The star appears on the digital interview and immediately launches into an explanation. “I can’t believe I’m late!” she states, appearing genuinely regretful. She is only a couple of minutes behind, she feels compelled to explain. “I tend to talk too much during calls. I had two calls before this, and I’m like, I’ve gotta stop talking!” Thankfully, for a writer, this is just what is ideal to hear. Additionally, it’s pretty predictable. Viewers familiar with the fearlessly openly gay and brash film Bottoms—which Sennott co-wrote with her creative partner and starred in alongside collaborator the talented actress—can already know that Sennott holds a lot to share, ranging from on identity, intimacy, or the pros of forming a teen combat group. Plus, by the end her latest seasonal show I Love LA, it is clear that she has further perspectives about the struggles of young adulthood (At 30, she represents an honorary member to younger audiences, straddling eras with a knack for straddling both generations).
Inspirations and Artistic Direction
The comparisons to Lena Dunham’s groundbreaking show can’t be avoided and Sennott admits to being a fan, referencing it in addition to the classic series, the acclaimed comedy and the innovative program as inspirations for the project, which tracks the travails of a social media star Tallulah and ally and fledgling talent manager Maia. Notably, the largest spot on concept belonged to Entourage, that show depicting a rising celebrity navigating in a gritty Hollywood (notable statement: “nobody’s happy in this town except for the losers”). Sennott discovered it during lockdown, became “obsessed”, and chose to add a fresh perspective on it “with female and queer audiences in mind”.
“I sought to highlight online platforms as the new industry, since my professional journey launched there,” she explains. The inspiration for I Love LA originated—in part—from firsthand, originally fractious, transition to Los Angeles and from the astrological phase, a frequently discussed phenomenon for enthusiasts. It was an era that saw her learn some big insights, professionally and individually. “My twenties began with constant public emotional outbursts and disorganization,” she admits. “Settling in LA during my mid-twenties brought calm, but soon everything unraveled.” “The struggles felt almost mythic in scale…”
Starting Out
Growing up in New England, the star began writing and performing humor while studying performance at New York University (NYU) Tisch School of the Arts. “I followed traditional paths to get on stage, but nothing clicked,” she says. “I tried out for all the NYU comedy groups, and got rejected from all of them. “Theatre productions at school also didn’t accept me. “I wondered why I was even there at all.”
Sennott seized control, appearing at open mics with Edebiri and posting hilarious (and decidedly) bizarre online content digitally. A particular video, Baby Cult, depicted several females intensely obsessed with having babies; another envisioned working at the brand Hollister as akin to being trapped in a horror film. By chance, she met Seligman through NYU’s movie community and eventually starring in her first film, titled Shiva Baby, an anxious comedy set at a religious event with hints of the Safdie brothers’ movie. The central motif of her path, she notes, has been people her own age giving her a shot, instead of the industry at large. Does that mean bypassing the usual powers? “Definitely not them”, she repeats, adding humorously: “They don’t want us to win.”
Career Breakthrough
Those who questioned regarding her then will certainly be regretting it today. In what she calls a “astonishingly complete” development, she has manifested an ideal role. A few years back she uploaded a video named “it’s LA” on the internet, in which she lampooned movie previews (“I’m addicted to drugs – we all are”). Now, she’s a lead creator (with her partner) of a comedy about LA residents juggling advantages of internet fame (such as socializing at a famous actor’s house) with drawbacks (your friend being labeled as being a drug-addled criminal, and perhaps becoming a unreliable persona non grata). It would be tempting to make a series about internet celebrity that was horribly glamorous—or, worse, one that belittled at its subjects. The series avoids both, resulting in a portrait of privileged young adult life that’s candid about the mess and the glamour.
Balanced Perspective
“Numerous series present younger generations and digital culture in a derogatory manner,” 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
