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Rachel Sennott joins the digital interview and immediately starts an excuse. “Oh my God – I’m sorry!” she states, seeming genuinely regretful. She is only slightly late, she feels compelled to justify. “I have such a problem, because I’m a yapper on the phone. I had two calls before this, and I’m like, I’ve gotta stop talking!” Luckily, in this context, that’s exactly what is ideal to hear. Additionally, it’s fairly expected. Viewers who have seen the boldly LGBTQ+ and outspoken project titled Bottoms—which she co-wrote with Emma Seligman and starred in with close companion the talented actress—would already know that Sennott holds much to share, whether on gender, sex, or the appeal of starting a high-school brawl society. Furthermore, after watching the latest eight-part show I Love LA, viewers realize that she has further perspectives on the challenges of young adulthood (Now in her thirties, she serves as a bridge of the gang, on the cusp skilled for bridging both generations).

Inspirations and Storytelling Approach

The comparisons to Lena Dunham’s Girls are inevitable and Sennott readily acknowledges a fan, citing it in addition to the classic series, Insecure and Donald Glover’s series as inspirations for I Love LA, which follows the struggles of online personality played by Odessa A’Zion and ally and fledgling agent Sennott’s character. Notably, the biggest spot on creative vision went to Entourage, that program focusing on a rising Hollywood star making his way in a gritty Hollywood (memorable line: “happiness eludes everyone but failures in this city”). Sennott began viewing it throughout COVID-19, became “hooked”, and resolved to add a fresh perspective on it “for the girls and the gays”.

“I wanted to make a show where the internet, not Hollywood, was the industry, because my career started online,” she says. The inspiration for I Love LA emerged—in part—from firsthand, initially rocky, move to Tinseltown and from the cosmic event, a popular occurrence for enthusiasts. This represented a time that saw her grasp some big insights, professionally and individually. “In my early 20s I was so messy, crying in public everywhere, all the time,” she admits. “In my mid-20s, I moved to LA and got settled. And then I felt like everything started to just fall apart. “The struggles felt almost mythic in scale…”

Early Beginnings

Brought up in New England, the star started writing and performing humor while studying 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. “I tried out for all the NYU comedy groups, and got rejected from all of them. I tried out for all the NYU plays and didn’t make it into any of them. “It left me questioning my purpose and place.”

Sennott seized control, performing at open mics with her friend and posting hilarious (and distinctly) unconventional comedy videos digitally. A particular video, titled Baby Cult, followed characters intensely fixated on having babies; a different one envisioned working at the preppy clothing store Hollister as like being caught in a scary movie. In a neat twist of fate, she connected with Seligman through campus film circles and ultimately appearing in her first film, Shiva Baby, an anxious dramedy set at a funeral gathering with hints of the intense thriller. The big theme of her career, she says, has been peers giving her a shot, as opposed to established gatekeepers. So the old guard wasn’t helpful? “Definitely not them”, she confirms, adding humorously: “They prefer we don’t succeed.”

Rising Success

Individuals who had doubts regarding Sennott earlier will certainly be feeling foolish today. Through she labels a “astonishingly complete” development, she appears to created her dream vehicle. A few years back she shared a video named “it’s LA” online, in which she lampooned Hollywood trailers (“Everyone’s hooked on something”). Now, she’s a lead creator (with the co-writer) of a show about LA residents juggling advantages of online celebrity (such as partying at Elijah Wood’s house) with drawbacks (your associate being suspected of being a drug-addled stealer, and potentially becoming a risky persona non grata). Some could tempting to produce a series about digital influence that was horribly aspirational—or, more problematic, one that mocked at the characters. I Love LA steers clear of each, creating a representation of affluent twentysomething living that’s frank about the grot and the shine.

Nuanced Portrayal

“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