Rachel Sennott appears on the digital interview and immediately starts an apology. “Apologies for the delay!” she exclaims, appearing genuinely remorseful. Despite being only slightly delayed, she feels compelled to justify. “My phone conversations always run long.” “Previous discussions went over, and I realized I talk too much!” Thankfully, in this context, this is exactly what you want to experience. Additionally, it’s fairly expected. Those who know her boldly openly gay and unapologetically crass film titled Bottoms—which Sennott penned with the director and featured in alongside close companion the talented actress—can already know that Sennott possesses plenty to share, be it about roles, relationships, or the merits of forming a teen fight club. Plus, after watching the recent eight-part HBO series I Love LA, viewers realize that she carries further insights regarding the struggles of modern youth (Now in her thirties, she serves as a bridge for this generation, straddling eras adept for bridging millennials and Gen Z).
Inspirations and Storytelling Approach
The comparisons to Lena Dunham’s groundbreaking show can’t be avoided and the actress is an admirer, naming the show together with the classic series, Insecure and Donald Glover’s series as guides for I Love LA, which details the travails of an influencer Tallulah and ally and aspiring talent manager Maia. Notably, the largest influence on creative vision went to the popular sitcom, that HBO sitcom focusing on an up-and-coming A-list actor succeeding in an often-seedy entertainment industry (notable statement: “happiness eludes everyone but failures in this city”). Sennott started watching it during lockdown, became “hooked”, and decided to create a new version on it “with female and queer audiences in mind”.
“I sought to highlight online platforms as the new industry, since my professional journey launched there,” she says. The idea for this project came—in part—from firsthand, originally rocky, relocation to Tinseltown and from the saturn return, a frequently discussed phenomenon for followers. That period marked an era that included her learn significant truths, professionally and individually. “My twenties began with constant public emotional outbursts and disorganization,” she says. “Settling in LA during my mid-twenties brought calm, but soon everything unraveled.” It was almost like these biblical tests …”
Starting Out
Brought up in Connecticut, Sennott began developing and showcasing comedy while studying performance at NYU’s Tisch. “Despite trying every conventional route, I couldn’t find my footing,” she explains. “Auditions for university comedy troupes led to universal rejection. I tried out for all the NYU plays and didn’t make it into any of them. “I wondered why I was even there at all.”
She decided to act independently, taking the stage at live shows with her friend and uploading hilarious (and very) unconventional skits digitally. A particular video, Baby Cult, centered on characters fetishistically obsessed with having babies; another envisioned being employed at the brand Hollister as akin to being stuck in a horror film. Interestingly, she connected with Seligman through the university’s film scene and ended up featuring in her initial project, titled Shiva Baby, an anxious dramedy set at a Jewish wake with hints of the intense thriller. The big theme of her career, she explains, has been people her own age giving her a shot, as opposed to traditional networks. So the old guard wasn’t helpful? “They were not involved”, she confirms, stating amusedly: “Our victory isn’t their goal.”
Rising Success
Anyone who were skeptical regarding Sennott earlier will likely be regretting it now. As part of she labels a “incredibly circular” turn of events, she has manifested her dream vehicle. Previously she posted a video called on LA life online, in which she lampooned Hollywood trailers (“Everyone’s hooked on something”). Now, she’s a lead creator (with her partner) of a series about LA residents balancing the perks of online celebrity (such as celebrating at Elijah Wood’s house) with drawbacks (your friend being labeled as being a drug-addled criminal, and perhaps becoming a “brand unsafe” outcast). It would be simple to make a program about online fame that was overly aspirational—or, even less favorable, one that punched down at the characters. The series steers clear of each, resulting in a portrait of advantaged twentysomething life that’s candid about the mess and the shine.
Nuanced Portrayal
“Numerous series present younger generations and digital culture in a derogatory manner,” 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
