The star enters the video call and at once launches into an apology. “Apologies for the delay!” she states, appearing genuinely regretful. Despite being only a bit delayed, she needs to justify. “I have such a problem, because I’m a yapper on the phone. “Earlier calls made me late—I just can’t stop chatting!” Luckily, during an interview, that’s precisely what is ideal to encounter. Besides, it’s quite expected. Anyone familiar with the fearlessly LGBTQ+ and unapologetically crass film titled Bottoms—which she penned with her creative partner and featured in alongside close companion the talented actress—can already know that Sennott has much to discuss, be it about identity, relationships, or the appeal of creating a teen brawl society. And, by the end her new multi-episode program I Love LA, it is clear that the star has even more insights about the struggles of young adulthood (At 30, Sennott is a relatable figure of the gang, on the cusp with a knack for connecting both generations).
Guiding Lights and Artistic Direction
Parallels to Lena Dunham’s Girls naturally arise and the actress admits to being enthusiastic, naming the show alongside the HBO hit, the acclaimed comedy and Donald Glover’s series as guides for the project, which follows the journey of online personality Tallulah and close companion and aspiring agent Maia. Perhaps, the largest presence on the moodboard went to Entourage, that program focusing on an up-and-coming Hollywood star making his way in a corrupt Hollywood (notable statement: “nobody’s happy in this town except for the losers”). She started watching it throughout COVID-19, became “obsessed”, and decided to add a fresh perspective on it “for the girls and the gays”.
“My aim was to focus on digital fame over traditional entertainment, as my own beginnings were on the web,” she notes. The idea for the series came—in part—from personal, at first rocky, relocation to LA and from her saturn return, a popular phenomenon for followers. That period marked a time that involved her learn significant truths, work-wise and individually. “My twenties began with constant public emotional outbursts and disorganization,” she says. “In my mid-20s, I moved to LA and got settled. And then I felt like everything started to just fall apart. It was almost like these biblical tests …”
Early Beginnings
Raised in the East Coast, the star commenced creating and acting humor while pursuing theatre at a prestigious arts school. “I went through all the proper channels to try to perform, and they weren’t gelling,” 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. And I just felt like, what am I doing here?”
Sennott seized control, appearing at open mics with her friend and uploading hysterical (and very) bizarre comedy videos digitally. One, Baby Cult, depicted characters intensely drawn to having babies; a different one imagined being employed at the preppy clothing store Hollister as akin to being trapped in a thriller. By chance, she connected with Emma through campus film circles and eventually featuring in her directorial debut, Shiva Baby, a stressful dramedy set at a funeral gathering with hints of the Safdie brothers’ movie. A recurring idea of her career, she explains, has been contemporaries offering opportunities, instead of traditional networks. Does that mean bypassing the usual powers? “Not the gatekeepers”, she confirms, adding with a laugh: “Our victory isn’t their goal.”
Manifesting Dreams
Individuals who were skeptical about Sennott then will certainly be kicking themselves now. In what she labels a “wild, full-circle” development, she appears to manifested her dream vehicle. In 2019 she shared content named on LA life on the internet, in which she lampooned Hollywood trailers (“Everyone’s hooked on something”). Six years on, she’s a lead creator (with her partner) of a series about Angelenos managing benefits of internet fame (such as partying at a celebrity’s house) with its pitfalls (your associate being suspected of being a intoxicated criminal, and perhaps becoming a “brand unsafe” outcast). Some could tempting to make a program about online fame that was horribly glamorous—or, worse, one that punched down at its subjects. This show steers clear of each, creating a portrait of advantaged millennial life that’s honest about the mess and the shine.
Balanced Perspective
“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
