The actress and writer discussing her uproarious comedy about the grotty appeal of younger generation existence
Rachel Sennott appears on the digital interview and right away launches into an explanation. “Apologies for the delay!” she states, seeming really apologetic. Although she's only a bit behind, she needs to clarify. “My phone conversations always run long.” “Previous discussions went over, and I realized I talk too much!” Thankfully, in this context, this is just what you want to experience. Moreover, it’s pretty unsurprising. Those who have seen the boldly queer and brash movie titled Bottoms—which Sennott co-wrote with her creative partner and starred in with her friend Ayo Edebiri—can be aware that Sennott possesses much to say, ranging from about identity, relationships, or the appeal of creating a youth brawl society. And, once you finish her latest seasonal show I Love LA, it is clear that she holds further perspectives on the challenges of modern youth (As a millennial, she is an honorary member to younger audiences, a tale-end millennial with a knack for bridging millennials and Gen Z).
Influences and Artistic Direction
Likenesses to the iconic series Girls naturally arise and Sennott is a fan, referencing it in addition to Sex and the City, the acclaimed comedy and Atlanta as influences for I Love LA, which follows the journey of online personality played by Odessa A’Zion and ally and aspiring agent Sennott’s character. However, the largest presence on the moodboard went to the HBO series, the program about an up-and-coming A-list actor making his way in an often-seedy LA scene (choice quote: “happiness eludes everyone but failures in this city”). Sennott discovered it throughout the pandemic, became “captivated”, and chose to create a new version on it “targeting women and LGBTQ+ viewers”.
“I sought to highlight online platforms as the new industry, since my professional journey launched there,” she says. The concept for this project emerged—partly—from personal, at first rocky, transition to Los Angeles and from the saturn return, a much-talked-about occurrence for enthusiasts. That period marked a phase that included her understand major truths, work-wise and in private life. “In my early 20s I was so messy, crying in public everywhere, all the time,” she recalls. “Settling in LA during my mid-twenties brought calm, but soon everything unraveled.” “The struggles felt almost mythic in scale…”
Humble Origins
Raised in Connecticut, Sennott commenced creating and acting stand-up while pursuing theatre at NYU’s Tisch. “I went through all the proper channels to try to perform, and they weren’t gelling,” she states. “Every campus humor group turned me down after tryouts.” “None of the university plays cast me either.” And I just felt like, what am I doing here?”
Sennott took matters into her own hands, taking the stage at live shows with Edebiri and uploading hilarious (and decidedly) unconventional online content digitally. One, Baby Cult, followed a group of women obsessively drawn to having babies; another envisioned being employed at the preppy clothing store Hollister as similar to being trapped in a horror film. By chance, she connected with Seligman through NYU’s movie community and ended up appearing in her initial project, titled Shiva Baby, a tense comedy set at a funeral gathering with shades of the Safdie brothers’ movie. A recurring idea of her path, she notes, has been contemporaries giving her a shot, rather than established gatekeepers. So, not the gatekeepers, then? “Definitely not them”, she repeats, stating humorously: “Our victory isn’t their goal.”
Manifesting Dreams
Anyone who were skeptical about Sennott previously will likely be kicking themselves now. Through she describes as a “incredibly circular” story, she appears to achieved the perfect project. A few years back she posted a clip called “it’s LA” on social media, in which she lampooned film promos (“I’m addicted to drugs – we all are”). Years later, she’s a lead creator (with Emma Barrie) of a series about city dwellers juggling the perks of digital stardom (such as celebrating at a celebrity’s house) with downsides (your associate being suspected of being a intoxicated stealer, and possibly becoming a “brand unsafe” pariah). Some could easy to produce a show about digital influence that was overly idealized—or, worse, one that belittled at the characters. The series steers clear of each, making for a portrait of privileged young adult life that’s candid about the mess and the appeal.
Nuanced Portrayal
“Many programs portray youth and online life with disdain and mockery,” 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
