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Rachel Sennott joins the video call and immediately launches into an excuse. “Apologies for the delay!” she exclaims, seeming truly remorseful. Despite being only slightly behind, she feels compelled to justify. “I have such a problem, because I’m a yapper on the phone. “Earlier calls made me late—I just can’t stop chatting!” Thankfully, during an interview, this is exactly what one hopes to encounter. Additionally, it’s quite predictable. Those who have seen her fearlessly LGBTQ+ and unapologetically crass project Bottoms—which Sennott penned with Emma Seligman and starred in with collaborator Ayo Edebiri—will be aware that she has much to say, ranging from on identity, sex, or the appeal of forming a youth fight club. Furthermore, once you finish the new seasonal HBO series I Love LA, viewers realize that she has additional perspectives regarding the challenges of Gen Z life (As a millennial, she represents a relatable figure of the gang, straddling eras adept for connecting both generations).

Influences and Creative Vision

Likenesses to Lena Dunham’s Girls can’t be avoided and the actress admits to being a fan, referencing the show alongside Sex and the City, the acclaimed comedy and the innovative program as inspirations for her series, which follows the travails of an influencer Tallulah and close companion and fledgling representative portrayed by Sennott. Notably, the biggest presence on concept went to Entourage, the HBO sitcom about an up-and-coming celebrity making his way in a corrupt Hollywood (notable statement: “only the unsuccessful find joy here”). She began viewing it during the pandemic, became “hooked”, and decided to add a fresh perspective on it “for the girls and the gays”.

“My aim was to focus on digital fame over traditional entertainment, as my own beginnings were on the web,” she says. The inspiration for I Love LA originated—to some extent—from her own, initially fractious, transition to LA and from her cosmic event, a frequently discussed event for followers. This represented a phase that involved her learn significant insights, in her career and individually. “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. “It resembled a series of extreme challenges…”

Early Beginnings

Brought up in the East Coast, Sennott started developing and showcasing comedy while pursuing acting 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 says. “Auditions for university comedy troupes led to universal rejection. “Theatre productions at school also didn’t accept me. “It left me questioning my purpose and place.”

Sennott seized control, appearing at amateur nights with Ayo and sharing uproarious (and distinctly) bizarre skits online. A particular video, Baby Cult, depicted several females intensely obsessed with having babies; another portrayed being employed at the brand Hollister as akin to being stuck in a thriller. By chance, she connected with Emma through the university’s film scene and ended up appearing in her initial project, titled Shiva Baby, a stressful comedy set at a Jewish wake with hints of the intense thriller. A recurring idea of her path, she notes, has been contemporaries supporting her, instead of traditional networks. Does that mean bypassing the usual powers? “They were not involved”, she repeats, stating humorously: “They prefer we don’t succeed.”

Manifesting Dreams

Individuals who questioned about her earlier will certainly be regretting it now. Through she labels a “incredibly circular” turn of events, she has achieved her dream vehicle. A few years back she shared a clip titled “it’s LA” on the internet, in which she lampooned movie previews (“Everyone’s hooked on something”). Now, she’s executive producer (with her partner) of a show about Angelenos managing benefits of digital stardom (such as partying at Elijah Wood’s house) with downsides (your associate being labeled as being a substance-abusing criminal, and potentially becoming a “brand unsafe” persona non grata). It would be tempting to produce a program about internet celebrity that was horribly glamorous—or, worse, one that belittled at those depicted. This show steers clear of each, resulting in a depiction of privileged young adult living that’s honest about the grot and the shine.

Empathetic Approach

“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