Rachel Sennott discussing the hilarious show portraying the messy glamour of younger generation life

The star enters the online meeting and at once starts an excuse. “I can’t believe I’m late!” she exclaims, sounding truly remorseful. Although she's only slightly late, 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!” Thankfully, in this context, that’s precisely what is ideal to hear. Moreover, it’s quite expected. Viewers who know the fearlessly queer and brash film Bottoms—which she penned with Emma Seligman and appeared in with collaborator The Bear’s standout—can understand that she has much to share, be it about identity, sex, or the pros of creating a youth brawl society. Plus, by the end her new multi-episode show titled I Love LA, viewers realize that she carries even more thoughts on the darker side of young adulthood (Now in her thirties, Sennott represents a relatable figure to younger audiences, straddling eras with a knack for bridging different age groups).

Inspirations and Artistic Direction

Likenesses to Lena Dunham’s groundbreaking show naturally arise and the actress is a fan, citing it together with the classic series, the acclaimed comedy and Atlanta as influences for her series, which details the journey of online personality Tallulah and ally who is also fledgling representative Maia. However, the biggest influence on creative vision went to the HBO series, that show about a rising A-list actor succeeding in a corrupt entertainment industry (notable statement: “nobody’s happy in this town except for the losers”). She started watching it amid COVID-19, became “obsessed”, and decided to add a fresh perspective 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 explains. The idea for this project originated—to some extent—from firsthand, at first difficult, relocation to LA and from the cosmic event, a frequently discussed phenomenon for astrology heads. That period marked a time that saw her learn major truths, in her career and personally. “My twenties began with constant public emotional outbursts and disorganization,” she recalls. “After relocating to Los Angeles in my mid-twenties, I found stability, only for things to crumble. “The struggles felt almost mythic in scale…”

Humble Origins

Raised in New England, the star started creating and acting humor while pursuing performance at New York University (NYU) Tisch School of the Arts. “I went through all the proper channels to try to perform, and they weren’t gelling,” she explains. “Every campus humor group turned me down after tryouts.” “Theatre productions at school also didn’t accept me. And I just felt like, what am I doing here?”

She took matters into her own hands, performing at amateur nights with Ayo and uploading hysterical (and decidedly) bizarre online content digitally. One, titled Baby Cult, followed several females obsessively drawn to pregnancy; another envisioned working at the brand Hollister as similar to being stuck in a scary movie. By chance, she met Seligman through the university’s film scene and ultimately appearing in her directorial debut, Shiva Baby, a tense comedy set at a Jewish wake with echoes of Uncut Gems. The central motif of her journey, she notes, has been people her own age offering opportunities, as opposed to traditional networks. So the old guard wasn’t helpful? “Not the gatekeepers”, she confirms, adding humorously: “Our victory isn’t their goal.”

Manifesting Dreams

Those who questioned about Sennott then will likely be feeling foolish now. As part of she labels a “astonishingly complete” development, she appears to created an ideal role. Previously she uploaded a video called about Los Angeles online, in which she parodied movie previews (“I’m addicted to drugs – we all are”). Years later, she’s a lead creator (with her partner) of a show about city dwellers juggling benefits of internet fame (such as partying at a famous actor’s house) with downsides (your associate being labeled as being a intoxicated criminal, and possibly becoming a “brand unsafe” outcast). Some could tempting to produce a show about online fame that was horribly glamorous—or, worse, one that punched down at those depicted. The series does neither, creating a portrait of advantaged twentysomething existence that’s candid 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

Nathaniel Herrera
Nathaniel Herrera

A mindfulness coach and writer passionate about sharing wisdom through daily reflections and actionable tips.