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Rachel Sennott appears on the video call and right away begins an apology. “I can’t believe I’m late!” she says, seeming truly apologetic. Although she's only a bit late, she needs to justify. “I tend to talk too much during calls. “Earlier calls made me late—I just can’t stop chatting!” Luckily, in this context, this is precisely what is ideal to encounter. Moreover, it’s pretty predictable. Anyone who know the unapologetically LGBTQ+ and outspoken movie Bottoms—that she penned with her creative partner and featured in together with close companion Ayo Edebiri—would be aware that she has plenty to discuss, ranging from about gender, relationships, or the merits of starting a high-school brawl society. Plus, once you finish the new eight-part HBO series I Love LA, it becomes obvious that the star holds additional thoughts regarding the challenges of Gen Z life (As a millennial, Sennott is a bridge of the gang, straddling eras with a knack for bridging millennials and Gen Z).

Influences and Storytelling Approach

Likenesses to Lena Dunham’s groundbreaking show naturally arise and Sennott readily acknowledges an admirer, citing it in addition to the classic series, Issa Rae’s show and Donald Glover’s series as guides for I Love LA, which tracks the travails of an influencer Tallulah and close companion who is also aspiring talent manager portrayed by Sennott. Notably, the most significant spot on creative vision was reserved for Entourage, that HBO sitcom about an up-and-coming A-list actor making his way in an often-seedy entertainment industry (memorable line: “nobody’s happy in this town except for the losers”). Sennott started watching it during the pandemic, became “hooked”, and decided to put her own twist 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 I Love LA emerged—in part—from firsthand, at first difficult, move to LA and from the saturn return, a much-talked-about occurrence for followers. This represented an era that saw her understand major truths, work-wise and individually. “In my early 20s I was so messy, crying in public everywhere, all the time,” she recalls. “After relocating to Los Angeles in my mid-twenties, I found stability, only for things to crumble. “It resembled a series of extreme challenges…”

Starting Out

Raised in the East Coast, Sennott began developing and showcasing stand-up while enrolled in performance at NYU’s Tisch. “I followed traditional paths to get on stage, but nothing clicked,” she explains. “Every campus humor group turned me down after tryouts.” I tried out for all the NYU plays and didn’t make it into any of them. And I just felt like, what am I doing here?”

Sennott seized control, performing at open mics with Edebiri and sharing hysterical (and distinctly) unconventional comedy videos digitally. A particular video, titled Baby Cult, centered on characters obsessively fixated on motherhood; a different one envisioned being employed at a trendy retail outlet as like being caught in a horror film. In a neat twist of fate, she connected with Emma through the university’s film scene and ultimately starring in her first film, titled Shiva Baby, a tense comedy set at a religious event with echoes of Uncut Gems. A recurring idea of her career, she notes, has been peers offering opportunities, as opposed to established gatekeepers. Does that mean bypassing the usual powers? “Definitely not them”, she repeats, adding humorously: “They prefer we don’t succeed.”

Rising Success

Those who were skeptical regarding Sennott earlier will surely be feeling foolish today. As part of she calls a “incredibly circular” development, she has manifested an ideal role. Previously she uploaded a video titled about Los Angeles on the internet, in which she lampooned Hollywood trailers (“Everyone’s hooked on something”). Six years on, she’s the co-showrunner (with the co-writer) of a comedy about LA residents balancing benefits of internet fame (such as partying at a famous actor’s house) with downsides (your client being accused of being a substance-abusing stealer, and possibly becoming a “brand unsafe” outcast). Some could easy to produce a series about internet celebrity that was overly aspirational—or, more problematic, one that belittled at those depicted. The series does neither, resulting in a depiction of affluent twentysomething living that’s honest about the grot 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