The actress and writer discussing her uproarious show portraying the chaotic glamour of Gen Z existence
The star joins the digital interview and at once begins an explanation. “Apologies for the delay!” she says, sounding genuinely apologetic. Although she's only a couple of minutes delayed, she needs to explain. “I tend to talk too much during calls. “Previous discussions went over, and I realized I talk too much!” Fortunately, during an interview, this is precisely what is ideal to experience. Additionally, it’s quite unsurprising. Anyone who have seen her boldly LGBTQ+ and unapologetically crass movie Bottoms—which she co-wrote with Emma Seligman and featured in alongside her friend the talented actress—can understand that she possesses much to say, whether about identity, intimacy, or the appeal of starting a youth brawl society. Furthermore, by the end her new seasonal HBO series I Love LA, viewers realize that she carries additional perspectives regarding the challenges of Gen Z life (As a millennial, Sennott represents an honorary member of the gang, a tale-end millennial with a knack for connecting different age groups).
Inspirations and Storytelling Approach
Likenesses to Lena Dunham’s groundbreaking show can’t be avoided and Sennott admits to being a fan, referencing the show alongside the HBO hit, Insecure and Atlanta as influences for her series, which follows the struggles of a social media star played by Odessa A’Zion and close companion and fledgling representative Sennott’s character. However, the biggest spot on the moodboard was reserved for the HBO series, the show focusing on a rising celebrity navigating in a gritty LA scene (notable statement: “only the unsuccessful find joy here”). She started watching it during COVID-19, became “captivated”, and chose to add a fresh perspective 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 explains. The idea for I Love LA came—in part—from her own, initially fractious, move to Los Angeles and from the astrological phase, a frequently discussed phenomenon for astrology heads. It was a phase that saw her learn some big life lessons, work-wise and personally. “During my younger years, I was chaotic, often breaking down in public,” she recalls. “In my mid-20s, I moved to LA and got settled. And then I felt like everything started to just fall apart. “The struggles felt almost mythic in scale…”
Starting Out
Raised in New England, Sennott began creating and acting humor while studying acting at a prestigious arts school. “I followed traditional paths to get on stage, but nothing clicked,” she explains. “Every campus humor group turned me down after tryouts.” 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 decided to act independently, taking the stage at live shows with her friend and uploading uproarious (and very) unconventional comedy videos online. One, Baby Cult, depicted a group of women intensely obsessed with pregnancy; a different one imagined working at the brand Hollister as like being stuck in a thriller. In a neat twist of fate, she connected with Seligman through campus film circles and eventually starring in her initial project, Shiva Baby, a stressful film set at a religious event with shades of Uncut Gems. The big theme of her journey, she notes, has been contemporaries supporting her, instead of traditional networks. So, not the gatekeepers, then? “Not the gatekeepers”, she repeats, continuing amusedly: “Our victory isn’t their goal.”
Manifesting Dreams
Individuals who questioned about her earlier will certainly be feeling foolish today. Through she calls a “incredibly circular” story, she appears to created the perfect project. Previously she posted a video called on LA life online, in which she lampooned film promos (“Substance abuse is rampant here”). Now, she’s a lead creator (with her partner) of a show about LA residents managing benefits of online celebrity (such as partying at Elijah Wood’s house) with drawbacks (your associate being accused of being a intoxicated criminal, and potentially becoming a “brand unsafe” outcast). One might simple to make a program about internet celebrity that was horribly idealized—or, even less favorable, one that punched down at those depicted. This show does neither, making for a depiction of affluent twentysomething living that’s candid about the chaos and the shine.
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
