The performer joins the online meeting and right away launches into an excuse. “Oh my God – I’m sorry!” she exclaims, seeming genuinely regretful. Although she's only a bit delayed, she feels compelled to explain. “I tend to talk too much during calls. I had two calls before this, and I’m like, I’ve gotta stop talking!” Fortunately, in this context, that’s exactly what is ideal to encounter. Besides, it’s pretty predictable. Anyone who know the boldly LGBTQ+ and unapologetically crass project Bottoms—which Sennott co-wrote with her creative partner and starred in with collaborator Ayo Edebiri—would understand that she possesses plenty to say, whether about gender, sex, or the merits of forming a high-school brawl society. Plus, after watching the recent eight-part show titled I Love LA, it becomes obvious that she holds additional perspectives regarding the darker side of Gen Z life (As a millennial, Sennott represents an honorary member to younger audiences, straddling eras adept for straddling millennials and Gen Z).
Inspirations and Artistic Direction
Likenesses to Lena Dunham’s groundbreaking show naturally arise and Sennott is a fan, naming it in addition to Sex and the City, the acclaimed comedy and Donald Glover’s series as influences for I Love LA, which details the journey of an influencer Tallulah and ally and aspiring agent Sennott’s character. Notably, the most significant presence on concept was reserved for the popular sitcom, the show depicting a rising celebrity making his way in a corrupt Hollywood (memorable line: “happiness eludes everyone but failures in this city”). She started watching it during COVID-19, became “hooked”, and chose to put her own twist on it “with female and queer audiences in mind”.
“My aim was to focus on digital fame over traditional entertainment, as my own beginnings were on the web,” she notes. The inspiration for this project originated—in part—from firsthand, initially rocky, relocation to LA and from her saturn return, a frequently discussed event for enthusiasts. It was a time that involved her understand some big insights, work-wise and personally. “During my younger years, I was chaotic, often breaking down in public,” she admits. “In my mid-20s, I moved to LA and got settled. And then I felt like everything started to just fall apart. “It resembled a series of extreme challenges…”
Early Beginnings
Brought up in the East Coast, Sennott began creating and acting comedy while pursuing acting at New York University (NYU) Tisch School of the Arts. “I followed traditional paths to get on stage, but nothing clicked,” she states. “Every campus humor group turned me down after tryouts.” “None of the university plays cast me either.” And I just felt like, what am I doing here?”
She took matters into her own hands, taking the stage at live shows with Ayo and uploading hysterical (and very) weird comedy videos digitally. One, Baby Cult, centered on a group of women intensely fixated on having babies; another envisioned working at the brand Hollister as similar to being caught in a scary movie. Interestingly, she met Emma through the university’s film scene and eventually appearing in her directorial debut, titled Shiva Baby, a stressful comedy set at a funeral gathering with shades of the Safdie brothers’ movie. A recurring idea of her journey, she notes, has been people her own age offering opportunities, as opposed to traditional networks. Does that mean bypassing the usual powers? “They were not involved”, she confirms, stating amusedly: “They prefer we don’t succeed.”
Career Breakthrough
Those who had doubts regarding her earlier will likely be regretting it currently. Through she describes as a “wild, full-circle” turn of events, she has manifested her dream vehicle. In 2019 she shared a clip called about Los Angeles online, in which she lampooned movie previews (“Substance abuse is rampant here”). Now, she’s executive producer (with Emma Barrie) of a comedy about Angelenos juggling the perks of digital stardom (such as partying at a famous actor’s house) with downsides (your associate being suspected of being a drug-addled criminal, and potentially becoming a risky persona non grata). Some could tempting to create a show about digital influence that was extremely aspirational—or, worse, one that punched down at its subjects. This show steers clear of each, creating a representation of affluent twentysomething living that’s honest about the mess and the shine.
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
