The star appears on the digital interview and at once begins an apology. “Apologies for the delay!” she says, appearing truly remorseful. Although she's only slightly delayed, she needs to clarify. “I have such a problem, because I’m a yapper on the phone. “Earlier calls made me late—I just can’t stop chatting!” Thankfully, in this context, that’s exactly what you want to encounter. Additionally, it’s fairly expected. Those who have seen the fearlessly queer and unapologetically crass film titled Bottoms—which Sennott collaborated on with her creative partner and starred in alongside close companion the talented actress—would understand that Sennott possesses much to discuss, whether on roles, sex, or the appeal of creating a high-school combat group. Plus, once you finish her recent seasonal show I Love LA, it is clear that she holds even more perspectives on the darker side of modern youth (At 30, she serves as a relatable figure of the gang, straddling eras with a knack for connecting millennials and Gen Z).
Guiding Lights and Creative Vision
Parallels to the iconic series Girls can’t be avoided and the actress admits to being enthusiastic, citing the show alongside the HBO hit, Insecure and Atlanta as inspirations for I Love LA, which follows the journey of a social media star played by Odessa A’Zion and her friend and aspiring agent Maia. However, the biggest spot on the moodboard was reserved for the popular sitcom, the show about an up-and-coming celebrity navigating in a gritty entertainment industry (choice quote: “only the unsuccessful find joy here”). Sennott started watching it amid COVID-19, became “obsessed”, and chose to add a fresh perspective on it “with female and queer audiences in mind”.
“I wanted to make a show where the internet, not Hollywood, was the industry, because my career started online,” she explains. The idea for I Love LA came—partly—from personal, at first rocky, move to Tinseltown and from her cosmic event, a frequently discussed event for astrology heads. That period marked a phase that saw her grasp significant truths, professionally and in private life. “During my younger years, I was chaotic, often breaking down in public,” 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, Sennott began developing and showcasing humor while enrolled in acting at NYU’s Tisch. “Despite trying every conventional route, I couldn’t find my footing,” she says. “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 took matters into her own hands, performing at live shows with Edebiri and sharing hilarious (and decidedly) weird comedy videos on the internet. A particular video, titled Baby Cult, followed several females intensely obsessed with motherhood; a different one envisioned working at the brand Hollister as like being trapped in a scary movie. By chance, she connected with Emma through the university’s film scene and ultimately featuring in her first film, titled Shiva Baby, a tense comedy set at a religious event with hints of Uncut Gems. A recurring idea of her journey, she says, has been people her own age offering opportunities, rather than traditional networks. Does that mean bypassing the usual powers? “Not the gatekeepers”, she repeats, adding humorously: “They prefer we don’t succeed.”
Manifesting Dreams
Individuals who were skeptical about Sennott earlier will surely be kicking themselves now. As part of she calls a “wild, full-circle” development, she seems to have manifested her dream vehicle. Previously she shared a video named “it’s LA” on social media, in which she mocked Hollywood trailers (“I’m addicted to drugs – we all are”). Now, she’s a lead creator (with her partner) of a series about LA residents juggling benefits of internet fame (such as partying at a famous actor’s house) with downsides (your client being labeled as being a drug-addled criminal, and perhaps becoming a “brand unsafe” pariah). One might simple to produce a show about digital influence that was overly aspirational—or, even less favorable, one that mocked at the characters. The series steers clear of each, creating a depiction of affluent millennial existence that’s candid about the mess and the shine.
Nuanced Portrayal
“Numerous series present younger generations and digital culture in a derogatory manner,” 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
