The comedic talent on the uproarious show depicting that grotty appeal of Gen Z life

Rachel Sennott enters the online meeting and immediately begins an apology. “I can’t believe I’m late!” she states, appearing really regretful. Despite being only a couple of minutes behind, she wants to clarify. “I tend to talk too much during calls. “Previous discussions went over, and I realized I talk too much!” Thankfully, during an interview, this is exactly what is ideal to hear. Moreover, it’s quite unsurprising. Those familiar with her unapologetically queer and outspoken film titled Bottoms—that she co-wrote with Emma Seligman and featured in alongside her friend the talented actress—can understand that Sennott possesses much to share, be it about gender, relationships, or the appeal of forming a youth combat group. Plus, by the end her latest seasonal HBO series I Love LA, viewers realize that the star carries even more perspectives about the challenges of young adulthood (Now in her thirties, she serves as a relatable figure of the gang, straddling eras adept for straddling both generations).

Guiding Lights and Artistic Direction

The comparisons to the iconic series Girls are inevitable and Sennott admits to being a fan, referencing it together with the HBO hit, the acclaimed comedy and Donald Glover’s series as guides for I Love LA, which follows the travails of a social media star played by Odessa A’Zion and close companion who is also new talent manager Sennott’s character. Notably, the most significant influence on concept was reserved for the popular sitcom, that show focusing on a rising A-list actor making his way in a corrupt LA scene (choice quote: “happiness eludes everyone but failures in this city”). She began viewing it during the pandemic, became “hooked”, and decided to put her own twist on it “targeting women and LGBTQ+ viewers”.

“I sought to highlight online platforms as the new industry, since my professional journey launched there,” she explains. The idea for this project emerged—in part—from firsthand, initially fractious, move to Los Angeles and from the astrological phase, a frequently discussed occurrence for followers. It was a time that included her grasp some big truths, in her career and personally. “My twenties began with constant public emotional outbursts and disorganization,” she recalls. “After relocating to Los Angeles in my mid-twenties, I found stability, only for things to crumble. It was almost like these biblical tests …”

Starting Out

Growing up in Connecticut, Sennott began writing and performing humor while pursuing performance at New York University (NYU) Tisch School of the Arts. “I went through all the proper channels to try to perform, and they weren’t gelling,” she explains. “I tried out for all the NYU comedy groups, and got rejected from all of them. “Theatre productions at school also didn’t accept me. “It left me questioning my purpose and place.”

She decided to act independently, performing at live shows with her friend and uploading uproarious (and decidedly) weird online content on the internet. A particular video, titled Baby Cult, centered on a group of women intensely obsessed with pregnancy; a different one portrayed working at the preppy clothing store Hollister as akin to being trapped in a thriller. In a neat twist of fate, she met Emma through campus film circles and eventually featuring in her first film, titled Shiva Baby, an anxious comedy set at a funeral gathering with shades of Uncut Gems. The big theme of her path, she says, has been peers offering opportunities, instead of established gatekeepers. Does that mean bypassing the usual powers? “They were not involved”, she emphasizes, stating with a laugh: “They don’t want us to win.”

Manifesting Dreams

Individuals who were skeptical about Sennott previously will likely be kicking themselves now. Through she calls a “wild, full-circle” turn of events, she appears to created her dream vehicle. In 2019 she posted a clip titled on LA life on the internet, in which she mocked movie previews (“Substance abuse is rampant here”). Six years on, she’s a lead creator (with Emma Barrie) of a comedy about LA residents balancing the perks of digital stardom (such as partying at Elijah Wood’s house) with drawbacks (your associate being accused of being a drug-addled criminal, and potentially becoming a risky outcast). Some could simple to produce a show about internet celebrity that was horribly glamorous—or, even less favorable, one that belittled at those depicted. This show avoids both, making for a representation of affluent young adult living that’s frank about the chaos and the appeal.

Empathetic Approach

“There have been a lot of shows that depict young people and their relationship to the internet in this very condescending, hateful way,” 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