The performer enters the online meeting and at once begins an apology. “Apologies for the delay!” she exclaims, appearing genuinely remorseful. Although she's only slightly delayed, she wants to justify. “My phone conversations always run long.” I had two calls before this, and I’m like, I’ve gotta stop talking!” Luckily, for a writer, that’s just what one hopes to experience. Additionally, it’s pretty unsurprising. Those who know her unapologetically queer and unapologetically crass project Bottoms—that she collaborated on with Emma Seligman and appeared in with her friend the talented actress—would understand that she has much to share, whether about gender, relationships, or the appeal of starting a high-school combat group. Furthermore, after watching her recent seasonal HBO series I Love LA, it becomes obvious that the star holds further thoughts about the struggles of modern youth (As a millennial, Sennott is an honorary member of the gang, on the cusp with a knack for bridging different age groups).
Influences and Creative Vision
The comparisons to Lena Dunham’s groundbreaking show can’t be avoided and Sennott readily acknowledges an admirer, referencing it alongside the classic series, the acclaimed comedy and the innovative program as influences for I Love LA, which details the struggles of an influencer played by Odessa A’Zion and ally and aspiring representative Maia. Notably, the biggest influence on concept went to the popular sitcom, that program depicting an up-and-coming A-list actor navigating in a gritty LA scene (notable statement: “nobody’s happy in this town except for the losers”). Sennott discovered it during lockdown, became “hooked”, and resolved to create a new version on it “targeting women and LGBTQ+ viewers”.
“I wanted to make a show where the internet, not Hollywood, was the industry, because my career started online,” she says. The idea for I Love LA originated—in part—from personal, initially rocky, transition to Tinseltown and from the astrological phase, a frequently discussed occurrence for followers. It was a time that included her understand major life lessons, professionally 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. It was almost like these biblical tests …”
Humble Origins
Growing up in Connecticut, the star started creating and acting humor while pursuing performance at New York University (NYU) Tisch School of the Arts. “I followed traditional paths to get on stage, but nothing clicked,” she explains. “I tried out for all the NYU comedy groups, and got rejected from all of them. “None of the university plays cast me either.” And I just felt like, what am I doing here?”
Sennott took matters into her own hands, appearing at amateur nights with Ayo and uploading hilarious (and decidedly) unconventional comedy videos on the internet. A particular video, Baby Cult, followed several females fetishistically drawn to pregnancy; a different one envisioned working at the brand Hollister as akin to being caught in a scary movie. Interestingly, she met Emma through the university’s film scene and eventually starring in her first film, Shiva Baby, a tense comedy set at a Jewish wake with echoes of the Safdie brothers’ movie. A recurring idea of her path, she explains, has been people her own age supporting her, instead of established gatekeepers. Does that mean bypassing the usual powers? “They were not involved”, she confirms, stating with a laugh: “They prefer we don’t succeed.”
Rising Success
Individuals who questioned regarding her then will likely be feeling foolish now. As part of she labels a “incredibly circular” story, she appears to achieved the perfect project. A few years back she uploaded content named about Los Angeles online, in which she mocked film promos (“I’m addicted to drugs – we all are”). Now, she’s the co-showrunner (with Emma Barrie) of a show about city dwellers managing benefits of digital stardom (such as partying at a famous actor’s house) with drawbacks (your client being accused of being a drug-addled stealer, and perhaps becoming a unreliable pariah). It would be easy to create a series about digital influence that was extremely glamorous—or, more problematic, one that belittled at those depicted. The series avoids both, resulting in a depiction of advantaged twentysomething existence that’s candid about the grot and the shine.
Balanced Perspective
“Numerous series present younger generations and digital culture in a derogatory manner,” 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
