The actress and writer on her hilarious series about that chaotic appeal of Gen Z lifestyle

Rachel Sennott appears on the video call and immediately launches into an apology. “Apologies for the delay!” she states, sounding genuinely remorseful. Despite being only a bit late, she needs to explain. “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 just what is ideal to encounter. Besides, it’s fairly expected. Those who know her boldly LGBTQ+ and brash film titled Bottoms—which Sennott co-wrote with Emma Seligman and starred in together with her friend The Bear’s standout—would understand that she possesses plenty to say, be it about roles, sex, or the appeal of forming a teen brawl society. Plus, after watching her recent seasonal show I Love LA, it is clear that the star has further insights about the darker side of young adulthood (Now in her thirties, she is an honorary member of the gang, straddling eras skilled for bridging both generations).

Influences and Creative Vision

Parallels to Lena Dunham’s groundbreaking show naturally arise and the actress readily acknowledges a fan, naming the show in addition to the classic series, the acclaimed comedy and Atlanta as influences for the project, which details the journey of a social media star played by Odessa A’Zion and her friend who is also aspiring agent Sennott’s character. Perhaps, the biggest spot on the moodboard was reserved for the popular sitcom, that show about an up-and-coming Hollywood star making his way in a corrupt Hollywood (memorable line: “nobody’s happy in this town except for the losers”). Sennott started watching it during COVID-19, became “captivated”, and decided to put her own twist 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 this project originated—partly—from personal, originally fractious, transition to LA and from the astrological phase, a frequently discussed occurrence for enthusiasts. That period marked a phase that saw her understand some big truths, professionally and personally. “During my younger years, I was chaotic, often breaking down in public,” she says. “Settling in LA during my mid-twenties brought calm, but soon everything unraveled.” “The struggles felt almost mythic in scale…”

Humble Origins

Growing up in the East Coast, Sennott began developing and showcasing humor while pursuing theatre at NYU’s Tisch. “Despite trying every conventional route, I couldn’t find my footing,” she explains. “Auditions for university comedy troupes led to universal rejection. “None of the university plays cast me either.” “It left me questioning my purpose and place.”

She seized control, performing at open mics with Ayo and sharing uproarious (and distinctly) unconventional skits on the internet. A particular video, titled Baby Cult, followed several females fetishistically fixated on motherhood; another imagined working at a trendy retail outlet as like being caught in a horror film. Interestingly, she encountered Emma through the university’s film scene and ultimately featuring in her first film, titled Shiva Baby, a stressful film set at a funeral gathering with echoes of the intense thriller. The big theme of her path, she explains, has been people her own age supporting her, instead of established gatekeepers. So, not the gatekeepers, then? “Definitely not them”, she confirms, adding humorously: “They don’t want us to win.”

Rising Success

Anyone who were skeptical about her then will surely be regretting it today. In what she describes as a “incredibly circular” development, she appears to created her dream vehicle. In 2019 she uploaded a video titled on LA life online, in which she parodied movie previews (“Substance abuse is rampant here”). Six years on, she’s a lead creator (with Emma Barrie) of a series about city dwellers managing benefits of internet fame (such as partying at a celebrity’s house) with its pitfalls (your friend being suspected of being a substance-abusing criminal, and possibly becoming a risky pariah). Some could easy to make a series about internet celebrity that was extremely aspirational—or, even less favorable, one that belittled at the characters. The series steers clear of each, creating a portrait of advantaged twentysomething life that’s candid about the grot and the glamour.

Empathetic Approach

“Numerous series present younger generations and digital culture in a derogatory manner,” she observes. “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