The star enters the digital interview and at once begins an excuse. “Oh my God – I’m sorry!” she says, appearing genuinely remorseful. She is only a bit delayed, she feels compelled to clarify. “I tend to talk too much during calls. “Earlier calls made me late—I just can’t stop chatting!” Luckily, during an interview, this is exactly what one hopes to hear. Besides, it’s fairly predictable. Those familiar with the unapologetically queer and unapologetically crass film titled Bottoms—which she co-wrote with the director and appeared in with collaborator the talented actress—will understand that Sennott possesses plenty to share, be it about roles, relationships, or the pros of forming a high-school brawl society. Furthermore, by the end the latest eight-part show I Love LA, it is clear that the star holds additional insights about the darker side of Gen Z life (As a millennial, Sennott is a relatable figure of the gang, a tale-end millennial skilled for straddling different age groups).
Influences and Storytelling Approach
Likenesses to the iconic series Girls can’t be avoided and Sennott admits to being enthusiastic, referencing the show alongside Sex and the City, Issa Rae’s show and Atlanta as influences for I Love LA, which tracks the journey of an influencer Tallulah and close companion and new talent manager Maia. However, the most significant presence on creative vision belonged to the popular sitcom, that HBO sitcom focusing on an emerging Hollywood star making his way in a corrupt LA scene (choice quote: “happiness eludes everyone but failures in this city”). Sennott discovered it amid COVID-19, became “captivated”, and resolved to create a new version on it “with female and queer audiences in mind”.
“My aim was to focus on digital fame over traditional entertainment, as my own beginnings were on the web,” she notes. The concept for this project originated—in part—from her own, originally difficult, transition to Los Angeles and from the astrological phase, a much-talked-about occurrence for enthusiasts. That period marked a time that saw her understand some big life lessons, work-wise and in private life. “My twenties began with constant public emotional outbursts and disorganization,” she recalls. “In my mid-20s, I moved to LA and got settled. And then I felt like everything started to just fall apart. “The struggles felt almost mythic in scale…”
Starting Out
Raised in Connecticut, the star commenced writing and performing stand-up while enrolled in theatre at a prestigious arts school. “I went through all the proper channels to try to perform, and they weren’t gelling,” she states. “Every campus humor group turned me down after tryouts.” “Theatre productions at school also didn’t accept me. And I just felt like, what am I doing here?”
She took matters into her own hands, performing at open mics with her friend and sharing hysterical (and distinctly) unconventional comedy videos on the internet. A particular video, Baby Cult, depicted several females obsessively drawn to motherhood; another envisioned working at a trendy retail outlet as similar to being caught in a horror film. In a neat twist of fate, she connected with Seligman through NYU’s movie community and ultimately appearing in her initial project, Shiva Baby, a tense comedy set at a religious event with echoes of Uncut Gems. The big theme of her journey, she notes, has been contemporaries offering opportunities, rather than the industry at large. So, not the gatekeepers, then? “They were not involved”, she repeats, adding humorously: “They don’t want us to win.”
Manifesting Dreams
Individuals who were skeptical regarding Sennott earlier will surely be regretting it currently. As part of she calls a “astonishingly complete” story, she appears to created her dream vehicle. In 2019 she posted a video called “it’s LA” online, in which she lampooned movie previews (“Substance abuse is rampant here”). Now, she’s the co-showrunner (with her partner) of a comedy about LA residents managing the perks of internet fame (such as socializing at a famous actor’s house) with downsides (your associate being accused of being a intoxicated criminal, and possibly becoming a unreliable pariah). It would be tempting to produce a show about digital influence that was extremely idealized—or, more problematic, one that belittled at those depicted. This show steers clear of each, resulting in a representation of privileged millennial life that’s candid about the grot and the glamour.
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
