Rachel Sennott exploring her side-splitting series portraying that grotty allure of Gen Z life
The performer enters the online meeting and at once begins an apology. “Apologies for the delay!” she says, sounding really regretful. She is only a bit behind, she needs to explain. “I tend to talk too much during calls. “Previous discussions went over, and I realized I talk too much!” Fortunately, during an interview, this is just what you want to encounter. Besides, it’s quite unsurprising. Those who have seen the unapologetically openly gay and outspoken film Bottoms—which Sennott collaborated on with Emma Seligman and starred in alongside close companion The Bear’s standout—will understand that she possesses plenty to discuss, be it about identity, intimacy, or the appeal of starting a high-school brawl society. Furthermore, by the end her recent seasonal program I Love LA, it becomes obvious that she has even more insights about the challenges of modern youth (Now in her thirties, she is a relatable figure of the gang, on the cusp adept for bridging millennials and Gen Z).
Inspirations and Creative Vision
Likenesses to Lena Dunham’s groundbreaking show naturally arise and Sennott admits to being a fan, referencing the show in addition to Sex and the City, Issa Rae’s show and Atlanta as guides for her series, which tracks the travails of an influencer played by Odessa A’Zion and close companion who is also fledgling talent manager Sennott’s character. Notably, the most significant spot on the moodboard was reserved for Entourage, that HBO sitcom about an up-and-coming A-list actor succeeding in a corrupt LA scene (choice quote: “only the unsuccessful find joy here”). She discovered it amid lockdown, became “hooked”, and resolved to add a fresh perspective 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 notes. The idea for I Love LA emerged—in part—from firsthand, initially difficult, relocation to Los Angeles and from her saturn return, a frequently discussed phenomenon for followers. It was a phase that included her grasp some big life lessons, work-wise and personally. “During my younger years, I was chaotic, often breaking down in public,” she recalls. “Settling in LA during my mid-twenties brought calm, but soon everything unraveled.” “The struggles felt almost mythic in scale…”
Starting Out
Growing up in New England, Sennott began creating and acting comedy while enrolled in acting at a prestigious arts school. “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. And I just felt like, what am I doing here?”
She decided to act independently, taking the stage at open mics with her friend and uploading uproarious (and very) unconventional comedy videos digitally. A particular video, titled Baby Cult, centered on several females obsessively obsessed with pregnancy; a different one imagined being employed at the brand Hollister as akin to being trapped in a horror film. By chance, she encountered Emma through NYU’s movie community and ended up appearing in her directorial debut, titled Shiva Baby, an anxious film set at a Jewish wake with hints of the intense thriller. A recurring idea of her career, she notes, has been people her own age supporting her, as opposed to established gatekeepers. So, not the gatekeepers, then? “Definitely not them”, she repeats, stating amusedly: “Our victory isn’t their goal.”
Rising Success
Anyone who had doubts about Sennott previously will surely be feeling foolish today. Through she describes as a “incredibly circular” turn of events, she appears to manifested an ideal role. Previously she shared content named about Los Angeles online, in which she mocked movie previews (“Everyone’s hooked on something”). Now, she’s executive producer (with her partner) of a comedy about LA residents balancing advantages of digital stardom (such as celebrating at Elijah Wood’s house) with downsides (your friend being labeled as being a substance-abusing thief, and potentially becoming a risky pariah). It would be tempting to produce a program about digital influence that was overly idealized—or, even less favorable, one that belittled at those depicted. This show avoids both, creating a representation of privileged millennial life that’s frank about the mess and the shine.
Nuanced Portrayal
“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