Rachel Sennott enters the online meeting and at once begins an explanation. “Apologies for the delay!” she exclaims, appearing really regretful. Although she's only a bit delayed, she wants to justify. “My phone conversations always run long.” “Earlier calls made me late—I just can’t stop chatting!” Luckily, in this context, that’s just what is ideal to hear. Besides, it’s quite predictable. Those who have seen her unapologetically queer and unapologetically crass movie Bottoms—that she co-wrote with Emma Seligman and starred in with her friend the talented actress—will understand that Sennott possesses plenty to discuss, whether about roles, relationships, or the pros of creating a high-school combat group. Furthermore, after watching her new multi-episode HBO series I Love LA, it becomes obvious that the star carries further insights regarding the struggles of modern youth (Now in her thirties, Sennott serves as a relatable figure to younger audiences, a tale-end millennial skilled for bridging different age groups).
Inspirations and Artistic Direction
The comparisons to the iconic series Girls are inevitable and Sennott is an admirer, referencing it together with the HBO hit, Issa Rae’s show and the innovative program as inspirations for I Love LA, which follows the journey of online personality played by Odessa A’Zion and close companion and new representative Sennott’s character. Notably, the most significant presence on creative vision was reserved for the popular sitcom, that program depicting an up-and-coming Hollywood star making his way in a corrupt Hollywood (choice quote: “only the unsuccessful find joy here”). She started watching it throughout COVID-19, became “obsessed”, and decided to put her own twist on it “with female and queer audiences in mind”.
“I sought to highlight online platforms as the new industry, since my professional journey launched there,” she says. The idea for the series emerged—partly—from personal, originally rocky, transition to LA and from the cosmic event, a frequently discussed phenomenon for enthusiasts. It was a phase that saw her learn significant life lessons, professionally and in private life. “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. “The struggles felt almost mythic in scale…”
Humble Origins
Growing up in the East Coast, the star started developing and showcasing stand-up while studying acting at a prestigious arts school. “Despite trying every conventional route, I couldn’t find my footing,” she states. “Auditions for university comedy troupes led to universal rejection. “Theatre productions at school also didn’t accept me. “I wondered why I was even there at all.”
She took matters into her own hands, performing at open mics with her friend and posting hysterical (and decidedly) weird skits digitally. One, titled Baby Cult, followed several females fetishistically obsessed with having babies; another imagined working at the brand Hollister as akin to being stuck in a thriller. By chance, she met Seligman through campus film circles and ultimately appearing in her initial project, titled Shiva Baby, a tense dramedy set at a funeral gathering with shades of the Safdie brothers’ movie. The central motif of her journey, she says, has been people her own age offering opportunities, rather than established gatekeepers. Does that mean bypassing the usual powers? “Definitely not them”, she confirms, continuing with a laugh: “Our victory isn’t their goal.”
Career Breakthrough
Those who questioned about Sennott earlier will likely be feeling foolish today. As part of she describes as a “astonishingly complete” story, she seems to have manifested an ideal role. A few years back she shared content named “it’s LA” online, in which she parodied movie previews (“I’m addicted to drugs – we all are”). Now, she’s executive producer (with Emma Barrie) of a series about city dwellers balancing advantages of internet fame (such as socializing at a celebrity’s house) with drawbacks (your client being suspected of being a intoxicated stealer, and possibly becoming a risky persona non grata). Some could tempting to make a program about online fame that was extremely glamorous—or, even less favorable, one that belittled at its subjects. The series steers clear of each, making for a portrait of privileged millennial existence that’s honest about the grot and the appeal.
Empathetic Approach
“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
