The star appears on the online meeting and immediately launches into an excuse. “I can’t believe I’m late!” she states, sounding truly apologetic. Although she's only a bit behind, she feels compelled to explain. “I tend to talk too much during calls. I had two calls before this, and I’m like, I’ve gotta stop talking!” Fortunately, during an interview, this is just what is ideal to experience. Additionally, it’s pretty predictable. Those familiar with the unapologetically queer and unapologetically crass project Bottoms—which she co-wrote with Emma Seligman and featured in together with collaborator the talented actress—can be aware that Sennott possesses much to say, ranging from about roles, sex, or the pros of starting a high-school brawl society. Plus, once you finish her new eight-part program I Love LA, it becomes obvious that she holds further thoughts on the darker side of Gen Z life (As a millennial, Sennott represents a relatable figure of the gang, straddling eras with a knack for connecting different age groups).
Inspirations and Artistic Direction
The comparisons to Lena Dunham’s groundbreaking show naturally arise and Sennott admits to being enthusiastic, referencing it in addition to Sex and the City, Issa Rae’s show and the innovative program as guides for her series, which follows the journey of a social media star Tallulah and close companion who is also aspiring talent manager Sennott’s character. Perhaps, the largest spot on the moodboard went to Entourage, the program about an emerging celebrity navigating in a corrupt entertainment industry (notable statement: “happiness eludes everyone but failures in this city”). She began viewing it during the pandemic, became “captivated”, and resolved 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 notes. The concept for this project emerged—partly—from her own, originally rocky, move to LA and from her saturn return, a popular event for followers. That period marked an era that saw her grasp major life lessons, in her career and individually. “During my younger years, I was chaotic, often breaking down in public,” she recalls. “After relocating to Los Angeles in my mid-twenties, I found stability, only for things to crumble. It was almost like these biblical tests …”
Starting Out
Brought up in Connecticut, the star commenced creating and acting comedy while pursuing performance at a prestigious arts school. “I went through all the proper channels to try to perform, and they weren’t gelling,” she states. “Auditions for university comedy troupes led to universal rejection. “None of the university plays cast me either.” And I just felt like, what am I doing here?”
Sennott decided to act independently, appearing at open mics with Edebiri and uploading uproarious (and decidedly) bizarre online content online. A particular video, Baby Cult, centered on several females intensely obsessed with having babies; another imagined being employed at the brand Hollister as akin to being caught in a thriller. Interestingly, she encountered Emma through NYU’s movie community and eventually appearing in her initial project, titled Shiva Baby, a tense dramedy set at a funeral gathering with echoes of Uncut Gems. The central motif of her journey, she says, has been contemporaries offering opportunities, rather than traditional networks. Does that mean bypassing the usual powers? “Not the gatekeepers”, she repeats, stating amusedly: “They prefer we don’t succeed.”
Career Breakthrough
Anyone who had doubts regarding her previously will likely be feeling foolish now. Through she labels a “incredibly circular” turn of events, she has achieved her dream vehicle. In 2019 she uploaded content titled “it’s LA” on the internet, in which she lampooned Hollywood trailers (“Substance abuse is rampant here”). Six years on, she’s executive producer (with Emma Barrie) of a comedy about LA residents juggling the perks of online celebrity (such as celebrating at a celebrity’s house) with drawbacks (your associate being suspected of being a substance-abusing thief, and perhaps becoming a unreliable pariah). One might easy to make a series about digital influence that was extremely idealized—or, even less favorable, one that belittled at its subjects. I Love LA steers clear of each, resulting in a representation of privileged young adult living that’s frank about the chaos and the appeal.
Balanced Perspective
“Many programs portray youth and online life with disdain and mockery,” 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