Rachel Sennott discussing her hilarious series depicting that chaotic appeal of Gen Z life
The star appears on the video call and immediately begins an apology. “Oh my God – I’m sorry!” she exclaims, appearing really apologetic. Despite being only a bit behind, she needs to explain. “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!” Thankfully, for a writer, that’s exactly what one hopes to encounter. Besides, it’s pretty unsurprising. Those familiar with the boldly openly gay and outspoken film Bottoms—which Sennott co-wrote with her creative partner and featured in with close companion the talented actress—would understand that Sennott has a lot to share, ranging from on roles, relationships, or the merits of forming a high-school fight club. Furthermore, by the end her new eight-part show titled I Love LA, viewers realize that the star holds even more insights on the challenges of modern youth (As a millennial, she serves as a bridge to younger audiences, straddling eras adept for connecting millennials and Gen Z).
Influences and Artistic Direction
Likenesses to the iconic series Girls can’t be avoided and the actress is an admirer, citing it in addition to the classic series, Issa Rae’s show and Atlanta as influences for I Love LA, which follows the travails of online personality played by Odessa A’Zion and close companion and aspiring talent manager Sennott’s character. Notably, the largest influence on the moodboard was reserved for Entourage, that program depicting a rising Hollywood star succeeding in a gritty entertainment industry (memorable line: “only the unsuccessful find joy here”). Sennott began viewing it throughout COVID-19, became “captivated”, and decided to put her own twist on it “targeting women and LGBTQ+ viewers”.
“My aim was to focus on digital fame over traditional entertainment, as my own beginnings were on the web,” she says. The concept for the series came—to some extent—from personal, initially fractious, relocation to Tinseltown and from her astrological phase, a much-talked-about occurrence for enthusiasts. This represented a time that included her understand significant insights, work-wise and personally. “My twenties began with constant public emotional outbursts and disorganization,” she recalls. “Settling in LA during my mid-twenties brought calm, but soon everything unraveled.” “The struggles felt almost mythic in scale…”
Early Beginnings
Growing up in New England, Sennott started developing and showcasing stand-up while studying acting at NYU’s Tisch. “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. 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.”
She took matters into her own hands, taking the stage at live shows with her friend and sharing hysterical (and very) weird skits digitally. One, titled Baby Cult, followed characters intensely drawn to having babies; a different one imagined working at the preppy clothing store Hollister as like being stuck in a horror film. In a neat twist of fate, she connected with Emma through campus film circles and eventually appearing in her directorial debut, titled Shiva Baby, an anxious dramedy set at a Jewish wake with hints of the Safdie brothers’ movie. The big theme of her journey, she explains, has been peers supporting her, rather than the industry at large. Does that mean bypassing the usual powers? “Not the gatekeepers”, she emphasizes, stating amusedly: “They prefer we don’t succeed.”
Rising Success
Those who were skeptical regarding Sennott then will surely be regretting it now. In what she calls a “astonishingly complete” turn of events, she seems to have achieved the perfect project. Previously she uploaded a clip named “it’s LA” online, in which she lampooned Hollywood trailers (“Everyone’s hooked on something”). Years later, she’s executive producer (with the co-writer) of a series about Angelenos juggling advantages of digital stardom (such as celebrating at Elijah Wood’s house) with drawbacks (your friend being labeled as being a substance-abusing stealer, and perhaps becoming a unreliable outcast). It would be simple to make a show about digital influence that was horribly idealized—or, even less favorable, one that mocked at its subjects. I Love LA steers clear of each, making for a portrait of privileged millennial living that’s candid about the grot and the glamour.
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