Rachel Sennott appears on the video call and at once begins an excuse. “Oh my God – I’m sorry!” she states, seeming truly remorseful. Although she's only a bit late, she wants to clarify. “I tend to talk too much during calls. “Previous discussions went over, and I realized I talk too much!” Thankfully, in this context, that’s exactly what is ideal to encounter. Moreover, it’s pretty predictable. Those who know her boldly openly gay and brash film titled Bottoms—that she penned with the director and starred in together with collaborator the talented actress—can understand that Sennott possesses much to say, ranging from about identity, intimacy, or the pros of forming a youth combat group. And, once you finish her recent multi-episode show titled I Love LA, it becomes obvious that she holds even more insights on the darker side of young adulthood (At 30, she serves as a bridge for this generation, straddling eras with a knack for straddling both generations).
Inspirations and Creative Vision
Likenesses to the iconic series Girls are inevitable and Sennott readily acknowledges enthusiastic, citing it in addition to the classic series, Issa Rae’s show and Atlanta as inspirations for I Love LA, which tracks the struggles of online personality Tallulah and her friend and new agent portrayed by Sennott. Perhaps, the most significant spot on the moodboard went to the HBO series, the program about an emerging celebrity succeeding in an often-seedy entertainment industry (memorable line: “only the unsuccessful find joy here”). Sennott started watching it during lockdown, became “obsessed”, and resolved to put her own twist on it “for the girls and the gays”.
“My aim was to focus on digital fame over traditional entertainment, as my own beginnings were on the web,” she says. The idea for I Love LA originated—to some extent—from personal, at first difficult, transition to Los Angeles and from her cosmic event, a frequently discussed occurrence for followers. That period marked an era that saw her learn major life lessons, in her career and personally. “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…”
Starting Out
Brought up in the East Coast, Sennott commenced creating and acting stand-up while enrolled in acting at New York University (NYU) Tisch School of the Arts. “I followed traditional paths to get on stage, but nothing clicked,” she states. “I tried out for all the NYU comedy groups, and got rejected from all of them. I tried out for all the NYU plays and didn’t make it into any of them. “It left me questioning my purpose and place.”
Sennott seized control, performing at open mics with her friend and posting uproarious (and distinctly) weird comedy videos digitally. One, Baby Cult, followed several females obsessively obsessed with having babies; a different one envisioned being employed at a trendy retail outlet as similar to being stuck in a scary movie. In a neat twist of fate, she connected with Emma through campus film circles and ended up appearing in her directorial debut, Shiva Baby, a stressful comedy set at a Jewish wake with shades of the intense thriller. The central motif of her path, she notes, has been people her own age giving her a shot, as opposed to the industry at large. So, not the gatekeepers, then? “Definitely not them”, she repeats, adding amusedly: “They don’t want us to win.”
Career Breakthrough
Those who were skeptical about her previously will certainly be kicking themselves now. As part of she calls a “wild, full-circle” story, she seems to have created her dream vehicle. Previously she uploaded a clip titled “it’s LA” on social media, in which she parodied Hollywood trailers (“I’m addicted to drugs – we all are”). Now, she’s the co-showrunner (with her partner) of a series about Angelenos balancing benefits of digital stardom (such as partying at a famous actor’s house) with drawbacks (your friend being accused of being a intoxicated thief, and possibly becoming a “brand unsafe” pariah). Some could tempting to produce a series about digital influence that was extremely idealized—or, more problematic, one that punched down at its subjects. The series avoids both, creating a representation of affluent twentysomething living that’s honest about the mess and the shine.
Balanced Perspective
“Many programs portray youth and online life with disdain and mockery,” 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
