The performer enters the video call and immediately begins an excuse. “I can’t believe I’m late!” she exclaims, appearing genuinely remorseful. Despite being only a couple of minutes behind, she feels compelled 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!” Fortunately, during an interview, this is exactly what is ideal to hear. Additionally, it’s pretty unsurprising. Viewers who know the fearlessly LGBTQ+ and unapologetically crass project Bottoms—which Sennott co-wrote with the director and appeared in together with her friend The Bear’s standout—will already know that she has much to discuss, be it about gender, relationships, or the appeal of starting a high-school fight club. Furthermore, by the end the latest eight-part show titled I Love LA, it becomes obvious that the star has even more thoughts regarding the challenges of Gen Z life (As a millennial, she is a relatable figure to younger audiences, a tale-end millennial skilled for bridging millennials and Gen Z).
Inspirations and Creative Vision
Parallels to Lena Dunham’s Girls are inevitable and Sennott admits to being a fan, citing it alongside the classic series, Insecure and the innovative program as guides for I Love LA, which tracks the struggles of an influencer Tallulah and her friend and fledgling talent manager Sennott’s character. Perhaps, the most significant spot on the moodboard went to Entourage, the HBO sitcom about an up-and-coming Hollywood star succeeding in a corrupt LA scene (choice quote: “only the unsuccessful find joy here”). Sennott discovered it throughout lockdown, became “obsessed”, and chose 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 inspiration for I Love LA came—to some extent—from firsthand, originally rocky, move to Los Angeles and from her cosmic event, a popular event for astrology heads. That period marked a phase that saw her grasp some big life lessons, professionally and individually. “My twenties began with constant public emotional outbursts and disorganization,” she admits. “After relocating to Los Angeles in my mid-twenties, I found stability, only for things to crumble. “It resembled a series of extreme challenges…”
Starting Out
Raised in Connecticut, Sennott began creating and acting stand-up while studying theatre at NYU’s Tisch. “I followed traditional paths to get on stage, but nothing clicked,” she states. “Every campus humor group turned me down after tryouts.” I tried out for all the NYU plays and didn’t make it into any of them. “It left me questioning my purpose and place.”
She decided to act independently, performing at live shows with her friend and uploading hysterical (and very) bizarre skits online. One, titled Baby Cult, depicted characters obsessively fixated on having babies; a different one imagined working at the preppy clothing store Hollister as like being stuck in a thriller. Interestingly, she connected with Seligman through campus film circles and eventually appearing in her initial project, Shiva Baby, a stressful comedy set at a Jewish wake with shades of the intense thriller. The big theme of her journey, she says, has been contemporaries supporting her, instead of traditional networks. Does that mean bypassing the usual powers? “Definitely not them”, she confirms, continuing with a laugh: “Our victory isn’t their goal.”
Career Breakthrough
Individuals who had doubts about Sennott then will surely be regretting it currently. As part of she describes as a “wild, full-circle” story, she has created her dream vehicle. A few years back she posted content named on LA life online, in which she lampooned film promos (“I’m addicted to drugs – we all are”). Six years on, she’s a lead creator (with her partner) of a show about LA residents juggling the perks of digital stardom (such as socializing at a famous actor’s house) with downsides (your associate being labeled as being a drug-addled criminal, and potentially becoming a risky pariah). It would be simple to create a show about online fame that was extremely aspirational—or, even less favorable, one that punched down at those depicted. The series does neither, making for a representation of advantaged twentysomething living that’s honest about the grot and the appeal.
Nuanced Portrayal
“Numerous series present younger generations and digital culture in a derogatory manner,” she observes. “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
