The performer joins the video call and immediately begins an excuse. “Apologies for the delay!” she exclaims, appearing truly regretful. Although she's only a bit late, she needs to clarify. “My phone conversations always run long.” I had two calls before this, and I’m like, I’ve gotta stop talking!” Luckily, in this context, that’s exactly what one hopes to hear. Additionally, it’s quite unsurprising. Anyone who have seen her boldly LGBTQ+ and outspoken film Bottoms—which Sennott penned with her creative partner and starred in with collaborator The Bear’s standout—will understand that she possesses much to discuss, be it on roles, sex, or the merits of forming a youth brawl society. Plus, by the end the recent multi-episode show I Love LA, it becomes obvious that the star holds further thoughts about the challenges of young adulthood (At 30, Sennott is a relatable figure of the gang, a tale-end millennial skilled for connecting different age groups).
Influences and Storytelling Approach
The comparisons to Lena Dunham’s groundbreaking show naturally arise and Sennott readily acknowledges an admirer, citing it alongside the classic series, Issa Rae’s show and Atlanta as inspirations for the project, which follows the travails of online personality Tallulah and ally who is also aspiring talent manager Maia. Notably, the most significant spot on creative vision belonged to the HBO series, that program focusing on an emerging Hollywood star making his way in a gritty LA scene (choice quote: “only the unsuccessful find joy here”). Sennott began viewing it during COVID-19, became “captivated”, and decided 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 says. The inspiration for I Love LA came—partly—from firsthand, initially fractious, transition to Tinseltown and from her astrological phase, a popular occurrence for astrology heads. This represented a phase that saw her learn major insights, professionally and personally. “In my early 20s I was so messy, crying in public everywhere, all the time,” she recalls. “After relocating to Los Angeles in my mid-twenties, I found stability, only for things to crumble. “It resembled a series of extreme challenges…”
Humble Origins
Growing up in New England, Sennott began writing and performing humor while enrolled in performance at a prestigious arts school. “I went through all the proper channels to try to perform, and they weren’t gelling,” she states. “Every campus humor group turned me down after tryouts.” “Theatre productions at school also didn’t accept me. And I just felt like, what am I doing here?”
Sennott decided to act independently, taking the stage at live shows with her friend and posting uproarious (and decidedly) bizarre online content on the internet. A particular video, titled Baby Cult, centered on characters intensely obsessed with having babies; another envisioned being employed at the preppy clothing store Hollister as like being trapped in a scary movie. Interestingly, she encountered Seligman through NYU’s movie community and ultimately starring in her directorial debut, Shiva Baby, an anxious film set at a Jewish wake with hints of Uncut Gems. A recurring idea of her career, she notes, has been peers offering opportunities, as opposed to the industry at large. So, not the gatekeepers, then? “Definitely not them”, she repeats, continuing with a laugh: “They don’t want us to win.”
Manifesting Dreams
Individuals who had doubts regarding her earlier will likely be regretting it today. In what she describes as a “incredibly circular” turn of events, she has achieved the perfect project. In 2019 she uploaded a video titled “it’s LA” on social media, in which she lampooned movie previews (“I’m addicted to drugs – we all are”). Years later, she’s executive producer (with the co-writer) of a comedy about Angelenos balancing benefits of digital stardom (such as partying at a famous actor’s house) with its pitfalls (your friend being accused of being a intoxicated stealer, and potentially becoming a risky persona non grata). It would be simple to produce a show about internet celebrity that was horribly glamorous—or, worse, one that mocked at its subjects. This show does neither, creating a depiction of privileged twentysomething living that’s honest about the chaos and the appeal.
Nuanced Portrayal
“Many programs portray youth and online life with disdain and mockery,” 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
