🔗 Share this article

Rachel Sennott enters the digital interview and right away begins an explanation. “Apologies for the delay!” she says, sounding genuinely regretful. She is only a couple of minutes delayed, she wants to justify. “I tend to talk too much during calls. I had two calls before this, and I’m like, I’ve gotta stop talking!” Luckily, during an interview, this is just what you want to hear. Additionally, it’s quite expected. Those who know her unapologetically LGBTQ+ and unapologetically crass movie titled Bottoms—that Sennott penned with the director and appeared in with close companion the talented actress—would understand that Sennott has plenty to discuss, whether about identity, relationships, or the pros of starting a high-school combat group. And, by the end her recent multi-episode program titled I Love LA, viewers realize that she has even more insights about the darker side of Gen Z life (As a millennial, she serves as an honorary member to younger audiences, on the cusp adept for bridging millennials and Gen Z).

Inspirations and Artistic Direction

Parallels to Lena Dunham’s Girls can’t be avoided and Sennott admits to being a fan, referencing it together with the classic series, Insecure and the innovative program as inspirations for her series, which tracks the struggles of a social media star Tallulah and her friend who is also new talent manager Maia. Perhaps, the biggest spot on concept belonged to the popular sitcom, the show depicting a rising Hollywood star succeeding in an often-seedy entertainment industry (notable statement: “nobody’s happy in this town except for the losers”). She started watching it throughout COVID-19, became “obsessed”, and chose to put her own twist 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 inspiration for I Love LA came—to some extent—from firsthand, initially rocky, relocation to Los Angeles and from her astrological phase, a popular occurrence for enthusiasts. It was an era that included her learn major insights, work-wise 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 resembled a series of extreme challenges…”

Starting Out

Raised in New England, the star commenced creating and acting humor while studying theatre at NYU’s Tisch. “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. “It left me questioning my purpose and place.”

She seized control, taking the stage at amateur nights with her friend and uploading hilarious (and very) unconventional comedy videos digitally. A particular video, titled Baby Cult, followed several females intensely drawn to motherhood; another imagined being employed at the preppy clothing store Hollister as similar to being trapped in a thriller. Interestingly, she met Seligman through the university’s film scene and eventually starring in her directorial debut, titled Shiva Baby, an anxious comedy set at a funeral gathering with echoes of Uncut Gems. A recurring idea of her path, she explains, has been peers offering opportunities, rather than established gatekeepers. So, not the gatekeepers, then? “Definitely not them”, she confirms, continuing amusedly: “Our victory isn’t their goal.”

Rising Success

Individuals who were skeptical regarding Sennott previously will likely be feeling foolish today. Through she calls a “incredibly circular” turn of events, she has created her dream vehicle. Previously she uploaded a video called about Los Angeles on social media, in which she lampooned film promos (“Everyone’s hooked on something”). Now, she’s the co-showrunner (with Emma Barrie) of a series about Angelenos balancing advantages of digital stardom (such as socializing at a celebrity’s house) with its pitfalls (your associate being accused of being a intoxicated thief, and possibly becoming a unreliable persona non grata). Some could tempting to make a series about online fame that was overly glamorous—or, even less favorable, one that mocked at those depicted. I Love LA steers clear of each, creating a depiction of affluent twentysomething living that’s candid about the mess and the appeal.

Nuanced Portrayal

“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