The star appears on the online meeting and right away starts an apology. “I can’t believe I’m late!” she says, sounding really remorseful. Although she's 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, in this context, this is precisely what one hopes to experience. Additionally, it’s pretty unsurprising. Viewers who know the boldly queer and unapologetically crass project titled Bottoms—which she penned with her creative partner and starred in alongside her friend the talented actress—will understand that Sennott possesses plenty to discuss, whether about identity, intimacy, or the merits of forming a youth combat group. Plus, after watching her new seasonal show titled I Love LA, viewers realize that the star carries further perspectives about the darker side of young adulthood (As a millennial, Sennott serves as a bridge for this generation, a tale-end millennial adept for connecting millennials and Gen Z).
Influences and Artistic Direction
Parallels to Lena Dunham’s groundbreaking show are inevitable and Sennott admits to being an admirer, referencing the show together with the classic series, Insecure and Donald Glover’s series as guides for I Love LA, which tracks the struggles of an influencer Tallulah and ally who is also new representative Maia. Notably, the most significant influence on the moodboard was reserved for the HBO series, the show depicting a rising A-list actor making his way in a gritty LA scene (choice quote: “nobody’s happy in this town except for the losers”). Sennott started watching it during lockdown, became “hooked”, and chose to add a fresh perspective on it “targeting women and LGBTQ+ viewers”.
“I sought to highlight online platforms as the new industry, since my professional journey launched there,” she explains. The idea for I Love LA came—in part—from her own, at first difficult, relocation to Tinseltown and from the astrological phase, a frequently discussed phenomenon for astrology heads. That period marked a time that involved her learn significant life lessons, work-wise and individually. “My twenties began with constant public emotional outbursts and disorganization,” she admits. “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
Raised in the East Coast, Sennott commenced creating and acting stand-up while enrolled in acting at a prestigious arts school. “Despite trying every conventional route, I couldn’t find my footing,” she says. “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?”
Sennott seized control, appearing at open mics with her friend and posting hilarious (and very) bizarre comedy videos online. One, Baby Cult, followed several females intensely fixated on having babies; another imagined working at the preppy clothing store Hollister as like being trapped in a horror film. Interestingly, she connected with Emma through campus film circles and ended up starring in her directorial debut, Shiva Baby, an anxious film set at a funeral gathering with shades of the Safdie brothers’ movie. The big theme of her path, she explains, has been peers giving her a shot, as opposed to the industry at large. So, not the gatekeepers, then? “They were not involved”, she confirms, stating with a laugh: “Our victory isn’t their goal.”
Rising Success
Those who had doubts regarding Sennott earlier will certainly be regretting it currently. In what she describes as a “incredibly circular” development, she seems to have manifested her dream vehicle. In 2019 she shared a video 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 executive producer (with the co-writer) of a show about city dwellers balancing the perks of digital stardom (such as celebrating at a famous actor’s house) with downsides (your friend being accused of being a drug-addled thief, and possibly becoming a “brand unsafe” outcast). It would be easy to produce a show about online fame that was overly aspirational—or, more problematic, one that belittled at those depicted. The series does neither, making for a depiction of affluent millennial life that’s candid about the grot and the appeal.
Nuanced Portrayal
“There have been a lot of shows that depict young people and their relationship to the internet in this very condescending, hateful way,” she says. “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
