Rachel Sennott discussing the hilarious comedy about the grotty glamour of younger generation existence
The performer joins the video call and immediately starts an explanation. “Apologies for the delay!” she says, seeming really remorseful. Although she's only a bit delayed, she wants to clarify. “My phone conversations always run long.” I had two calls before this, and I’m like, I’ve gotta stop talking!” Fortunately, during an interview, that’s just what one hopes to encounter. Additionally, it’s fairly unsurprising. Those who have seen her fearlessly queer and unapologetically crass project Bottoms—that Sennott collaborated on with her creative partner and featured in with her friend Ayo Edebiri—can already know that she has much to discuss, whether on roles, relationships, or the appeal of starting a youth fight club. And, once you finish her new eight-part show titled I Love LA, it becomes obvious that she holds further perspectives about the darker side of Gen Z life (At 30, she represents a relatable figure of the gang, straddling eras skilled for straddling both generations).
Inspirations and Artistic Direction
Parallels to the iconic series Girls naturally arise and the actress admits to being enthusiastic, referencing the show alongside the classic series, Insecure and the innovative program as inspirations for the project, which tracks the journey of online personality played by Odessa A’Zion and ally and aspiring talent manager Maia. Notably, the most significant influence on the moodboard was reserved for the HBO series, the show depicting an up-and-coming celebrity making his way in a corrupt Hollywood (memorable line: “only the unsuccessful find joy here”). She discovered it throughout COVID-19, became “obsessed”, and resolved to create a new version 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 inspiration for I Love LA emerged—partly—from personal, originally rocky, relocation to Tinseltown and from her cosmic event, a frequently discussed phenomenon for enthusiasts. That period marked an era that included her grasp major insights, professionally and individually. “My twenties began with constant public emotional outbursts and disorganization,” she recalls. “Settling in LA during my mid-twenties brought calm, but soon everything unraveled.” “It resembled a series of extreme challenges…”
Early Beginnings
Growing up in New England, the star began developing and showcasing humor while pursuing theatre at a prestigious arts school. “Despite trying every conventional route, I couldn’t find my footing,” she says. “Every campus humor group turned me down after tryouts.” 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 amateur nights with her friend and uploading hilarious (and decidedly) weird comedy videos on the internet. One, Baby Cult, followed a group of women intensely fixated on having babies; a different one envisioned working at a trendy retail outlet as like being trapped in a scary movie. By chance, she met Seligman through NYU’s movie community and ended up featuring in her directorial debut, Shiva Baby, a stressful comedy set at a religious event with shades of the Safdie brothers’ movie. The big theme of her journey, she explains, has been peers supporting her, as opposed to traditional networks. So the old guard wasn’t helpful? “Definitely not them”, she confirms, adding amusedly: “Our victory isn’t their goal.”
Career Breakthrough
Those who had doubts about Sennott previously will certainly be regretting it currently. In what she calls a “astonishingly complete” development, she seems to have created the perfect project. Previously she shared content called “it’s LA” on social media, in which she lampooned film promos (“I’m addicted to drugs – we all are”). Now, she’s a lead creator (with the co-writer) of a comedy about LA residents juggling the perks of online celebrity (such as socializing at Elijah Wood’s house) with drawbacks (your friend being accused of being a substance-abusing criminal, and possibly becoming a “brand unsafe” outcast). It would be tempting to make a program about online fame that was extremely aspirational—or, worse, one that punched down at its subjects. I Love LA steers clear of each, making for a depiction of privileged twentysomething existence 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