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Rachel Sennott appears on the online meeting and immediately begins an apology. “I can’t believe I’m late!” she says, seeming genuinely remorseful. Although she's only a couple of minutes behind, she wants to justify. “I tend to talk too much during calls. “Previous discussions went over, and I realized I talk too much!” Luckily, in this context, this is exactly what is ideal to hear. Moreover, it’s quite predictable. Anyone familiar with the fearlessly queer and outspoken project titled Bottoms—that Sennott co-wrote with Emma Seligman and featured in alongside close companion the talented actress—can already know that she holds plenty to say, ranging from about identity, relationships, or the appeal of creating a youth combat group. Plus, after watching the new eight-part HBO series I Love LA, it becomes obvious that she carries further insights on the darker side of young adulthood (At 30, Sennott is a relatable figure to younger audiences, straddling eras adept for straddling both generations).

Influences and Artistic Direction

The comparisons to Lena Dunham’s groundbreaking show can’t be avoided and the actress readily acknowledges a fan, naming the show together with Sex and the City, the acclaimed comedy and Atlanta as inspirations for her series, which follows the journey of a social media star Tallulah and ally who is also fledgling talent manager portrayed by Sennott. Perhaps, the biggest spot on the moodboard was reserved for Entourage, the program focusing on an up-and-coming celebrity succeeding in an often-seedy Hollywood (choice quote: “nobody’s happy in this town except for the losers”). She discovered it amid COVID-19, became “captivated”, and chose to put her own twist on it “for the girls and the gays”.

“I wanted to make a show where the internet, not Hollywood, was the industry, because my career started online,” she says. The concept for this project emerged—in part—from firsthand, initially fractious, move to Tinseltown and from her cosmic event, a frequently discussed event for enthusiasts. That period marked an era that included her learn major insights, professionally and personally. “In my early 20s I was so messy, crying in public everywhere, all the time,” she admits. “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…”

Early Beginnings

Growing up in the East Coast, the star started writing and performing humor while pursuing performance at a prestigious arts school. “I followed traditional paths to get on stage, but nothing clicked,” she says. “Every campus humor group turned me down after tryouts.” “Theatre productions at school also didn’t accept me. “It left me questioning my purpose and place.”

Sennott seized control, taking the stage at amateur nights with her friend and sharing hilarious (and decidedly) bizarre comedy videos online. A particular video, titled Baby Cult, depicted characters obsessively fixated on motherhood; a different one envisioned working at the brand Hollister as like being trapped in a horror film. In a neat twist of fate, she connected with Emma through campus film circles and ultimately appearing in her directorial debut, titled Shiva Baby, an anxious dramedy set at a funeral gathering with echoes of the Safdie brothers’ movie. The big theme of her journey, she says, has been peers giving her a shot, instead of the industry at large. Does that mean bypassing the usual powers? “They were not involved”, she repeats, continuing humorously: “Our victory isn’t their goal.”

Career Breakthrough

Anyone who questioned regarding Sennott earlier will surely be kicking themselves currently. As part of she calls a “astonishingly complete” story, she has created her dream vehicle. In 2019 she shared a video titled on LA life online, in which she parodied Hollywood trailers (“Substance abuse is rampant here”). Years later, she’s a lead creator (with the co-writer) of a comedy about Angelenos juggling advantages of internet fame (such as partying at a famous actor’s house) with drawbacks (your associate being accused of being a drug-addled stealer, and potentially becoming a unreliable pariah). Some could simple to create a series about internet celebrity that was extremely glamorous—or, worse, one that punched down at those depicted. I Love LA does neither, creating a portrait of affluent young adult existence that’s frank about the grot 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