The actress and writer discussing her uproarious comedy portraying that grotty glamour of younger generation lifestyle
Rachel Sennott enters the online meeting and immediately begins an excuse. “Oh my God – I’m sorry!” she says, seeming truly remorseful. Despite being only a couple of minutes late, she wants to justify. “My phone conversations always run long.” “Previous discussions went over, and I realized I talk too much!” Luckily, for a writer, that’s exactly what you want to experience. Moreover, it’s pretty expected. Anyone who have seen the boldly queer and unapologetically crass movie Bottoms—that Sennott penned with her creative partner and appeared in together with close companion the talented actress—would understand that she has a lot to say, ranging from on roles, relationships, or the appeal of forming a teen fight club. Plus, after watching the recent multi-episode program I Love LA, viewers realize that the star holds further insights regarding the darker side of Gen Z life (Now in her thirties, she is a bridge of the gang, on the cusp skilled for straddling millennials and Gen Z).
Influences and Artistic Direction
The comparisons to Lena Dunham’s groundbreaking show naturally arise and Sennott is an admirer, referencing it in addition to the classic series, the acclaimed comedy and Atlanta as influences for I Love LA, which follows the struggles of online personality played by Odessa A’Zion and ally who is also new talent manager portrayed by Sennott. Perhaps, the largest presence on concept went to the popular sitcom, that show about an up-and-coming Hollywood star succeeding in a gritty entertainment industry (memorable line: “nobody’s happy in this town except for the losers”). She started watching it throughout the pandemic, became “hooked”, and chose to add a fresh perspective 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 says. The concept for the series came—in part—from firsthand, at first difficult, transition to Tinseltown and from her astrological phase, a popular phenomenon for followers. That period marked an era that saw her learn major life lessons, in her career and in private life. “My twenties began with constant public emotional outbursts and disorganization,” she says. “In my mid-20s, I moved to LA and got settled. And then I felt like everything started to just fall apart. “It resembled a series of extreme challenges…”
Early Beginnings
Growing up in Connecticut, the star commenced creating and acting comedy while pursuing performance at NYU’s Tisch. “Despite trying every conventional route, I couldn’t find my footing,” 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. And I just felt like, what am I doing here?”
She seized control, taking the stage at open mics with her friend and sharing hysterical (and very) unconventional comedy videos online. One, titled Baby Cult, followed several females intensely drawn to motherhood; another envisioned working at a trendy retail outlet as similar to being trapped in a scary movie. In a neat twist of fate, she encountered Seligman through campus film circles and ended up appearing in her directorial debut, titled Shiva Baby, a stressful dramedy set at a funeral gathering with hints of the intense thriller. A recurring idea of her journey, she explains, has been people her own age giving her a shot, rather than the industry at large. So, not the gatekeepers, then? “They were not involved”, she confirms, continuing with a laugh: “Our victory isn’t their goal.”
Career Breakthrough
Anyone who had doubts regarding her previously will certainly be kicking themselves today. As part of she calls a “astonishingly complete” turn of events, she appears to manifested the perfect project. A few years back she posted a video called about Los Angeles online, in which she lampooned movie previews (“I’m addicted to drugs – we all are”). Now, she’s executive producer (with Emma Barrie) of a comedy about city dwellers juggling benefits of online celebrity (such as celebrating at Elijah Wood’s house) with its pitfalls (your friend being suspected of being a drug-addled thief, and possibly becoming a unreliable persona non grata). Some could easy to make a program about internet celebrity that was extremely glamorous—or, worse, one that mocked at those depicted. This show avoids both, creating a representation of privileged young adult living that’s honest about the chaos and the glamour.
Empathetic Approach
“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
