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Rachel Sennott joins the digital interview and at once launches into an apology. “Oh my God – I’m sorry!” she says, appearing genuinely apologetic. She is only a bit delayed, she wants to justify. “My phone conversations always run long.” “Previous discussions went over, and I realized I talk too much!” Fortunately, for a writer, this is precisely what one hopes to experience. Moreover, it’s fairly expected. Anyone who know the fearlessly queer and outspoken movie Bottoms—which she co-wrote with Emma Seligman and featured in alongside her friend Ayo Edebiri—would understand that she possesses much to share, ranging from about gender, relationships, or the pros of starting a youth fight club. Plus, after watching the new multi-episode HBO series titled I Love LA, it is clear that the star has additional thoughts regarding the challenges of Gen Z life (As a millennial, Sennott serves as a relatable figure for this generation, on the cusp with a knack for straddling both generations).

Inspirations and Artistic Direction

Likenesses to Lena Dunham’s groundbreaking show can’t be avoided and Sennott readily acknowledges an admirer, referencing it alongside Sex and the City, Issa Rae’s show and the innovative program as influences for I Love LA, which follows the journey of online personality Tallulah and ally and fledgling talent manager Maia. However, the biggest influence on concept went to the popular sitcom, that program depicting an up-and-coming Hollywood star navigating in a gritty entertainment industry (notable statement: “only the unsuccessful find joy here”). Sennott started watching it throughout COVID-19, became “hooked”, and chose to put her own twist on it “with female and queer audiences in mind”.

“I sought to highlight online platforms as the new industry, since my professional journey launched there,” she notes. The idea for this project emerged—to some extent—from firsthand, originally fractious, relocation to Los Angeles and from the saturn return, a frequently discussed occurrence for astrology heads. That period marked an era that included her learn some big life lessons, in her career 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. It was almost like these biblical tests …”

Early Beginnings

Raised in the East Coast, Sennott began creating and acting stand-up while pursuing theatre at NYU’s Tisch. “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.” “It left me questioning my purpose and place.”

She decided to act independently, taking the stage at live shows with her friend and posting hilarious (and very) bizarre skits digitally. A particular video, titled Baby Cult, centered on a group of women obsessively drawn to having babies; a different one imagined working at a trendy retail outlet as akin to being stuck in a scary movie. By chance, she connected with Emma through the university’s film scene and ultimately featuring in her first film, Shiva Baby, a stressful comedy set at a Jewish wake with hints of Uncut Gems. A recurring idea of her career, she notes, has been contemporaries offering opportunities, as opposed to the industry at large. So the old guard wasn’t helpful? “Definitely not them”, she repeats, stating amusedly: “They prefer we don’t succeed.”

Manifesting Dreams

Anyone who had doubts about Sennott earlier will certainly be regretting it today. In what she describes as a “wild, full-circle” story, she appears to created the perfect project. A few years back she posted a clip titled about Los Angeles online, in which she mocked movie previews (“I’m addicted to drugs – we all are”). Years later, she’s the co-showrunner (with her partner) of a series about city dwellers managing advantages of online celebrity (such as partying at a famous actor’s house) with drawbacks (your friend being labeled as being a intoxicated thief, and possibly becoming a unreliable pariah). One might simple to create a series about internet celebrity that was overly glamorous—or, even less favorable, one that punched down at its subjects. This show steers clear of each, creating a representation of privileged millennial existence that’s frank about the mess and the appeal.

Nuanced Portrayal

“Many programs portray youth and online life with disdain and mockery,” 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