🔗 Share this article

Rachel Sennott joins the video call and right away launches into an excuse. “Apologies for the delay!” she says, appearing truly apologetic. She is only slightly behind, she wants to justify. “I have such a problem, because I’m a yapper on the phone. “Previous discussions went over, and I realized I talk too much!” Luckily, during an interview, this is just what you want to encounter. Besides, it’s fairly unsurprising. Those who have seen the unapologetically queer and unapologetically crass project Bottoms—which Sennott co-wrote with the director and starred in with close companion The Bear’s standout—will understand that Sennott has a lot to share, be it about identity, intimacy, or the pros of forming a teen combat group. And, once you finish her recent seasonal show titled I Love LA, it becomes obvious that she carries additional thoughts regarding the darker side of modern youth (As a millennial, she is a relatable figure for this generation, on the cusp adept for connecting both generations).

Inspirations and Storytelling Approach

Parallels to the iconic series Girls naturally arise and the actress admits to being an admirer, referencing it alongside Sex and the City, Insecure and Atlanta as inspirations for her series, which details the journey of a social media star Tallulah and ally who is also fledgling representative portrayed by Sennott. Notably, the most significant spot on concept belonged to Entourage, the show about an up-and-coming A-list actor succeeding in a corrupt entertainment industry (memorable line: “nobody’s happy in this town except for the losers”). Sennott began viewing it amid lockdown, became “captivated”, and resolved to add a fresh perspective on it “for the girls and the gays”.

“I wanted to make a show where the internet, not Hollywood, was the industry, because my career started online,” she notes. The concept for I Love LA came—in part—from firsthand, initially fractious, transition to Los Angeles and from her saturn return, a much-talked-about event for followers. That period marked an era that involved her learn major truths, in her career and in private life. “My twenties began with constant public emotional outbursts and disorganization,” 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

Growing up in New England, Sennott began creating and acting stand-up 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 states. “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?”

Sennott decided to act independently, taking the stage at live shows with Ayo and sharing hysterical (and distinctly) weird skits on the internet. One, titled Baby Cult, depicted a group of women intensely drawn to having babies; another imagined being employed at a trendy retail outlet as similar to being trapped in a thriller. In a neat twist of fate, she encountered Seligman through NYU’s movie community and ultimately appearing in her directorial debut, titled Shiva Baby, a tense comedy set at a funeral gathering with shades of the intense thriller. The central motif of her path, she says, has been contemporaries supporting her, rather than the industry at large. Does that mean bypassing the usual powers? “Not the gatekeepers”, she emphasizes, continuing humorously: “They prefer we don’t succeed.”

Manifesting Dreams

Individuals who questioned regarding her earlier will likely be feeling foolish today. Through she describes as a “wild, full-circle” development, she has manifested an ideal role. Previously she uploaded a clip titled about Los Angeles on the internet, in which she mocked film promos (“Substance abuse is rampant here”). Years later, she’s a lead creator (with her partner) of a show about city dwellers managing the perks of online celebrity (such as socializing at a celebrity’s house) with downsides (your friend being accused of being a intoxicated criminal, and perhaps becoming a unreliable pariah). Some could easy to make a show about internet celebrity that was horribly aspirational—or, more problematic, one that punched down at its subjects. This show steers clear of each, creating a depiction of privileged young adult life that’s candid about the chaos and the appeal.

Balanced Perspective

“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