Rachel Sennott enters the video call and at once launches into an explanation. “Apologies for the delay!” she exclaims, seeming genuinely apologetic. Despite being only a couple of minutes late, she wants to explain. “I have such a problem, because I’m a yapper on the phone. “Earlier calls made me late—I just can’t stop chatting!” Luckily, for a writer, this is just what one hopes to encounter. Moreover, it’s fairly predictable. Viewers who know the unapologetically LGBTQ+ and unapologetically crass project titled Bottoms—that she collaborated on with the director and starred in together with her friend Ayo Edebiri—will understand that Sennott holds plenty to say, ranging from on gender, relationships, or the appeal of creating a teen brawl society. Plus, by the end her new multi-episode program I Love LA, it becomes obvious that the star has even more thoughts about the struggles of modern youth (As a millennial, she serves as an honorary member to younger audiences, on the cusp with a knack for connecting both generations).
Inspirations and Creative Vision
Likenesses to the iconic series Girls can’t be avoided and Sennott readily acknowledges a fan, citing the show together with the HBO hit, the acclaimed comedy and the innovative program as guides for I Love LA, which details the struggles of online personality played by Odessa A’Zion and ally who is also aspiring talent manager portrayed by Sennott. Notably, the biggest presence on the moodboard was reserved for the popular sitcom, the show depicting an emerging A-list actor succeeding in an often-seedy LA scene (choice quote: “nobody’s happy in this town except for the losers”). Sennott began viewing it throughout COVID-19, became “captivated”, and resolved to create a new version on it “targeting women and LGBTQ+ viewers”.
“My aim was to focus on digital fame over traditional entertainment, as my own beginnings were on the web,” she says. The idea for the series originated—in part—from personal, initially rocky, move to Los Angeles and from her cosmic event, a frequently discussed occurrence for enthusiasts. That period marked a phase that saw her learn significant truths, work-wise and personally. “In my early 20s I was so messy, crying in public everywhere, all the time,” she says. “In my mid-20s, I moved to LA and got settled. And then I felt like everything started to just fall apart. “The struggles felt almost mythic in scale…”
Early Beginnings
Growing up in New England, the star began writing and performing humor while studying acting at a prestigious arts school. “I followed traditional paths to get on stage, but nothing clicked,” she states. “Every campus humor group turned me down after tryouts.” “None of the university plays cast me either.” “I wondered why I was even there at all.”
Sennott seized control, appearing at open mics with Edebiri and sharing hilarious (and very) bizarre online content on the internet. One, Baby Cult, centered on characters intensely drawn to pregnancy; another imagined being employed at the preppy clothing store Hollister as like being caught in a scary movie. In a neat twist of fate, she encountered Emma through NYU’s movie community and ended up starring in her initial project, Shiva Baby, a stressful film set at a religious event with shades of the intense thriller. The central motif of her path, she explains, has been peers giving her a shot, rather than traditional networks. So, not the gatekeepers, then? “Not the gatekeepers”, she emphasizes, adding with a laugh: “Our victory isn’t their goal.”
Rising Success
Individuals who questioned about her then will surely be feeling foolish today. Through she describes as a “incredibly circular” story, she appears to manifested the perfect project. Previously she shared a clip titled “it’s LA” on social media, in which she lampooned Hollywood trailers (“I’m addicted to drugs – we all are”). Six years on, she’s a lead creator (with the co-writer) of a comedy about Angelenos juggling benefits of digital stardom (such as socializing at Elijah Wood’s house) with its pitfalls (your associate being suspected of being a substance-abusing thief, and potentially becoming a unreliable persona non grata). One might easy to create a program about internet celebrity that was overly aspirational—or, more problematic, one that mocked at those depicted. I Love LA steers clear of each, making for a portrait of advantaged twentysomething living that’s candid about the chaos and the shine.
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
