The actress and writer discussing the side-splitting show portraying that chaotic glamour of Gen Z lifestyle
Rachel Sennott enters the online meeting and immediately starts an excuse. “Apologies for the delay!” she exclaims, appearing really apologetic. Despite being only a couple of minutes behind, she needs to justify. “I tend to talk too much during calls. “Previous discussions went over, and I realized I talk too much!” Thankfully, during an interview, that’s precisely what you want to encounter. Additionally, it’s quite unsurprising. Viewers who know the boldly LGBTQ+ and brash project Bottoms—that Sennott collaborated on with her creative partner and starred in with close companion the talented actress—can be aware that Sennott holds plenty to share, be it about roles, relationships, or the appeal of creating a youth brawl society. Plus, after watching her new eight-part program I Love LA, it is clear that she carries additional insights on the challenges of Gen Z life (As a millennial, Sennott is a relatable figure of the gang, on the cusp with a knack for straddling both generations).
Inspirations and Storytelling Approach
The comparisons to Lena Dunham’s Girls naturally arise and Sennott admits to being enthusiastic, citing the show in addition to Sex and the City, the acclaimed comedy and the innovative program as influences for the project, which follows the journey of online personality played by Odessa A’Zion and her friend and new agent Sennott’s character. Perhaps, the biggest influence on the moodboard went to the popular sitcom, the show focusing on a rising celebrity succeeding in a gritty LA scene (memorable line: “nobody’s happy in this town except for the losers”). She started watching it amid lockdown, became “captivated”, and resolved to add a fresh perspective on it “for the girls and the gays”.
“I sought to highlight online platforms as the new industry, since my professional journey launched there,” she says. The idea for the series came—partly—from firsthand, originally difficult, relocation to LA and from the cosmic event, a frequently discussed phenomenon for enthusiasts. This represented a time that involved her grasp some big truths, work-wise and in private life. “My twenties began with constant public emotional outbursts and disorganization,” she admits. “Settling in LA during my mid-twenties brought calm, but soon everything unraveled.” “It resembled a series of extreme challenges…”
Early Beginnings
Raised in Connecticut, Sennott started writing and performing comedy while enrolled in performance at New York University (NYU) Tisch School of the Arts. “Despite trying every conventional route, I couldn’t find my footing,” 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 decided to act independently, taking the stage at live shows with Ayo and sharing hilarious (and very) bizarre comedy videos online. A particular video, titled Baby Cult, followed several females fetishistically obsessed with pregnancy; a different one portrayed being employed at the preppy clothing store Hollister as similar to being stuck in a thriller. In a neat twist of fate, she encountered Emma through campus film circles and ended up starring in her initial project, Shiva Baby, a tense comedy set at a funeral gathering with echoes of Uncut Gems. The central motif of her path, she says, has been people her own age offering opportunities, instead of traditional networks. So, not the gatekeepers, then? “Not the gatekeepers”, she repeats, stating amusedly: “They prefer we don’t succeed.”
Manifesting Dreams
Individuals who questioned about Sennott earlier will likely be kicking themselves currently. In what she calls a “wild, full-circle” turn of events, she appears to created an ideal role. A few years back she uploaded a video titled about Los Angeles on the internet, in which she mocked movie previews (“I’m addicted to drugs – we all are”). Years later, she’s the co-showrunner (with the co-writer) of a series about LA residents managing advantages of digital stardom (such as celebrating at Elijah Wood’s house) with downsides (your friend being labeled as being a drug-addled thief, and potentially becoming a “brand unsafe” persona non grata). It would be simple to create a series about online fame that was horribly glamorous—or, more problematic, one that mocked at those depicted. This show avoids both, creating a representation of privileged twentysomething living that’s honest about the grot and the shine.
Nuanced Portrayal
“Numerous series present younger generations and digital culture in a derogatory manner,” 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
