The actress and writer on the uproarious series about that grotty appeal of today's youth existence
The star enters the video call and immediately launches into an explanation. “Apologies for the delay!” she exclaims, appearing genuinely remorseful. Despite being only a bit behind, she needs to explain. “I tend to talk too much during calls. “Previous discussions went over, and I realized I talk too much!” Thankfully, in this context, that’s exactly what you want to experience. Besides, it’s pretty predictable. Anyone who have seen her fearlessly openly gay and unapologetically crass movie Bottoms—that she co-wrote with Emma Seligman and featured in alongside collaborator The Bear’s standout—can already know that she possesses much to share, whether on identity, intimacy, or the merits of forming a high-school brawl society. Furthermore, by the end the new seasonal show I Love LA, it is clear that she has even more thoughts about the struggles of Gen Z life (As a millennial, Sennott represents a relatable figure for this generation, on the cusp skilled for connecting millennials and Gen Z).
Influences and Storytelling Approach
Likenesses to Lena Dunham’s Girls can’t be avoided and Sennott admits to being a fan, referencing the show in addition to the classic series, the acclaimed comedy and the innovative program as influences for I Love LA, which tracks the journey of online personality Tallulah and ally who is also new talent manager Maia. However, the most significant influence on creative vision belonged to the popular sitcom, the show depicting an up-and-coming A-list actor making his way in a gritty Hollywood (notable statement: “nobody’s happy in this town except for the losers”). Sennott discovered it during COVID-19, became “hooked”, and resolved to create a new version on it “targeting women and LGBTQ+ viewers”.
“I wanted to make a show where the internet, not Hollywood, was the industry, because my career started online,” she explains. The concept for this project came—partly—from her own, initially rocky, transition to Tinseltown and from the saturn return, a popular occurrence for astrology heads. It was an era that saw her understand major insights, work-wise and individually. “My twenties began with constant public emotional outbursts and disorganization,” she says. “After relocating to Los Angeles in my mid-twenties, I found stability, only for things to crumble. It was almost like these biblical tests …”
Humble Origins
Raised in Connecticut, Sennott began writing and performing comedy while pursuing acting at New York University (NYU) Tisch School of the Arts. “Despite trying every conventional route, I couldn’t find my footing,” she explains. “I tried out for all the NYU comedy groups, and got rejected from all of them. “Theatre productions at school also didn’t accept me. “I wondered why I was even there at all.”
She decided to act independently, appearing at amateur nights with Edebiri and sharing hysterical (and very) weird online content digitally. A particular video, titled Baby Cult, depicted a group of women intensely fixated on motherhood; a different one portrayed being employed at the preppy clothing store Hollister as akin to being stuck in a scary movie. By chance, she met Seligman through campus film circles and ended up featuring in her first film, Shiva Baby, a stressful film set at a funeral gathering with hints of the intense thriller. A recurring idea of her path, she explains, has been people her own age giving her a shot, as opposed to the industry at large. So, not the gatekeepers, then? “They were not involved”, she repeats, adding amusedly: “They prefer we don’t succeed.”
Manifesting Dreams
Anyone who questioned regarding Sennott earlier will likely be regretting it today. Through she labels a “wild, full-circle” story, she appears to manifested an ideal role. Previously she posted a video titled on LA life on the internet, in which she mocked Hollywood trailers (“Everyone’s hooked on something”). Years later, she’s the co-showrunner (with Emma Barrie) of a comedy about LA residents managing advantages of online celebrity (such as celebrating at a famous actor’s house) with its pitfalls (your friend being suspected of being a substance-abusing criminal, and potentially becoming a “brand unsafe” pariah). One might tempting to create a show about internet celebrity that was overly glamorous—or, worse, one that punched down at the characters. The series avoids both, making for a representation of privileged young adult living that’s frank about the chaos and the appeal.
Nuanced Portrayal
“There have been a lot of shows that depict young people and their relationship to the internet in this very condescending, hateful way,” 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
