The actress and writer discussing the side-splitting comedy depicting the grotty glamour of Gen Z life

Rachel Sennott appears on the online meeting and at once launches into an explanation. “I can’t believe I’m late!” she states, sounding truly apologetic. Although she's only a bit behind, she wants to explain. “I have such a problem, because I’m a yapper on the phone. I had two calls before this, and I’m like, I’ve gotta stop talking!” Fortunately, during an interview, this is exactly what you want to hear. Additionally, it’s fairly expected. Those who have seen her boldly LGBTQ+ and unapologetically crass movie titled Bottoms—that she collaborated on with her creative partner and starred in alongside collaborator the talented actress—would already know that Sennott has plenty to discuss, ranging from on gender, sex, or the appeal of forming a youth combat group. And, once you finish the latest multi-episode HBO series I Love LA, it is clear that the star has additional perspectives about the darker side of Gen Z life (As a millennial, Sennott represents a relatable figure to younger audiences, on the cusp skilled for bridging both generations).

Guiding Lights and Storytelling Approach

The comparisons to the iconic series Girls naturally arise and Sennott readily acknowledges a fan, referencing the show together with the classic series, Insecure and Atlanta as influences for her series, which tracks the journey of a social media star played by Odessa A’Zion and her friend who is also fledgling agent portrayed by Sennott. Notably, the largest presence on the moodboard went to Entourage, that HBO sitcom depicting an up-and-coming A-list actor succeeding in a corrupt Hollywood (notable statement: “only the unsuccessful find joy here”). Sennott started watching it amid the pandemic, became “captivated”, and decided to put her own twist on it “with female and queer audiences in mind”.

“My aim was to focus on digital fame over traditional entertainment, as my own beginnings were on the web,” she notes. The concept for I Love LA came—to some extent—from her own, originally difficult, transition to Los Angeles and from the saturn return, a frequently discussed phenomenon for astrology heads. It was a time that saw her understand significant insights, in her career and individually. “During my younger years, I was chaotic, often breaking down in public,” she recalls. “Settling in LA during my mid-twenties brought calm, but soon everything unraveled.” “The struggles felt almost mythic in scale…”

Starting Out

Raised in the East Coast, the star began writing and performing comedy while pursuing performance at a prestigious arts school. “I followed traditional paths to get on stage, but nothing clicked,” she says. “I tried out for all the NYU comedy groups, and got rejected from all of them. I tried out for all the NYU plays and didn’t make it into any of them. “I wondered why I was even there at all.”

Sennott seized control, appearing at live shows with Edebiri and uploading uproarious (and distinctly) weird comedy videos digitally. One, titled Baby Cult, followed characters obsessively obsessed with pregnancy; another imagined working at the brand Hollister as akin to being stuck in a scary movie. Interestingly, she encountered Seligman through the university’s film scene and ultimately starring in her initial project, Shiva Baby, an anxious dramedy set at a religious event with hints of the intense thriller. The central motif of her career, she explains, has been peers supporting her, as opposed to established gatekeepers. Does that mean bypassing the usual powers? “Definitely not them”, she emphasizes, continuing amusedly: “They don’t want us to win.”

Manifesting Dreams

Individuals who were skeptical regarding her earlier will likely be kicking themselves today. Through she labels a “astonishingly complete” story, she appears to created her dream vehicle. Previously she posted a video called “it’s LA” online, in which she parodied Hollywood trailers (“I’m addicted to drugs – we all are”). Years later, she’s a lead creator (with Emma Barrie) of a show about city dwellers juggling benefits of digital stardom (such as partying at a famous actor’s house) with drawbacks (your friend being accused of being a drug-addled criminal, and potentially becoming a unreliable persona non grata). Some could easy to create a series about digital influence that was horribly aspirational—or, even less favorable, one that mocked at its subjects. This show avoids both, making for a representation of affluent twentysomething life that’s frank about the chaos and the appeal.

Balanced Perspective

“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