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Rachel Sennott appears on the online meeting and at once begins an excuse. “Apologies for the delay!” she exclaims, seeming genuinely apologetic. Although she's only a bit delayed, she needs to clarify. “My phone conversations always run long.” I had two calls before this, and I’m like, I’ve gotta stop talking!” Fortunately, in this context, that’s exactly what one hopes to encounter. Moreover, it’s quite predictable. Anyone who know her unapologetically openly gay and unapologetically crass project titled Bottoms—that Sennott collaborated on with Emma Seligman and appeared in together with collaborator Ayo Edebiri—can understand that she possesses much to discuss, whether on gender, relationships, or the pros of forming a youth brawl society. Plus, by the end the new eight-part show titled I Love LA, it is clear that she carries even more thoughts regarding the struggles of Gen Z life (As a millennial, she is a bridge of the gang, on the cusp with a knack for bridging both generations).

Inspirations and Creative Vision

Likenesses to Lena Dunham’s groundbreaking show naturally arise and Sennott is enthusiastic, citing the show in addition to the classic series, the acclaimed comedy and Atlanta as inspirations for I Love LA, which follows the struggles of online personality Tallulah and her friend and fledgling representative Sennott’s character. Notably, the largest spot on concept was reserved for the HBO series, the show about a rising Hollywood star succeeding in a corrupt Hollywood (memorable line: “nobody’s happy in this town except for the losers”). Sennott started watching it during lockdown, became “hooked”, and chose to put her own twist on it “for the girls and the gays”.

“I sought to highlight online platforms as the new industry, since my professional journey launched there,” she says. The inspiration for I Love LA emerged—to some extent—from firsthand, originally fractious, relocation to Tinseltown and from the saturn return, a much-talked-about phenomenon for astrology heads. That period marked a time that saw her grasp major life lessons, work-wise and individually. “During my younger years, I was chaotic, often breaking down in public,” she says. “After relocating to Los Angeles in my mid-twenties, I found stability, only for things to crumble. It was almost like these biblical tests …”

Starting Out

Brought up in the East Coast, the star commenced writing and performing stand-up while pursuing theatre at a prestigious arts school. “I followed traditional paths to get on stage, but nothing clicked,” she states. “Auditions for university comedy troupes led to universal rejection. “None of the university plays cast me either.” “It left me questioning my purpose and place.”

Sennott seized control, performing at live shows with Ayo and uploading hilarious (and decidedly) weird comedy videos digitally. A particular video, Baby Cult, centered on several females fetishistically obsessed with pregnancy; a different one portrayed working at the preppy clothing store Hollister as similar to being caught in a horror film. By chance, she encountered Emma through NYU’s movie community and ultimately starring in her directorial debut, Shiva Baby, an anxious comedy set at a Jewish wake with hints of Uncut Gems. A recurring idea of her path, she says, has been contemporaries offering opportunities, rather than established gatekeepers. Does that mean bypassing the usual powers? “They were not involved”, she confirms, adding with a laugh: “Our victory isn’t their goal.”

Manifesting Dreams

Individuals who were skeptical regarding Sennott earlier will surely be kicking themselves now. Through she calls a “astonishingly complete” story, she has created the perfect project. Previously she uploaded a video named “it’s LA” on the internet, in which she mocked film promos (“I’m addicted to drugs – we all are”). Years later, she’s a lead creator (with her partner) of a series about city dwellers managing the perks of digital stardom (such as socializing at a celebrity’s house) with drawbacks (your associate being suspected of being a intoxicated criminal, and potentially becoming a “brand unsafe” outcast). Some could simple to make a program about online fame that was overly aspirational—or, even less favorable, one that mocked at those depicted. I Love LA avoids both, resulting in a portrait of affluent 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 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