Rachel Sennott appears on the video call and at once begins an apology. “Oh my God – I’m sorry!” she states, appearing really apologetic. Despite being only slightly delayed, she wants to justify. “My phone conversations always run long.” I had two calls before this, and I’m like, I’ve gotta stop talking!” Fortunately, for a writer, this is exactly what one hopes to hear. Additionally, it’s quite expected. Those who have seen her unapologetically queer and outspoken project titled Bottoms—that she collaborated on with the director and featured in alongside close companion the talented actress—will understand that she possesses a lot to share, ranging from about roles, intimacy, or the appeal of creating a youth combat group. And, once you finish her new seasonal HBO series I Love LA, it becomes obvious that the star carries even more thoughts on the struggles of Gen Z life (As a millennial, Sennott is a relatable figure of the gang, straddling eras with a knack for connecting millennials and Gen Z).
Influences and Creative Vision
Likenesses to Lena Dunham’s groundbreaking show are inevitable and the actress is enthusiastic, referencing it alongside the classic series, Issa Rae’s show and Donald Glover’s series as inspirations for the project, which details the journey of an influencer Tallulah and ally who is also aspiring agent portrayed by Sennott. Notably, the largest spot on concept belonged to the HBO series, the HBO sitcom about a rising A-list actor succeeding in a gritty entertainment industry (choice quote: “nobody’s happy in this town except for the losers”). She discovered it during lockdown, became “obsessed”, and chose to add a fresh perspective on it “for the girls and the gays”.
“I sought to highlight online platforms as the new industry, since my professional journey launched there,” she explains. The concept for the series came—in part—from her own, initially fractious, move to Los Angeles and from her astrological phase, a much-talked-about event for astrology heads. This represented a phase that saw her learn major life lessons, professionally and personally. “In my early 20s I was so messy, crying in public everywhere, all the time,” she admits. “Settling in LA during my mid-twenties brought calm, but soon everything unraveled.” “It resembled a series of extreme challenges…”
Humble Origins
Raised in Connecticut, Sennott began creating and acting stand-up while studying performance at NYU’s Tisch. “I went through all the proper channels to try to perform, and they weren’t gelling,” she explains. “Auditions for university comedy troupes led to universal rejection. “Theatre productions at school also didn’t accept me. “It left me questioning my purpose and place.”
She seized control, appearing at live shows with Edebiri and uploading hysterical (and decidedly) bizarre comedy videos digitally. A particular video, Baby Cult, followed a group of women obsessively fixated on having babies; another imagined working at the preppy clothing store Hollister as similar to being stuck in a thriller. By chance, she connected with Seligman through campus film circles and ultimately starring in her initial project, titled Shiva Baby, a stressful dramedy set at a Jewish wake with shades of Uncut Gems. The big theme of her path, she explains, has been peers giving her a shot, rather than established gatekeepers. So the old guard wasn’t helpful? “They were not involved”, she repeats, continuing humorously: “They don’t want us to win.”
Career Breakthrough
Those who questioned about her previously will certainly be feeling foolish currently. Through she describes as a “incredibly circular” story, she seems to have manifested the perfect project. A few years back she shared a video titled about Los Angeles online, in which she mocked film promos (“Everyone’s hooked on something”). Now, she’s a lead creator (with her partner) of a show about city dwellers managing the perks of internet fame (such as partying at a famous actor’s house) with its pitfalls (your associate being suspected of being a intoxicated stealer, and perhaps becoming a risky outcast). It would be easy to create a show about online fame that was extremely aspirational—or, more problematic, one that mocked at the characters. I Love LA avoids both, resulting in a portrait of advantaged young adult living that’s frank about the grot and the glamour.
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
