The star enters the online meeting and right away launches into an apology. “Oh my God – I’m sorry!” she says, seeming truly remorseful. She is only slightly delayed, she feels compelled to clarify. “I have such a problem, because I’m a yapper on the phone. I had two calls before this, and I’m like, I’ve gotta stop talking!” Luckily, during an interview, that’s exactly what is ideal to encounter. Moreover, it’s fairly expected. Those who have seen her unapologetically LGBTQ+ and outspoken movie titled Bottoms—which Sennott penned with Emma Seligman and starred in alongside collaborator The Bear’s standout—would already know that she holds much to discuss, whether about identity, intimacy, or the pros of forming a teen brawl society. And, after watching the latest multi-episode program I Love LA, it is clear that she has even more thoughts regarding the struggles of modern youth (At 30, Sennott is a relatable figure to younger audiences, straddling eras with a knack for bridging different age groups).
Guiding Lights and Storytelling Approach
The comparisons to the iconic series Girls naturally arise and Sennott admits to being a fan, referencing it alongside the HBO hit, the acclaimed comedy and Donald Glover’s series as inspirations for the project, which details the journey of an influencer played by Odessa A’Zion and her friend who is also new talent manager portrayed by Sennott. Perhaps, the largest influence on creative vision was reserved for the popular sitcom, the show depicting an up-and-coming A-list actor making his way in a gritty entertainment industry (memorable line: “only the unsuccessful find joy here”). Sennott started watching it amid COVID-19, became “captivated”, and resolved to create a new version on it “for the girls and the gays”.
“I wanted to make a show where the internet, not Hollywood, was the industry, because my career started online,” she notes. The concept for I Love LA originated—in part—from firsthand, originally rocky, relocation to Tinseltown and from her astrological phase, a popular occurrence for enthusiasts. This represented a time that involved her learn significant truths, professionally and individually. “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…”
Humble Origins
Growing up in the East Coast, the star began writing and performing humor while enrolled in performance at NYU’s Tisch. “Despite trying every conventional route, I couldn’t find my footing,” she states. “Every campus humor group turned me down after tryouts.” “None of the university plays cast me either.” “It left me questioning my purpose and place.”
Sennott decided to act independently, taking the stage at amateur nights with her friend and uploading uproarious (and decidedly) weird comedy videos on the internet. One, titled Baby Cult, centered on several females fetishistically drawn to motherhood; another envisioned working at the preppy clothing store Hollister as like being trapped in a scary movie. In a neat twist of fate, she connected with Emma through NYU’s movie community and ultimately featuring in her directorial debut, Shiva Baby, an anxious dramedy set at a religious event with shades of Uncut Gems. The big theme of her journey, she notes, has been peers offering opportunities, rather than traditional networks. Does that mean bypassing the usual powers? “Not the gatekeepers”, she confirms, adding amusedly: “They prefer we don’t succeed.”
Career Breakthrough
Individuals who were skeptical about Sennott then will likely be regretting it now. In what she calls a “wild, full-circle” turn of events, she has achieved an ideal role. In 2019 she posted content called about Los Angeles online, in which she parodied film promos (“Everyone’s hooked on something”). Now, she’s executive producer (with her partner) of a comedy about LA residents juggling benefits of digital stardom (such as celebrating at a celebrity’s house) with drawbacks (your associate being suspected of being a intoxicated stealer, and potentially becoming a risky outcast). Some could easy to produce a show about internet celebrity that was horribly aspirational—or, more problematic, one that belittled at its subjects. This show does neither, making for a portrait of privileged young adult existence that’s candid about the grot and the glamour.
Nuanced Portrayal
“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
