The performer joins the digital interview and immediately starts an excuse. “Oh my God – I’m sorry!” she states, sounding genuinely apologetic. Despite being only slightly delayed, she feels compelled to clarify. “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, during an interview, that’s just what is ideal to hear. Moreover, it’s pretty unsurprising. Those who know her boldly LGBTQ+ and unapologetically crass project titled Bottoms—that Sennott collaborated on with Emma Seligman and featured in with collaborator the talented actress—would be aware that Sennott holds plenty to say, whether about roles, relationships, or the pros of forming a teen brawl society. And, after watching the new eight-part HBO series I Love LA, it becomes obvious that she holds additional perspectives on the struggles of modern youth (Now in her thirties, Sennott is an honorary member for this generation, on the cusp with a knack for connecting both generations).
Inspirations and Artistic Direction
Parallels to the iconic series Girls are inevitable and Sennott readily acknowledges an admirer, naming it together with the HBO hit, Issa Rae’s show and Donald Glover’s series as guides for I Love LA, which details the struggles of an influencer Tallulah and her friend who is also aspiring agent Sennott’s character. Perhaps, the most significant spot on concept belonged to Entourage, that show depicting an up-and-coming celebrity succeeding in a corrupt Hollywood (choice quote: “nobody’s happy in this town except for the losers”). She started watching it throughout COVID-19, became “captivated”, and decided to add a fresh perspective 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 idea for I Love LA emerged—to some extent—from her own, initially difficult, relocation to Los Angeles and from the saturn return, a popular occurrence for enthusiasts. It was an era that included her grasp significant truths, professionally and in private life. “During my younger years, I was chaotic, often breaking down in public,” she says. “Settling in LA during my mid-twenties brought calm, but soon everything unraveled.” “The struggles felt almost mythic in scale…”
Humble Origins
Raised in New England, the star commenced developing and showcasing comedy while pursuing acting at New York University (NYU) Tisch School of the Arts. “Despite trying every conventional route, I couldn’t find my footing,” she says. “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?”
Sennott took matters into her own hands, taking the stage at live shows with Edebiri and posting uproarious (and distinctly) weird skits on the internet. A particular video, Baby Cult, centered on characters obsessively fixated on motherhood; a different one imagined working at the brand Hollister as like being stuck in a thriller. By chance, she encountered Emma through NYU’s movie community and ended up starring in her initial project, Shiva Baby, an anxious dramedy set at a Jewish wake with hints of Uncut Gems. The big theme of her journey, she says, has been contemporaries offering opportunities, as opposed to established gatekeepers. So, not the gatekeepers, then? “Definitely not them”, she confirms, adding humorously: “Our victory isn’t their goal.”
Rising Success
Individuals who questioned about her then will likely be kicking themselves now. Through she calls a “incredibly circular” story, she has achieved the perfect project. A few years back she posted content titled on LA life on social media, in which she parodied Hollywood trailers (“I’m addicted to drugs – we all are”). Six years on, she’s a lead creator (with Emma Barrie) of a show about city dwellers managing advantages of internet fame (such as celebrating at a famous actor’s house) with downsides (your client being labeled as being a substance-abusing thief, and potentially becoming a “brand unsafe” persona non grata). Some could easy to make a show about online fame that was horribly glamorous—or, worse, one that punched down at its subjects. I Love LA avoids both, creating a depiction of affluent twentysomething living that’s honest about the mess and the appeal.
Balanced Perspective
“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
