The actress and writer exploring the uproarious series about that grotty allure of today's youth lifestyle

Rachel Sennott appears on the digital interview and at once launches into an explanation. “Oh my God – I’m sorry!” she exclaims, sounding truly regretful. Although she's only a bit delayed, she wants to explain. “I have such a problem, because I’m a yapper on the phone. “Earlier calls made me late—I just can’t stop chatting!” Fortunately, in this context, that’s just what you want to encounter. Additionally, it’s quite unsurprising. Viewers who know her unapologetically LGBTQ+ and outspoken movie Bottoms—that she co-wrote with her creative partner and appeared in with collaborator Ayo Edebiri—would understand that she has a lot to share, whether about gender, intimacy, or the merits of forming a youth combat group. Plus, once you finish her recent eight-part show titled I Love LA, viewers realize that she carries even more perspectives about the challenges of Gen Z life (As a millennial, she represents an honorary member to younger audiences, on the cusp with a knack for connecting both generations).

Guiding Lights and Storytelling Approach

The comparisons to the iconic series Girls are inevitable and the actress is enthusiastic, citing the show alongside Sex and the City, the acclaimed comedy and Donald Glover’s series as inspirations for the project, which details the travails of online personality played by Odessa A’Zion and ally who is also aspiring agent Maia. Perhaps, the largest presence on creative vision went to the popular sitcom, the program about an emerging A-list actor succeeding in a corrupt entertainment industry (notable statement: “nobody’s happy in this town except for the losers”). Sennott started watching it amid lockdown, became “obsessed”, and resolved to put her own twist 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 originated—in part—from firsthand, originally fractious, transition to Tinseltown and from her saturn return, a frequently discussed event for astrology heads. It was a phase that saw her grasp significant truths, professionally and personally. “My twenties began with constant public emotional outbursts and disorganization,” she says. “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

Growing up in New England, the star commenced creating and acting comedy while pursuing theatre at NYU’s Tisch. “I followed traditional paths to get on stage, but nothing clicked,” she states. “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 decided to act independently, taking the stage at open mics with Ayo and uploading uproarious (and distinctly) unconventional skits online. A particular video, titled Baby Cult, depicted a group of women obsessively fixated on pregnancy; a different one imagined working at a trendy retail outlet as similar to being stuck in a thriller. In a neat twist of fate, she connected with Seligman through campus film circles and ultimately appearing in her directorial debut, Shiva Baby, a tense dramedy set at a religious event with echoes of Uncut Gems. A recurring idea of her career, she notes, has been people her own age giving her a shot, rather than traditional networks. So the old guard wasn’t helpful? “They were not involved”, she confirms, continuing with a laugh: “Our victory isn’t their goal.”

Rising Success

Those who had doubts regarding Sennott then will likely be feeling foolish today. Through she describes as a “astonishingly complete” turn of events, she appears to manifested her dream vehicle. A few years back she shared a clip titled on LA life on social media, in which she mocked film promos (“Everyone’s hooked on something”). Now, she’s the co-showrunner (with her partner) of a show about LA residents managing the perks of internet fame (such as socializing at a celebrity’s house) with its pitfalls (your associate being accused of being a substance-abusing criminal, and perhaps becoming a risky persona non grata). It would be simple to make a program about online fame that was extremely glamorous—or, more problematic, one that mocked at its subjects. The series steers clear of each, resulting in a representation of affluent young adult life that’s honest about the grot and the appeal.

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

Kristina Brennan
Kristina Brennan

A seasoned journalist with a passion for uncovering truth and delivering compelling stories across various topics.