The actress and writer discussing her hilarious show depicting that grotty appeal of younger generation existence
Rachel Sennott appears on the digital interview and right away begins an excuse. “Oh my God – I’m sorry!” she says, appearing truly apologetic. Although she's only a couple of minutes delayed, she wants to explain. “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, that’s just what you want to experience. Moreover, it’s quite unsurprising. Viewers who know the boldly LGBTQ+ and brash project titled Bottoms—which Sennott co-wrote with Emma Seligman and appeared in alongside close companion Ayo Edebiri—will be aware that she possesses much to share, whether on gender, intimacy, or the pros of starting a teen fight club. Furthermore, after watching her latest multi-episode HBO series I Love LA, it is clear that the star has further perspectives regarding the challenges of Gen Z life (At 30, she is an honorary member for this generation, on the cusp with a knack for bridging both generations).
Guiding Lights and Artistic Direction
Parallels to the iconic series Girls naturally arise and Sennott is an admirer, referencing it together with Sex and the City, Issa Rae’s show and Atlanta as influences for the project, which details the travails of a social media star Tallulah and ally and new representative Maia. Notably, the largest spot on creative vision was reserved for Entourage, that program depicting a rising celebrity making his way in a gritty LA scene (notable statement: “nobody’s happy in this town except for the losers”). Sennott discovered it amid lockdown, became “hooked”, and resolved to add a fresh perspective on it “with female and queer audiences in mind”.
“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 emerged—partly—from personal, initially rocky, transition to LA and from the saturn return, a frequently discussed phenomenon for astrology heads. This represented an era that saw her understand major truths, in her career and personally. “My twenties began with constant public emotional outbursts and disorganization,” she admits. “In my mid-20s, I moved to LA and got settled. And then I felt like everything started to just fall apart. It was almost like these biblical tests …”
Humble Origins
Brought up in the East Coast, the star started creating and acting comedy while studying acting at a prestigious arts school. “I followed traditional paths to get on stage, but nothing clicked,” she says. “I tried out for all the NYU comedy groups, and got rejected from all of them. “Theatre productions at school also didn’t accept me. And I just felt like, what am I doing here?”
Sennott decided to act independently, appearing at open mics with Ayo and posting uproarious (and distinctly) unconventional online content on the internet. One, Baby Cult, centered on characters intensely obsessed with motherhood; a different one envisioned working at a trendy retail outlet as akin to being stuck in a horror film. In a neat twist of fate, she met Emma through NYU’s movie community and ended up featuring in her first film, titled Shiva Baby, a tense dramedy set at a funeral gathering with echoes of Uncut Gems. The big theme of her journey, she says, has been people her own age offering opportunities, rather than traditional networks. So, not the gatekeepers, then? “Not the gatekeepers”, she emphasizes, stating with a laugh: “They prefer we don’t succeed.”
Manifesting Dreams
Individuals who were skeptical about Sennott previously will certainly be kicking themselves today. In what she describes as a “wild, full-circle” development, she seems to have manifested the perfect project. Previously she shared content titled on LA life on social media, in which she mocked movie previews (“Substance abuse is rampant here”). Six years on, she’s executive producer (with the co-writer) of a comedy about Angelenos balancing the perks of digital stardom (such as celebrating at a celebrity’s house) with its pitfalls (your friend being suspected of being a drug-addled criminal, and perhaps becoming a risky pariah). Some could tempting to create a program about online fame that was extremely aspirational—or, more problematic, one that punched down at its subjects. The series steers clear of each, creating a portrait of advantaged young adult existence that’s honest about the mess and the shine.
Balanced Perspective
“Numerous series present younger generations and digital culture in a derogatory manner,” she observes. “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
