The star enters the digital interview and immediately starts an excuse. “Oh my God – I’m sorry!” she states, seeming really remorseful. Although she's only a bit delayed, she feels compelled to explain. “My phone conversations always run long.” “Previous discussions went over, and I realized I talk too much!” Fortunately, during an interview, this is precisely what you want to hear. Additionally, it’s fairly predictable. Anyone who know her boldly openly gay and brash movie titled Bottoms—that she penned with the director and starred in together with close companion The Bear’s standout—can understand that Sennott has a lot to say, be it on identity, sex, or the merits of starting a teen brawl society. And, after watching the new eight-part show I Love LA, it is clear that she has additional insights on the struggles of Gen Z life (As a millennial, Sennott represents a relatable figure to younger audiences, on the cusp skilled for connecting both generations).
Influences and Storytelling Approach
Parallels to Lena Dunham’s groundbreaking show are inevitable and the actress is a fan, citing the show alongside the HBO hit, Insecure and Atlanta as guides for her series, which details the journey of an influencer played by Odessa A’Zion and ally and fledgling agent Maia. Perhaps, the most significant presence on creative vision was reserved for Entourage, the HBO sitcom focusing on an emerging celebrity navigating in a gritty LA scene (notable statement: “only the unsuccessful find joy here”). Sennott discovered it amid COVID-19, became “obsessed”, and decided to add a fresh perspective on it “with female and queer audiences in mind”.
“I sought to highlight online platforms as the new industry, since my professional journey launched there,” she explains. The concept for I Love LA originated—to some extent—from firsthand, originally difficult, move to Los Angeles and from the astrological phase, a popular phenomenon for followers. It was a time that saw her learn significant life lessons, in her career and in private life. “In my early 20s I was so messy, crying in public everywhere, all the time,” she admits. “After relocating to Los Angeles in my mid-twenties, I found stability, only for things to crumble. “It resembled a series of extreme challenges…”
Starting Out
Brought up in the East Coast, the star began developing and showcasing humor while pursuing theatre at New York University (NYU) Tisch School of the Arts. “Despite trying every conventional route, I couldn’t find my footing,” she states. “Auditions for university comedy troupes led to universal rejection. I tried out for all the NYU plays and didn’t make it into any of them. “It left me questioning my purpose and place.”
Sennott seized control, appearing at amateur nights with her friend and sharing hysterical (and very) unconventional comedy videos online. One, Baby Cult, depicted several females intensely drawn to pregnancy; another envisioned being employed at the brand Hollister as similar to being stuck in a scary movie. By chance, she connected with Emma through campus film circles and ultimately appearing in her initial project, Shiva Baby, a stressful film set at a funeral gathering with echoes of Uncut Gems. A recurring idea of her career, she says, has been people her own age offering opportunities, rather than the industry at large. So the old guard wasn’t helpful? “They were not involved”, she confirms, adding with a laugh: “They don’t want us to win.”
Manifesting Dreams
Anyone who questioned regarding her earlier will surely be feeling foolish now. As part of she describes as a “wild, full-circle” story, she has created the perfect project. Previously she posted a video called on LA life online, in which she parodied movie previews (“I’m addicted to drugs – we all are”). Now, she’s a lead creator (with her partner) of a series about city dwellers managing advantages of internet fame (such as celebrating at a famous actor’s house) with drawbacks (your associate being labeled as being a substance-abusing criminal, and potentially becoming a risky persona non grata). Some could tempting to make a series about online fame that was horribly glamorous—or, even less favorable, one that mocked at the characters. The series avoids both, resulting in a portrait of advantaged young adult life that’s frank about the mess and the appeal.
Nuanced Portrayal
“There have been a lot of shows that depict young people and their relationship to the internet in this very condescending, hateful way,” 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
