Rachel Sennott appears on the digital interview and immediately starts an explanation. “Oh my God – I’m sorry!” she exclaims, sounding truly apologetic. Despite being only slightly delayed, she feels compelled to clarify. “I tend to talk too much during calls. “Earlier calls made me late—I just can’t stop chatting!” Fortunately, in this context, this is precisely what you want to hear. Moreover, it’s fairly expected. Those who know her boldly queer and outspoken project Bottoms—which Sennott collaborated on with Emma Seligman and appeared in alongside close companion the talented actress—can understand that she possesses a lot to say, be it about identity, sex, or the pros of forming a youth brawl society. And, once you finish her new multi-episode program titled I Love LA, viewers realize that the star has additional thoughts about the struggles of modern youth (As a millennial, she is an honorary member of the gang, on the cusp with a knack for straddling both generations).
Influences and Creative Vision
Likenesses to the iconic series Girls can’t be avoided and the actress is an admirer, citing it alongside the HBO hit, Insecure and the innovative program as inspirations for I Love LA, which details the journey of a social media star played by Odessa A’Zion and her friend and fledgling agent Maia. Perhaps, the largest spot on concept went to the popular sitcom, that program depicting an emerging Hollywood star navigating in a corrupt LA scene (choice quote: “only the unsuccessful find joy here”). She began viewing it throughout COVID-19, became “captivated”, and chose to put her own twist on it “targeting women and LGBTQ+ viewers”.
“I wanted to make a show where the internet, not Hollywood, was the industry, because my career started online,” she explains. The concept for I Love LA emerged—to some extent—from personal, initially difficult, move to Tinseltown and from the cosmic event, a frequently discussed phenomenon for astrology heads. This represented a phase that included her grasp major insights, 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. “It resembled a series of extreme challenges…”
Early Beginnings
Growing up in the East Coast, the star began developing and showcasing comedy while studying acting at NYU’s Tisch. “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. “None of the university plays cast me either.” And I just felt like, what am I doing here?”
She decided to act independently, performing at amateur nights with Ayo and uploading hysterical (and decidedly) bizarre online content digitally. One, Baby Cult, centered on characters intensely fixated on pregnancy; another envisioned working at the preppy clothing store Hollister as similar to being stuck in a thriller. Interestingly, she encountered Emma through the university’s film scene and ended up appearing in her directorial debut, titled Shiva Baby, a tense dramedy set at a Jewish wake with hints of Uncut Gems. A recurring idea of her journey, she says, has been people her own age supporting her, as opposed to the industry at large. So the old guard wasn’t helpful? “They were not involved”, she emphasizes, stating amusedly: “They prefer we don’t succeed.”
Manifesting Dreams
Individuals who were skeptical about Sennott earlier will surely be feeling foolish today. As part of she labels a “astonishingly complete” story, she appears to created her dream vehicle. Previously she uploaded a video titled “it’s LA” on social media, in which she lampooned Hollywood trailers (“I’m addicted to drugs – we all are”). Now, she’s a lead creator (with her partner) of a series about LA residents juggling advantages of digital stardom (such as socializing at a celebrity’s house) with its pitfalls (your friend being suspected of being a intoxicated thief, and perhaps becoming a “brand unsafe” persona non grata). One might easy to create a series about digital influence that was extremely idealized—or, more problematic, one that punched down at its subjects. This show avoids both, resulting in a portrait of privileged millennial life that’s honest about the chaos and the glamour.
Empathetic Approach
“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
