The actress and writer discussing her side-splitting comedy depicting that chaotic glamour of Gen Z lifestyle
Rachel Sennott enters the video call and at once launches into an explanation. “Apologies for the delay!” she exclaims, sounding really apologetic. Despite being only a bit delayed, she wants to explain. “I tend to talk too much during calls. I had two calls before this, and I’m like, I’ve gotta stop talking!” Fortunately, during an interview, this is exactly what you want to encounter. Besides, it’s pretty expected. Those who know her fearlessly queer and outspoken movie titled Bottoms—which Sennott co-wrote with the director and featured in alongside her friend the talented actress—would understand that she possesses plenty to share, be it about gender, sex, or the merits of creating a high-school brawl society. Plus, once you finish her recent multi-episode HBO series titled I Love LA, it is clear that she carries even more thoughts on the darker side of modern youth (As a millennial, Sennott serves as a relatable figure to younger audiences, on the cusp adept for straddling different age groups).
Influences and Artistic Direction
The comparisons to Lena Dunham’s Girls can’t be avoided and Sennott readily acknowledges a fan, naming the show alongside Sex and the City, Issa Rae’s show and the innovative program as guides for the project, which follows the travails of a social media star Tallulah and her friend who is also aspiring representative portrayed by Sennott. Notably, the most significant influence on creative vision belonged to the HBO series, that program depicting an emerging A-list actor navigating in a corrupt entertainment industry (choice quote: “only the unsuccessful find joy here”). Sennott discovered it throughout lockdown, became “obsessed”, and resolved to put her own twist on it “targeting women and LGBTQ+ viewers”.
“My aim was to focus on digital fame over traditional entertainment, as my own beginnings were on the web,” she explains. The inspiration for the series came—in part—from firsthand, initially difficult, move to Tinseltown and from the astrological phase, a popular event for followers. That period marked a time that saw her learn significant insights, professionally and in private life. “My twenties began with constant public emotional outbursts and disorganization,” she recalls. “After relocating to Los Angeles in my mid-twenties, I found stability, only for things to crumble. “The struggles felt almost mythic in scale…”
Humble Origins
Raised in the East Coast, Sennott commenced creating and acting stand-up while enrolled in acting at NYU’s Tisch. “I went through all the proper channels to try to perform, and they weren’t gelling,” she states. “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. “It left me questioning my purpose and place.”
She took matters into her own hands, performing at open mics with Edebiri and sharing hysterical (and distinctly) weird comedy videos online. A particular video, Baby Cult, depicted characters obsessively drawn to motherhood; another portrayed being employed at the preppy clothing store Hollister as like being caught in a thriller. By chance, she met Emma through campus film circles and ended up featuring in her directorial debut, titled Shiva Baby, an anxious dramedy set at a Jewish wake with echoes of Uncut Gems. The big theme of her career, she explains, has been contemporaries giving her a shot, rather than established gatekeepers. Does that mean bypassing the usual powers? “Not the gatekeepers”, she confirms, continuing amusedly: “Our victory isn’t their goal.”
Career Breakthrough
Anyone who had doubts regarding Sennott previously will surely be kicking themselves today. In what she labels a “wild, full-circle” development, she seems to have created the perfect project. Previously she shared a video named “it’s LA” on social media, in which she mocked film promos (“I’m addicted to drugs – we all are”). Years later, she’s a lead creator (with her partner) of a comedy about city dwellers managing benefits of digital stardom (such as partying at a famous actor’s house) with downsides (your friend being accused of being a drug-addled criminal, and potentially becoming a “brand unsafe” outcast). One might simple to produce a series about internet celebrity that was horribly glamorous—or, worse, one that punched down at the characters. I Love LA does neither, creating a representation of advantaged millennial living that’s candid about the grot 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
