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Rachel Sennott appears on the digital interview and at once begins an apology. “Apologies for the delay!” she exclaims, seeming truly remorseful. Despite being only a couple of minutes delayed, she feels compelled to justify. “My phone conversations always run long.” “Previous discussions went over, and I realized I talk too much!” Fortunately, in this context, this is just what you want to experience. Moreover, it’s pretty predictable. Anyone familiar with the fearlessly LGBTQ+ and outspoken film Bottoms—that Sennott co-wrote with Emma Seligman and appeared in with collaborator the talented actress—would already know that Sennott holds plenty to discuss, ranging from on gender, sex, or the pros of starting a youth brawl society. And, after watching the new multi-episode HBO series I Love LA, it becomes obvious that the star carries further perspectives regarding the struggles of Gen Z life (Now in her thirties, Sennott is an honorary member of the gang, a tale-end millennial with a knack for straddling both generations).

Inspirations and Artistic Direction

Parallels to Lena Dunham’s Girls naturally arise and Sennott is a fan, naming it together with the classic series, the acclaimed comedy and the innovative program as influences for the project, which tracks the journey of a social media star played by Odessa A’Zion and close companion and fledgling talent manager Maia. Perhaps, the largest spot on the moodboard was reserved for the HBO series, that show about an emerging A-list actor navigating in a corrupt entertainment industry (notable statement: “nobody’s happy in this town except for the losers”). She started watching it amid COVID-19, became “captivated”, and resolved to put her own twist 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 explains. The concept for the series emerged—to some extent—from firsthand, initially difficult, move to LA and from her saturn return, a popular event for astrology heads. This represented a phase that involved her learn significant insights, professionally and in private life. “My twenties began with constant public emotional outbursts and disorganization,” she admits. “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 started creating and acting humor while studying acting at NYU’s Tisch. “I followed traditional paths to get on stage, but nothing clicked,” she explains. “Auditions for university comedy troupes led to universal rejection. “None of the university plays cast me either.” “I wondered why I was even there at all.”

She decided to act independently, appearing at live shows with Ayo and uploading hilarious (and very) unconventional skits digitally. A particular video, Baby Cult, centered on several females obsessively obsessed with having babies; another portrayed working at a trendy retail outlet as similar to being stuck in a thriller. Interestingly, she connected with Seligman through NYU’s movie community and eventually featuring in her directorial debut, titled Shiva Baby, a stressful comedy set at a Jewish wake with echoes of the Safdie brothers’ movie. A recurring idea of her journey, she notes, has been people her own age supporting her, instead of the industry at large. So, not the gatekeepers, then? “Definitely not them”, she confirms, continuing humorously: “Our victory isn’t their goal.”

Manifesting Dreams

Those who questioned about her previously will certainly be kicking themselves now. In what she describes as a “incredibly circular” turn of events, she has created the perfect project. In 2019 she uploaded content called on LA life on the internet, in which she parodied Hollywood trailers (“Substance abuse is rampant here”). Six years on, she’s executive producer (with the co-writer) of a show about LA residents managing advantages of online celebrity (such as celebrating at Elijah Wood’s house) with drawbacks (your friend being suspected of being a intoxicated criminal, and possibly becoming a “brand unsafe” persona non grata). It would be simple to make a show about internet celebrity that was horribly idealized—or, worse, one that mocked at its subjects. I Love LA avoids both, making for a depiction of privileged millennial existence that’s frank about the mess and the shine.

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