Rachel Sennott exploring her hilarious series depicting that grotty glamour of today's youth lifestyle
The performer appears on the online meeting and right away starts an excuse. “Apologies for the delay!” she states, seeming genuinely apologetic. Despite being only a couple of minutes behind, she wants to explain. “My phone conversations always run long.” I had two calls before this, and I’m like, I’ve gotta stop talking!” Fortunately, for a writer, this is exactly what one hopes to encounter. Additionally, it’s quite expected. Those familiar with the boldly queer and unapologetically crass film titled Bottoms—which she co-wrote with Emma Seligman and featured in together with her friend The Bear’s standout—can be aware that she holds much to say, ranging from on gender, intimacy, or the merits of forming a high-school combat group. And, after watching the new multi-episode HBO series titled I Love LA, it becomes obvious that the star has further thoughts regarding the challenges of modern youth (Now in her thirties, she is an honorary member of the gang, straddling eras adept for straddling different age groups).
Influences and Creative Vision
Parallels to Lena Dunham’s groundbreaking show can’t be avoided and Sennott is enthusiastic, citing the show together with the HBO hit, Insecure and Atlanta as inspirations for the project, which tracks the journey of an influencer played by Odessa A’Zion and close companion and aspiring representative Sennott’s character. However, the biggest presence on concept went to the popular sitcom, that show about an up-and-coming A-list actor navigating in an often-seedy entertainment industry (choice quote: “only the unsuccessful find joy here”). She started watching it throughout the pandemic, became “obsessed”, 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 says. The idea for the series originated—partly—from firsthand, initially rocky, transition to LA and from the cosmic event, a popular occurrence for astrology heads. That period marked an era that involved her learn significant truths, professionally and individually. “My twenties began with constant public emotional outbursts and disorganization,” she recalls. “Settling in LA during my mid-twenties brought calm, but soon everything unraveled.” It was almost like these biblical tests …”
Humble Origins
Brought up in New England, the star commenced creating and acting comedy while pursuing theatre at NYU’s Tisch. “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. And I just felt like, what am I doing here?”
She decided to act independently, appearing at open mics with Ayo and posting uproarious (and distinctly) weird comedy videos on the internet. One, titled Baby Cult, depicted several females obsessively drawn to motherhood; a different one imagined being employed at the brand Hollister as akin to being stuck in a thriller. Interestingly, she encountered Emma through the university’s film scene and ended up featuring in her initial project, Shiva Baby, an anxious dramedy set at a Jewish wake with shades of the intense thriller. A recurring idea of her path, she says, has been peers giving her a shot, instead of established gatekeepers. Does that mean bypassing the usual powers? “Not the gatekeepers”, she repeats, continuing humorously: “They don’t want us to win.”
Rising Success
Those who had doubts about her then will likely be kicking themselves now. Through she describes as a “wild, full-circle” development, she has manifested the perfect project. In 2019 she shared content titled “it’s LA” on social media, in which she mocked film promos (“Substance abuse is rampant here”). Years later, she’s executive producer (with her partner) of a comedy about Angelenos managing advantages of online celebrity (such as socializing at a famous actor’s house) with downsides (your client being accused of being a intoxicated criminal, and perhaps becoming a risky persona non grata). One might tempting to produce a show about internet celebrity that was overly aspirational—or, even less favorable, one that belittled at the characters. This show avoids both, making for a portrait of advantaged millennial living that’s honest about the chaos and the shine.
Nuanced Portrayal
“Many programs portray youth and online life with disdain and mockery,” 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