Rachel Sennott appears on the video call and right away starts an explanation. “Oh my God – I’m sorry!” she says, sounding really regretful. Although she's only a couple of minutes delayed, she wants 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!” Luckily, for a writer, this is just what one hopes to experience. Moreover, it’s pretty unsurprising. Those who have seen her boldly LGBTQ+ and brash project Bottoms—which she co-wrote with the director and featured in together with close companion the talented actress—can be aware that she holds much to share, be it about gender, intimacy, or the pros of creating a high-school fight club. And, by the end the recent multi-episode show I Love LA, it is clear that she carries even more perspectives on the darker side of Gen Z life (As a millennial, Sennott serves as a relatable figure of the gang, on the cusp skilled for straddling both generations).
Guiding Lights and Artistic Direction
The comparisons to Lena Dunham’s groundbreaking show are inevitable and Sennott admits to being an admirer, naming it alongside Sex and the City, Issa Rae’s show and the innovative program as guides for the project, which details the journey of a social media star played by Odessa A’Zion and her friend and new talent manager Maia. However, the largest influence on concept belonged to Entourage, that HBO sitcom depicting an up-and-coming Hollywood star succeeding in a corrupt LA scene (notable statement: “happiness eludes everyone but failures in this city”). She discovered it amid COVID-19, became “captivated”, and resolved to put her own twist on it “targeting women and LGBTQ+ viewers”.
“I sought to highlight online platforms as the new industry, since my professional journey launched there,” she says. The idea for I Love LA emerged—to some extent—from personal, initially difficult, transition to LA and from her cosmic event, a frequently discussed occurrence for enthusiasts. This represented a time that included her grasp some big truths, work-wise and personally. “During my younger years, I was chaotic, often breaking down in public,” she admits. “Settling in LA during my mid-twenties brought calm, but soon everything unraveled.” It was almost like these biblical tests …”
Early Beginnings
Raised in Connecticut, the star commenced developing and showcasing stand-up while pursuing acting at a prestigious arts school. “I went through all the proper channels to try to perform, and they weren’t gelling,” she says. “Every campus humor group turned me down after tryouts.” “None of the university plays cast me either.” “It left me questioning my purpose and place.”
Sennott decided to act independently, performing at live shows with her friend and sharing uproarious (and distinctly) unconventional comedy videos digitally. One, titled Baby Cult, depicted several females obsessively drawn to having babies; another imagined being employed at the preppy clothing store Hollister as akin to being stuck in a horror film. In a neat twist of fate, she encountered Seligman through NYU’s movie community and eventually starring in her directorial debut, Shiva Baby, a stressful comedy set at a funeral gathering with hints of Uncut Gems. A recurring idea of her journey, she says, has been contemporaries giving her a shot, instead of established gatekeepers. Does that mean bypassing the usual powers? “Definitely not them”, she confirms, stating humorously: “Our victory isn’t their goal.”
Career Breakthrough
Those who had doubts regarding her previously will surely be regretting it currently. As part of she calls a “incredibly circular” story, she appears to manifested her dream vehicle. Previously she shared a video named on LA life on the internet, in which she lampooned movie previews (“I’m addicted to drugs – we all are”). Years later, she’s a lead creator (with the co-writer) of a series about LA residents balancing benefits of online celebrity (such as partying at a celebrity’s house) with drawbacks (your friend being labeled as being a substance-abusing thief, and perhaps becoming a “brand unsafe” pariah). It would be easy to make a program about internet celebrity that was extremely glamorous—or, more problematic, one that punched down at the characters. This show does neither, resulting in a depiction of affluent twentysomething existence that’s frank about the grot and the glamour.
Empathetic Approach
“Many programs portray youth and online life with disdain and mockery,” 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
