The actress and writer on her uproarious series portraying that chaotic glamour of today's youth existence
The performer enters the video call and right away launches into an explanation. “Oh my God – I’m sorry!” she exclaims, appearing truly remorseful. Despite being only slightly behind, she needs to explain. “My phone conversations always run long.” “Earlier calls made me late—I just can’t stop chatting!” Luckily, during an interview, this is exactly what you want to encounter. Moreover, it’s pretty unsurprising. Those who know the boldly LGBTQ+ and unapologetically crass movie titled Bottoms—that Sennott co-wrote with her creative partner and featured in alongside collaborator The Bear’s standout—would be aware that she has plenty to discuss, be it on roles, intimacy, or the appeal of starting a youth fight club. Plus, once you finish the latest seasonal show titled I Love LA, it is clear that the star holds further insights regarding the challenges of Gen Z life (At 30, she represents a relatable figure of the gang, straddling eras adept for connecting millennials and Gen Z).
Guiding Lights and Creative Vision
The comparisons to Lena Dunham’s Girls naturally arise and Sennott is a fan, citing the show alongside the HBO hit, Issa Rae’s show and Atlanta as guides for I Love LA, which follows the journey of a social media star Tallulah and close companion who is also new agent portrayed by Sennott. Perhaps, the most significant presence on concept belonged to Entourage, that program depicting a rising celebrity making his way in an often-seedy entertainment industry (memorable line: “only the unsuccessful find joy here”). Sennott began viewing it during lockdown, became “hooked”, and decided to add a fresh perspective on it “targeting women and LGBTQ+ viewers”.
“I sought to highlight online platforms as the new industry, since my professional journey launched there,” she explains. The inspiration for this project came—partly—from her own, initially rocky, move to Tinseltown and from the cosmic event, a much-talked-about event for followers. This represented a phase that involved her grasp major truths, work-wise and individually. “In my early 20s I was so messy, crying in public everywhere, all the time,” she says. “Settling in LA during my mid-twenties brought calm, but soon everything unraveled.” “It resembled a series of extreme challenges…”
Starting Out
Raised in New England, Sennott commenced developing and showcasing stand-up while studying acting at NYU’s Tisch. “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.” “I wondered why I was even there at all.”
Sennott took matters into her own hands, appearing at live shows with Ayo and posting hilarious (and very) unconventional skits digitally. One, titled Baby Cult, followed characters obsessively fixated on having babies; another portrayed being employed at a trendy retail outlet as like being stuck in a thriller. In a neat twist of fate, she encountered Seligman through the university’s film scene and eventually appearing in her initial project, titled Shiva Baby, a tense comedy set at a funeral gathering with hints of the intense thriller. A recurring idea of her journey, she explains, has been peers offering opportunities, rather than the industry at large. Does that mean bypassing the usual powers? “Not the gatekeepers”, she confirms, stating with a laugh: “Our victory isn’t their goal.”
Rising Success
Those who were skeptical regarding her then will surely be kicking themselves now. In what she labels a “incredibly circular” story, she seems to have achieved the perfect project. Previously she uploaded content called “it’s LA” on social media, in which she lampooned Hollywood trailers (“I’m addicted to drugs – we all are”). Six years on, she’s the co-showrunner (with the co-writer) of a comedy about LA residents managing the perks of internet fame (such as socializing at a celebrity’s house) with downsides (your client being suspected of being a drug-addled thief, and potentially becoming a unreliable persona non grata). Some could easy to produce a show about online fame that was overly aspirational—or, more problematic, one that punched down at the characters. This show steers clear of each, making for a portrait of advantaged millennial living that’s candid about the grot and the shine.
Balanced Perspective
“Many programs portray youth and online life with disdain and mockery,” she says. “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