Rachel Sennott joins the video call and at once begins an excuse. “Oh my God – I’m sorry!” she exclaims, sounding truly remorseful. Despite being only slightly delayed, she wants 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 one hopes to hear. Additionally, it’s pretty unsurprising. Those who have seen the unapologetically openly gay and unapologetically crass project Bottoms—which she penned with her creative partner and featured in alongside her friend the talented actress—will be aware that Sennott holds plenty to discuss, whether on identity, sex, or the pros of starting a youth brawl society. Furthermore, once you finish her latest seasonal program I Love LA, it is clear that the star holds additional thoughts on the darker side of young adulthood (At 30, Sennott serves as a relatable figure for this generation, a tale-end millennial skilled for bridging millennials and Gen Z).
Inspirations and Artistic Direction
The comparisons to Lena Dunham’s Girls naturally arise and Sennott admits to being enthusiastic, naming the show alongside Sex and the City, Issa Rae’s show and the innovative program as inspirations for her series, which follows the struggles of an influencer Tallulah and her friend who is also fledgling talent manager portrayed by Sennott. Perhaps, the largest presence on concept went to the popular sitcom, the program depicting an up-and-coming celebrity making his way in a gritty LA scene (choice quote: “nobody’s happy in this town except for the losers”). Sennott started watching it during the pandemic, became “obsessed”, and chose to add a fresh perspective 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 notes. The inspiration for this project came—in part—from her own, initially difficult, move to Los Angeles and from her cosmic event, a frequently discussed event for enthusiasts. It was a phase that included her grasp significant life lessons, professionally and personally. “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 was almost like these biblical tests …”
Starting Out
Growing up in New England, Sennott began developing and showcasing comedy while studying theatre at a prestigious arts school. “Despite trying every conventional route, I couldn’t find my footing,” she states. “Auditions for university comedy troupes led to universal rejection. “None of the university plays cast me either.” And I just felt like, what am I doing here?”
She took matters into her own hands, taking the stage at open mics with her friend and posting hysterical (and very) weird comedy videos on the internet. A particular video, titled Baby Cult, depicted several females obsessively fixated on pregnancy; another portrayed being employed at the brand Hollister as akin to being trapped in a scary movie. In a neat twist of fate, she connected with Seligman through NYU’s movie community and ultimately featuring in her initial project, Shiva Baby, a tense comedy set at a religious event with echoes of the Safdie brothers’ movie. A recurring idea of her journey, she explains, has been contemporaries supporting her, rather than traditional networks. So the old guard wasn’t helpful? “They were not involved”, she emphasizes, adding amusedly: “They don’t want us to win.”
Career Breakthrough
Anyone who were skeptical about her previously will certainly be regretting it today. Through she describes as a “astonishingly complete” turn of events, she appears to achieved her dream vehicle. In 2019 she posted content named “it’s LA” on the internet, in which she mocked film promos (“Substance abuse is rampant here”). Six years on, she’s executive producer (with the co-writer) of a series about Angelenos balancing advantages of online celebrity (such as socializing at a famous actor’s house) with drawbacks (your friend being labeled as being a substance-abusing thief, and potentially becoming a unreliable outcast). One might simple to make a program about internet celebrity that was overly idealized—or, even less favorable, one that punched down at the characters. The series does neither, creating a representation of affluent millennial living that’s candid about the chaos and the appeal.
Balanced Perspective
“There have been a lot of shows that depict young people and their relationship to the internet in this very condescending, hateful way,” 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
