The actress and writer discussing the hilarious series about that messy glamour of today's youth existence
The star joins the online meeting and right away starts an excuse. “I can’t believe I’m late!” she exclaims, sounding genuinely apologetic. She is only a couple of minutes behind, she feels compelled to clarify. “I have such a problem, because I’m a yapper on the phone. “Previous discussions went over, and I realized I talk too much!” Luckily, during an interview, that’s just what one hopes to encounter. Besides, it’s pretty predictable. Viewers who have seen the boldly queer and unapologetically crass project titled Bottoms—which she penned with her creative partner and appeared in together with close companion Ayo Edebiri—can already know that she holds much to discuss, whether on roles, intimacy, or the merits of forming a high-school brawl society. Furthermore, after watching her latest eight-part show I Love LA, it becomes obvious that she has even more insights about the darker side of modern youth (As a millennial, Sennott is a relatable figure of the gang, on the cusp with a knack for bridging different age groups).
Inspirations and Artistic Direction
Parallels to Lena Dunham’s groundbreaking show naturally arise and the actress admits to being a fan, referencing it alongside the classic series, Insecure and Donald Glover’s series as inspirations for I Love LA, which details the journey of an influencer Tallulah and ally who is also fledgling talent manager portrayed by Sennott. Notably, the most significant influence on concept belonged to the popular sitcom, that show depicting an up-and-coming A-list actor making his way in a corrupt Hollywood (memorable line: “only the unsuccessful find joy here”). Sennott began viewing it amid COVID-19, became “obsessed”, and resolved 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 says. The idea for the series emerged—partly—from her own, at first difficult, move to Tinseltown and from the astrological phase, a popular phenomenon for enthusiasts. That period marked an era that involved her grasp significant insights, in her career and personally. “In my early 20s I was so messy, crying in public everywhere, all the time,” 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 resembled a series of extreme challenges…”
Early Beginnings
Raised in Connecticut, Sennott began developing and showcasing stand-up while enrolled in acting at New York University (NYU) Tisch School of the Arts. “I followed traditional paths to get on stage, but nothing clicked,” she states. “I tried out for all the NYU comedy groups, and got rejected from all of them. I tried out for all the NYU plays and didn’t make it into any of them. “I wondered why I was even there at all.”
Sennott took matters into her own hands, performing at live shows with her friend and sharing uproarious (and distinctly) weird skits digitally. A particular video, titled Baby Cult, depicted several females fetishistically obsessed with motherhood; a different one envisioned working at the brand Hollister as like being trapped in a horror film. By chance, she connected with Seligman through NYU’s movie community and ended up appearing in her first film, Shiva Baby, a tense comedy set at a funeral gathering with hints of the Safdie brothers’ movie. The central motif of her career, she notes, has been people her own age offering opportunities, instead of traditional networks. So the old guard wasn’t helpful? “They were not involved”, she emphasizes, continuing humorously: “Our victory isn’t their goal.”
Rising Success
Anyone who were skeptical regarding her earlier will certainly be feeling foolish now. As part of she labels a “wild, full-circle” story, she appears to achieved an ideal role. In 2019 she posted a clip called “it’s LA” on social media, in which she parodied movie previews (“Everyone’s hooked on something”). Now, she’s executive producer (with Emma Barrie) of a show about Angelenos managing advantages of online celebrity (such as partying at a celebrity’s house) with downsides (your associate being accused of being a intoxicated thief, and possibly becoming a risky pariah). It would be tempting to produce a series about internet celebrity that was overly glamorous—or, even less favorable, one that belittled at its subjects. I Love LA steers clear of each, resulting in a depiction of privileged twentysomething life that’s candid about the grot and the glamour.
Nuanced Portrayal
“Many programs portray youth and online life with disdain and mockery,” 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