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Rachel Sennott joins the video call and immediately starts an excuse. “Apologies for the delay!” she exclaims, appearing genuinely remorseful. Although she's only a bit late, she needs to clarify. “I tend to talk too much during calls. “Previous discussions went over, and I realized I talk too much!” Fortunately, for a writer, this is exactly what is ideal to experience. Additionally, it’s pretty predictable. Those who know her fearlessly openly gay and unapologetically crass film Bottoms—which she penned with her creative partner and starred in alongside collaborator the talented actress—can understand that Sennott possesses a lot to discuss, whether about identity, intimacy, or the pros of forming a youth fight club. And, once you finish her new multi-episode HBO series titled I Love LA, it is clear that she carries further perspectives regarding the darker side of modern youth (Now in her thirties, Sennott represents a relatable figure to younger audiences, on the cusp with a knack for connecting different age groups).

Influences and Artistic Direction

Likenesses to Lena Dunham’s groundbreaking show can’t be avoided and the actress admits to being a fan, referencing it in addition to the classic series, Issa Rae’s show and the innovative program as influences for her series, which follows the struggles of a social media star played by Odessa A’Zion and her friend and fledgling representative Sennott’s character. Notably, the largest influence on concept went to the HBO series, that HBO sitcom depicting an up-and-coming celebrity navigating in a corrupt LA scene (notable statement: “happiness eludes everyone but failures in this city”). Sennott discovered it during COVID-19, became “obsessed”, and chose to put her own twist 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 explains. The inspiration for this project emerged—partly—from her own, originally difficult, move to Tinseltown and from the astrological phase, a popular phenomenon for enthusiasts. This represented a phase that saw her understand some big life lessons, work-wise and individually. “In my early 20s I was so messy, crying in public everywhere, all the time,” she says. “Settling in LA during my mid-twenties brought calm, but soon everything unraveled.” “It resembled a series of extreme challenges…”

Starting Out

Raised in the East Coast, Sennott started creating and acting comedy while enrolled in performance at a prestigious arts school. “Despite trying every conventional route, I couldn’t find my footing,” she says. “Auditions for university comedy troupes led to universal rejection. “Theatre productions at school also didn’t accept me. And I just felt like, what am I doing here?”

Sennott decided to act independently, appearing at open mics with Ayo and sharing hilarious (and distinctly) weird comedy videos on the internet. One, titled Baby Cult, followed characters intensely drawn to motherhood; another envisioned working at the brand Hollister as akin to being trapped in a scary movie. By chance, she met Emma through NYU’s movie community and ultimately starring in her directorial debut, titled Shiva Baby, a tense dramedy set at a religious event with hints of the intense thriller. A recurring idea of her path, she explains, has been contemporaries giving her a shot, rather than the industry at large. So the old guard wasn’t helpful? “They were not involved”, she emphasizes, stating amusedly: “They don’t want us to win.”

Manifesting Dreams

Anyone who questioned about Sennott previously will likely be feeling foolish currently. As part of she describes as a “wild, full-circle” turn of events, she appears to created the perfect project. Previously she uploaded a video called on LA life online, in which she lampooned movie previews (“Everyone’s hooked on something”). Now, she’s a lead creator (with Emma Barrie) of a series about LA residents juggling benefits of online celebrity (such as socializing at Elijah Wood’s house) with downsides (your friend being labeled as being a drug-addled stealer, and potentially becoming a “brand unsafe” persona non grata). One might easy to make a show about digital influence that was overly glamorous—or, worse, one that mocked at the characters. I Love LA does neither, creating a portrait of affluent young adult existence that’s candid about the grot and the appeal.

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