The actress and writer discussing her side-splitting show about the chaotic appeal of younger generation lifestyle
The star joins the digital interview and right away begins an apology. “Apologies for the delay!” she exclaims, seeming truly apologetic. She is only a bit late, 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!” Fortunately, for a writer, this is exactly what one hopes to experience. Besides, it’s quite expected. Anyone who know her unapologetically openly gay and outspoken project titled Bottoms—which Sennott collaborated on with Emma Seligman and appeared in alongside collaborator The Bear’s standout—would understand that she possesses plenty to discuss, whether about roles, relationships, or the pros of creating a high-school brawl society. Plus, after watching the recent multi-episode show I Love LA, viewers realize that the star has further insights on the darker side of young adulthood (At 30, Sennott serves as a relatable figure to younger audiences, a tale-end millennial with a knack for connecting millennials and Gen Z).
Guiding Lights and Artistic Direction
Likenesses to the iconic series Girls are inevitable and Sennott admits to being enthusiastic, naming the show alongside Sex and the City, the acclaimed comedy and Atlanta as guides for her series, which tracks the travails of online personality played by Odessa A’Zion and ally who is also fledgling agent Maia. Notably, the largest spot on concept went to Entourage, that HBO sitcom focusing on a rising Hollywood star navigating in a gritty LA scene (notable statement: “nobody’s happy in this town except for the losers”). Sennott discovered it throughout lockdown, became “obsessed”, 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 notes. The inspiration for I Love LA came—to some extent—from personal, at first difficult, transition to Los Angeles and from the astrological phase, a popular event for followers. That period marked a phase that saw her grasp significant truths, in her career and personally. “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 was almost like these biblical tests …”
Humble Origins
Raised in New England, Sennott commenced developing and showcasing comedy while pursuing performance at NYU’s Tisch. “I went through all the proper channels to try to perform, and they weren’t gelling,” she explains. “I tried out for all the NYU comedy groups, and got rejected from all of them. “Theatre productions at school also didn’t accept me. And I just felt like, what am I doing here?”
She decided to act independently, performing at amateur nights with Ayo and uploading hilarious (and decidedly) weird comedy videos online. A particular video, titled Baby Cult, centered on several females obsessively obsessed with having babies; another imagined being employed at a trendy retail outlet as akin to being caught in a thriller. In a neat twist of fate, she encountered Emma through the university’s film scene and ended up appearing in her first film, titled Shiva Baby, a tense comedy set at a funeral gathering with shades of the intense thriller. The central motif of her career, she notes, has been peers offering opportunities, instead of established gatekeepers. Does that mean bypassing the usual powers? “Definitely not them”, she emphasizes, stating amusedly: “They don’t want us to win.”
Career Breakthrough
Those who had doubts regarding her previously will surely be regretting it now. As part of she calls a “wild, full-circle” story, she appears to created an ideal role. In 2019 she shared a video called “it’s LA” on social media, in which she mocked Hollywood trailers (“I’m addicted to drugs – we all are”). Now, she’s a lead creator (with the co-writer) of a series about city dwellers juggling advantages of online celebrity (such as celebrating at a celebrity’s house) with drawbacks (your client being suspected of being a substance-abusing stealer, and potentially becoming a “brand unsafe” pariah). One might tempting to make a show about online fame that was overly glamorous—or, worse, one that mocked at its subjects. This show steers clear of each, creating a representation of advantaged young adult existence that’s honest about the mess and the shine.
Nuanced Portrayal
“Numerous series present younger generations and digital culture in a derogatory manner,” 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
