The star joins the digital interview and immediately launches into an explanation. “Apologies for the delay!” she exclaims, appearing truly apologetic. Although she's only a bit behind, she needs to clarify. “I tend to talk too much during calls. I had two calls before this, and I’m like, I’ve gotta stop talking!” Luckily, for a writer, that’s just what is ideal to hear. Moreover, it’s pretty predictable. Those who have seen the fearlessly openly gay and outspoken film Bottoms—which she collaborated on with Emma Seligman and appeared in alongside collaborator the talented actress—would already know that Sennott holds plenty to share, whether on roles, sex, or the merits of starting a teen fight club. Furthermore, once you finish the latest eight-part HBO series titled I Love LA, it becomes obvious that she carries even more perspectives regarding the challenges of Gen Z life (Now in her thirties, Sennott serves as a relatable figure for this generation, on the cusp with a knack for straddling millennials and Gen Z).
Inspirations and Storytelling Approach
Likenesses to Lena Dunham’s groundbreaking show are inevitable and Sennott readily acknowledges an admirer, referencing the show alongside Sex and the City, the acclaimed comedy and the innovative program as guides for the project, which details the struggles of an influencer Tallulah and her friend who is also fledgling representative Sennott’s character. However, the largest influence on the moodboard went to the popular sitcom, that program about an up-and-coming celebrity making his way in an often-seedy entertainment industry (notable statement: “happiness eludes everyone but failures in this city”). She began viewing it during lockdown, became “hooked”, and resolved to add a fresh perspective on it “with female and queer audiences in mind”.
“I wanted to make a show where the internet, not Hollywood, was the industry, because my career started online,” she notes. The inspiration for the series came—in part—from personal, initially fractious, transition to LA and from her cosmic event, a popular phenomenon for astrology heads. It was a time that saw her understand some big truths, 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.” “It resembled a series of extreme challenges…”
Starting Out
Raised in the East Coast, Sennott began writing and performing comedy while pursuing acting at NYU’s Tisch. “I went through all the proper channels to try to perform, and they weren’t gelling,” she states. “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, performing at amateur nights with Edebiri and uploading hysterical (and very) bizarre comedy videos on the internet. A particular video, Baby Cult, followed several females fetishistically fixated on having babies; another imagined working at the brand Hollister as similar to being trapped in a horror film. In a neat twist of fate, she encountered Seligman through NYU’s movie community and ultimately appearing in her first film, Shiva Baby, an anxious dramedy set at a Jewish wake with echoes of the intense thriller. The central motif of her journey, she says, has been contemporaries giving her a shot, as opposed to established gatekeepers. Does that mean bypassing the usual powers? “They were not involved”, she confirms, adding with a laugh: “They prefer we don’t succeed.”
Rising Success
Individuals who questioned regarding Sennott then will likely be regretting it today. As part of she calls a “astonishingly complete” story, she appears to manifested an ideal role. Previously she posted a clip called on LA life on social media, in which she mocked movie previews (“Everyone’s hooked on something”). Years later, she’s executive producer (with Emma Barrie) of a series about Angelenos juggling benefits of internet fame (such as partying at a celebrity’s house) with its pitfalls (your friend being labeled as being a intoxicated stealer, and possibly becoming a unreliable persona non grata). It would be simple to create a show about internet celebrity that was overly idealized—or, worse, one that belittled at its subjects. I Love LA avoids both, resulting in a portrait of privileged young adult living that’s candid about the mess and the glamour.
Balanced Perspective
“Many programs portray youth and online life with disdain and mockery,” 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
