The star joins the online meeting and right away starts an apology. “Apologies for the delay!” she says, appearing genuinely regretful. Although she's only a couple of minutes delayed, she wants 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, for a writer, this is precisely what you want to hear. Moreover, it’s fairly unsurprising. Those who have seen her unapologetically LGBTQ+ and outspoken film titled Bottoms—which Sennott co-wrote with the director and appeared in with close companion the talented actress—will already know that Sennott possesses plenty to discuss, whether about identity, sex, or the pros of creating a teen brawl society. And, after watching her recent eight-part show I Love LA, it is clear that she holds additional perspectives on the challenges of modern youth (Now in her thirties, she represents an honorary member to younger audiences, on the cusp adept for connecting different age groups).
Influences and Artistic Direction
The comparisons to the iconic series Girls can’t be avoided and the actress is a fan, referencing it in addition to the classic series, Issa Rae’s show and the innovative program as inspirations for the project, which details the journey of online personality Tallulah and ally who is also new agent Sennott’s character. Perhaps, the most significant spot on concept went to Entourage, the HBO sitcom depicting a rising A-list actor succeeding in a gritty entertainment industry (notable statement: “only the unsuccessful find joy here”). Sennott began viewing it amid the pandemic, became “hooked”, and resolved to create a new version on it “targeting women and LGBTQ+ viewers”.
“I wanted to make a show where the internet, not Hollywood, was the industry, because my career started online,” she explains. The inspiration for the series emerged—in part—from personal, originally difficult, relocation to LA and from her astrological phase, a popular phenomenon for followers. It was a phase that saw her grasp significant life lessons, professionally and individually. “My twenties began with constant public emotional outbursts and disorganization,” 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 was almost like these biblical tests …”
Humble Origins
Growing up in the East Coast, the star started creating and acting comedy while pursuing theatre at NYU’s Tisch. “I followed traditional paths to get on stage, but nothing clicked,” she says. “Auditions for university comedy troupes led to universal rejection. I tried out for all the NYU plays and didn’t make it into any of them. “I wondered why I was even there at all.”
She took matters into her own hands, appearing at live shows with Ayo and posting hysterical (and decidedly) weird comedy videos on the internet. A particular video, Baby Cult, depicted a group of women fetishistically fixated on pregnancy; a different one portrayed working at a trendy retail outlet as akin to being trapped in a scary movie. By chance, she connected with Seligman through the university’s film scene and eventually appearing in her directorial debut, Shiva Baby, an anxious film set at a Jewish wake with echoes of the intense thriller. A recurring idea of her path, she explains, has been people her own age supporting her, as opposed to traditional networks. So the old guard wasn’t helpful? “They were not involved”, she repeats, adding humorously: “Our victory isn’t their goal.”
Rising Success
Those who had doubts about her then will surely be kicking themselves currently. As part of she labels a “wild, full-circle” turn of events, she seems to have manifested the perfect project. In 2019 she uploaded a video called “it’s LA” on the internet, in which she parodied Hollywood trailers (“Substance abuse is rampant here”). Now, she’s a lead creator (with Emma Barrie) of a comedy about Angelenos juggling benefits of digital stardom (such as partying at a celebrity’s house) with its pitfalls (your friend being suspected of being a intoxicated stealer, and potentially becoming a risky pariah). It would be easy to make a show about internet celebrity that was extremely glamorous—or, more problematic, one that mocked at the characters. This show steers clear of each, creating a representation of advantaged millennial existence that’s frank about the grot and the appeal.
Empathetic Approach
“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
