccessful find joy here”). Sennott started watching it during lockdown, became “hooked”, and resolved to add a fresh perspective 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 says. The concept for the series came—partly—from her own, originally rocky, transition to Los Angeles and from her saturn return, a popular phenomenon for astrology heads. This represented a time that saw her grasp some big life lessons, professionally and personally. “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.” It was almost like these biblical tests …”
Early Beginnings
Growing up in Connecticut, Sennott began creating and acting humor while studying acting at a prestigious arts school. “Despite trying every conventional route, I couldn’t find my footing,” she says. “Every campus humor group turned me down after tryouts.” “Theatre productions at school also didn’t accept me. “I wondered why I was even there at all.”
Sennott took matters into her own hands, taking the stage at open mics with Edebiri and posting uproarious (and decidedly) unconventional online content online. A particular video, Baby Cult, followed a group of women obsessively obsessed with having babies; a different one envisioned being employed at the brand Hollister as like being trapped in a scary movie. By chance, she met Emma through the university’s film scene and eventually appearing in her directorial debut, Shiva Baby, a tense comedy set at a funeral gathering with hints of the Safdie brothers’ movie. A recurring idea of her journey, she explains, has been people her own age offering opportunities, instead of traditional networks. Does that mean bypassing the usual powers? “They were not involved”, she confirms, continuing humorously: “They don’t want us to win.”
Manifesting Dreams
Those who were skeptical regarding her earlier will surely be feeling foolish today. In what she describes as a “wild, full-circle” development, she appears to achieved an ideal role. A few years back she shared a video titled “it’s LA” online, in which she parodied film promos (“Everyone’s hooked on something”). Now, she’s executive producer (with the co-writer) of a series about Angelenos managing benefits of internet fame (such as partying at a famous actor’s house) with downsides (your associate being labeled as being a substance-abusing criminal, and perhaps becoming a risky outcast). Some could easy to produce a show about online fame that was horribly aspirational—or, more problematic, one that punched down at the characters. I Love LA avoids both, making for a portrait of affluent millennial life that’s candid about the grot and the appeal.
Balanced Perspective
“Numerous series present younger generations and digital culture in a derogatory manner,” she says. “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
