The performer joins the online meeting and immediately starts an apology. “Apologies for the delay!” she exclaims, appearing really regretful. Despite being only slightly delayed, she wants to explain. “My phone conversations always run long.” “Earlier calls made me late—I just can’t stop chatting!” Thankfully, in this context, this is exactly what one hopes to hear. Besides, it’s pretty predictable. Viewers familiar with the fearlessly LGBTQ+ and unapologetically crass film titled Bottoms—that Sennott collaborated on with her creative partner and starred in with close companion The Bear’s standout—can be aware that she has plenty to share, be it about identity, sex, or the pros of creating a teen brawl society. Plus, after watching the latest eight-part HBO series titled I Love LA, viewers realize that the star carries even more perspectives regarding the struggles of young adulthood (At 30, Sennott serves as a relatable figure to younger audiences, straddling eras with a knack for bridging millennials and Gen Z).
Influences and Storytelling Approach
Parallels to the iconic series Girls are inevitable and Sennott readily acknowledges an admirer, citing it together with Sex and the City, Insecure and Atlanta as guides for the project, which follows the struggles of an influencer Tallulah and close companion who is also new agent Sennott’s character. Notably, the most significant spot on the moodboard was reserved for Entourage, the HBO sitcom about an emerging A-list actor making his way in a corrupt Hollywood (choice quote: “only the unsuccessful find joy here”). Sennott started watching it amid the pandemic, became “captivated”, and resolved to put her own twist on it “targeting women and LGBTQ+ viewers”.
“My aim was to focus on digital fame over traditional entertainment, as my own beginnings were on the web,” she says. The idea for I Love LA originated—to some extent—from her own, originally fractious, relocation to Los Angeles and from the cosmic event, a frequently discussed event for astrology heads. This represented a time that saw her learn major insights, work-wise and individually. “My twenties began with constant public emotional outbursts and disorganization,” she says. “Settling in LA during my mid-twenties brought calm, but soon everything unraveled.” It was almost like these biblical tests …”
Humble Origins
Brought up in the East Coast, Sennott began developing and showcasing humor while pursuing theatre at NYU’s Tisch. “I followed traditional paths to get on stage, but nothing clicked,” she explains. “Every campus humor group turned me down after tryouts.” “Theatre productions at school also didn’t accept me. And I just felt like, what am I doing here?”
Sennott decided to act independently, taking the stage at open mics with Ayo and uploading hysterical (and very) unconventional skits on the internet. One, titled Baby Cult, centered on several females obsessively obsessed with pregnancy; another portrayed being employed at the preppy clothing store Hollister as similar to being caught in a horror film. Interestingly, she connected with Emma through campus film circles and eventually appearing in her initial project, Shiva Baby, a tense film set at a funeral gathering with shades of the Safdie brothers’ movie. The big theme of her path, she explains, has been peers giving her a shot, rather than the industry at large. So, not the gatekeepers, then? “Not the gatekeepers”, she emphasizes, adding humorously: “They prefer we don’t succeed.”
Rising Success
Those who were skeptical regarding Sennott earlier will likely be kicking themselves today. As part of she labels a “wild, full-circle” turn of events, she has manifested her dream vehicle. A few years back she uploaded a clip named on LA life online, in which she lampooned film promos (“I’m addicted to drugs – we all are”). Now, she’s the co-showrunner (with her partner) of a series about LA residents managing benefits of online celebrity (such as celebrating at Elijah Wood’s house) with downsides (your client being labeled as being a substance-abusing stealer, and perhaps becoming a unreliable persona non grata). Some could tempting to create a program about internet celebrity that was extremely idealized—or, worse, one that punched down at those depicted. This show steers clear of each, resulting in a depiction 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 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
