The actress and writer on the uproarious series depicting that messy allure of younger generation lifestyle
Rachel Sennott appears on the video call and at once starts an explanation. “Apologies for the delay!” she states, appearing really remorseful. Although she's only slightly behind, 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!” Thankfully, during an interview, this is exactly what you want to hear. Additionally, it’s fairly expected. Viewers familiar with the fearlessly queer and brash film Bottoms—which she penned with the director and starred in together with her friend Ayo Edebiri—would be aware that Sennott has plenty to share, be it about roles, intimacy, or the pros of forming a high-school brawl society. Plus, once you finish the recent multi-episode HBO series I Love LA, viewers realize that the star holds additional thoughts on the struggles of young adulthood (As a millennial, Sennott represents an honorary member for this generation, a tale-end millennial adept for connecting millennials and Gen Z).
Guiding Lights and Creative Vision
Likenesses to Lena Dunham’s groundbreaking show are inevitable and Sennott is a fan, citing the show in addition to Sex and the City, Insecure and Donald Glover’s series as guides for the project, which details the journey of online personality played by Odessa A’Zion and her friend who is also fledgling agent Sennott’s character. Perhaps, the largest spot on the moodboard was reserved for the HBO series, the HBO sitcom depicting an emerging Hollywood star navigating in an often-seedy LA scene (notable statement: “only the unsuccessful find joy here”). She discovered it during COVID-19, became “hooked”, and resolved to create a new version 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 notes. The idea for this project emerged—partly—from firsthand, originally rocky, relocation to LA and from the cosmic event, a popular event for enthusiasts. It was an era that saw her understand some big life lessons, work-wise and in private life. “During my younger years, I was chaotic, often breaking down in public,” she admits. “In my mid-20s, I moved to LA and got settled. And then I felt like everything started to just fall apart. “The struggles felt almost mythic in scale…”
Humble Origins
Brought up in the East Coast, the star commenced developing and showcasing comedy while studying theatre at NYU’s Tisch. “Despite trying every conventional route, I couldn’t find my footing,” she states. “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.”
She seized control, performing at open mics with Edebiri and posting hysterical (and distinctly) bizarre comedy videos digitally. A particular video, titled Baby Cult, depicted a group of women obsessively obsessed with having babies; a different one imagined being employed at the brand Hollister as similar to being trapped in a thriller. By chance, she encountered Emma through the university’s film scene and ended up starring in her initial project, titled Shiva Baby, a stressful dramedy set at a funeral gathering with hints of the Safdie brothers’ movie. The big theme of her path, she says, has been peers giving her a shot, as opposed to established gatekeepers. So, not the gatekeepers, then? “Definitely not them”, she emphasizes, stating with a laugh: “Our victory isn’t their goal.”
Rising Success
Those who questioned regarding her previously will likely be feeling foolish currently. Through she labels a “incredibly circular” turn of events, she has achieved the perfect project. A few years back she posted content named “it’s LA” on social media, in which she mocked film promos (“Substance abuse is rampant here”). Six years on, she’s the co-showrunner (with her partner) of a show about Angelenos managing benefits of digital stardom (such as celebrating at a celebrity’s house) with drawbacks (your friend being accused of being a intoxicated stealer, and perhaps becoming a risky persona non grata). One might simple to create a series about internet celebrity that was horribly aspirational—or, more problematic, one that belittled at its subjects. This show avoids both, creating a depiction of privileged twentysomething existence that’s honest about the mess and the appeal.
Nuanced Portrayal
“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
