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Rachel Sennott appears on the video call and immediately begins an apology. “Apologies for the delay!” she states, seeming really apologetic. Although she's only a bit late, she feels compelled to justify. “I tend to talk too much during calls. I had two calls before this, and I’m like, I’ve gotta stop talking!” Thankfully, during an interview, this is exactly what is ideal to hear. Additionally, it’s fairly unsurprising. Anyone familiar with her unapologetically LGBTQ+ and outspoken movie Bottoms—which Sennott co-wrote with her creative partner and starred in together with her friend Ayo Edebiri—will be aware that Sennott possesses plenty to discuss, ranging from about identity, intimacy, or the appeal of starting a youth fight club. Plus, after watching the recent eight-part program I Love LA, it is clear that she carries even more insights on the struggles of Gen Z life (Now in her thirties, Sennott represents an honorary member to younger audiences, on the cusp with a knack for connecting millennials and Gen Z).

Inspirations and Artistic Direction

Parallels to Lena Dunham’s Girls are inevitable and the actress readily acknowledges a fan, referencing it alongside the classic series, Issa Rae’s show and Atlanta as inspirations for the project, which details the journey of an influencer played by Odessa A’Zion and ally and fledgling agent portrayed by Sennott. However, the biggest spot on the moodboard was reserved for the popular sitcom, that show about a rising Hollywood star making his way in an often-seedy LA scene (choice quote: “nobody’s happy in this town except for the losers”). She started watching it during 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 notes. The concept for I Love LA originated—partly—from her own, originally rocky, transition to LA and from the astrological phase, a much-talked-about occurrence for astrology heads. It was a time that saw her understand significant truths, professionally and in private life. “My twenties began with constant public emotional outbursts and disorganization,” she says. “In my mid-20s, I moved to LA and got settled. And then I felt like everything started to just fall apart. “It resembled a series of extreme challenges…”

Starting Out

Raised in the East Coast, Sennott started creating and acting stand-up while enrolled in acting at NYU’s Tisch. “Despite trying every conventional route, I couldn’t find my footing,” she states. “Every campus humor group turned me down after tryouts.” “Theatre productions at school also didn’t accept me. “I wondered why I was even there at all.”

She seized control, performing at open mics with Edebiri and posting hysterical (and distinctly) unconventional comedy videos on the internet. A particular video, titled Baby Cult, followed several females obsessively fixated on having babies; a different one imagined working at the preppy clothing store Hollister as similar to being stuck in a horror film. Interestingly, she met Seligman through the university’s film scene and ultimately starring in her first film, Shiva Baby, an anxious comedy set at a funeral gathering with shades of Uncut Gems. A recurring idea of her career, she notes, has been peers offering opportunities, as opposed to traditional networks. So, not the gatekeepers, then? “Definitely not them”, she repeats, adding with a laugh: “They don’t want us to win.”

Manifesting Dreams

Those who questioned regarding Sennott then will surely be feeling foolish currently. As part of she labels a “incredibly circular” story, she seems to have created an ideal role. Previously she posted a clip titled about Los Angeles on social media, in which she mocked film promos (“I’m addicted to drugs – we all are”). Now, she’s executive producer (with Emma Barrie) of a series about LA residents balancing the perks of internet fame (such as celebrating at a famous actor’s house) with downsides (your client being suspected of being a drug-addled thief, and potentially becoming a “brand unsafe” pariah). It would be easy to create a show about internet celebrity that was horribly glamorous—or, worse, one that belittled at those depicted. The series steers clear of each, creating a depiction of privileged twentysomething life that’s honest about the mess and the glamour.

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