Rachel Sennott joins the video call and at once starts an excuse. “Oh my God – I’m sorry!” she exclaims, appearing really apologetic. She is only slightly behind, she feels compelled to justify. “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, this is exactly what one hopes to experience. Additionally, it’s pretty expected. Viewers who know the boldly LGBTQ+ and unapologetically crass film Bottoms—which Sennott collaborated on with the director and appeared in alongside her friend The Bear’s standout—would be aware that she has much to say, ranging from on gender, intimacy, or the merits of forming a teen fight club. And, by the end her new multi-episode show titled I Love LA, viewers realize that the star carries further thoughts regarding the darker side of young adulthood (As a millennial, she is a relatable figure for this generation, straddling eras skilled for bridging both generations).
Influences and Artistic Direction
Likenesses to Lena Dunham’s groundbreaking show are inevitable and the actress admits to being a fan, naming the show alongside the HBO hit, Issa Rae’s show and Atlanta as influences for her series, which follows the travails of an influencer Tallulah and close companion and fledgling agent Sennott’s character. Notably, the largest spot on concept went to the HBO series, the program focusing on an emerging A-list actor making his way in a gritty LA scene (notable statement: “happiness eludes everyone but failures in this city”). Sennott discovered it amid lockdown, became “captivated”, and resolved 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 notes. The inspiration for the series originated—to some extent—from firsthand, at first rocky, move to Los Angeles and from her cosmic event, a frequently discussed event for followers. It was an era that included her learn major truths, work-wise and personally. “During my younger years, I was chaotic, often breaking down in public,” she recalls. “In my mid-20s, I moved to LA and got settled. And then I felt like everything started to just fall apart. It was almost like these biblical tests …”
Starting Out
Brought up in Connecticut, Sennott commenced developing and showcasing comedy while studying performance at a prestigious arts school. “I went through all the proper channels to try to perform, and they weren’t gelling,” she says. “I tried out for all the NYU comedy groups, and got rejected from all of them. “Theatre productions at school also didn’t accept me. “It left me questioning my purpose and place.”
She seized control, appearing at amateur nights with her friend and sharing uproarious (and very) weird skits online. A particular video, Baby Cult, centered on a group of women obsessively obsessed with having babies; another portrayed working at the preppy clothing store Hollister as akin to being caught in a scary movie. By chance, she met Seligman through NYU’s movie community and ultimately starring in her initial project, titled Shiva Baby, a stressful dramedy set at a religious event with echoes of Uncut Gems. A recurring idea of her journey, she explains, has been people her own age supporting her, as opposed to the industry at large. Does that mean bypassing the usual powers? “They were not involved”, she confirms, adding with a laugh: “They prefer we don’t succeed.”
Manifesting Dreams
Those who were skeptical about her then will surely be regretting it now. Through she describes as a “wild, full-circle” turn of events, she has created an ideal role. In 2019 she uploaded a video titled about Los Angeles on social media, in which she parodied movie previews (“Everyone’s hooked on something”). Now, she’s the co-showrunner (with Emma Barrie) of a show about LA residents balancing advantages of digital stardom (such as partying at a celebrity’s house) with downsides (your associate being suspected of being a intoxicated criminal, and possibly becoming a “brand unsafe” persona non grata). One might easy to make a series about digital influence that was extremely aspirational—or, more problematic, one that belittled at its subjects. The series steers clear of each, making for a depiction of privileged twentysomething life that’s candid about the mess and the appeal.
Empathetic Approach
“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
