The star enters the video call and right away launches into an explanation. “I can’t believe I’m late!” she says, appearing genuinely apologetic. She is only slightly delayed, she feels compelled to justify. “I tend to talk too much during calls. I had two calls before this, and I’m like, I’ve gotta stop talking!” Thankfully, in this context, this is just what is ideal to hear. Additionally, it’s pretty predictable. Viewers familiar with her boldly openly gay and unapologetically crass project Bottoms—which Sennott co-wrote with her creative partner and appeared in together with her friend The Bear’s standout—would understand that she possesses a lot to discuss, be it on roles, relationships, or the pros of forming a teen fight club. And, once you finish her recent multi-episode program titled I Love LA, it becomes obvious that she carries even more thoughts on the struggles of Gen Z life (As a millennial, she represents an honorary member for this generation, straddling eras adept for connecting millennials and Gen Z).
Inspirations and Storytelling Approach
Parallels to Lena Dunham’s Girls can’t be avoided and the actress readily acknowledges an admirer, referencing it in addition to Sex and the City, the acclaimed comedy and the innovative program as guides for I Love LA, which follows the travails of online personality Tallulah and close companion who is also aspiring agent portrayed by Sennott. Notably, the largest presence on the moodboard was reserved for the HBO series, that show about an emerging celebrity succeeding in an often-seedy LA scene (choice quote: “nobody’s happy in this town except for the losers”). Sennott began viewing it throughout lockdown, became “hooked”, and decided to add a fresh perspective on it “targeting women and LGBTQ+ viewers”.
“I sought to highlight online platforms as the new industry, since my professional journey launched there,” she says. The concept for the series came—to some extent—from her own, originally rocky, transition to Los Angeles and from the astrological phase, a popular phenomenon for astrology heads. It was an era that saw her grasp some big insights, in her career and personally. “In my early 20s I was so messy, crying in public everywhere, all the time,” she recalls. “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
Raised in the East Coast, the star began developing and showcasing humor while studying acting at NYU’s Tisch. “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?”
She decided to act independently, performing at amateur nights with her friend and posting hilarious (and decidedly) weird online content digitally. A particular video, Baby Cult, depicted characters fetishistically drawn to motherhood; a different one imagined being employed at the preppy clothing store Hollister as like being stuck in a thriller. Interestingly, she met Emma through NYU’s movie community and ultimately appearing in her directorial debut, Shiva Baby, a tense dramedy set at a Jewish wake with shades of Uncut Gems. A recurring idea of her path, she says, has been contemporaries offering opportunities, as opposed to traditional networks. Does that mean bypassing the usual powers? “Not the gatekeepers”, she confirms, adding amusedly: “They don’t want us to win.”
Manifesting Dreams
Those who questioned about Sennott earlier will certainly be kicking themselves currently. In what she calls a “wild, full-circle” development, she has achieved the perfect project. Previously she posted content called about Los Angeles on the internet, in which she mocked Hollywood trailers (“Everyone’s hooked on something”). Six years on, she’s executive producer (with her partner) of a show about LA residents managing benefits of internet fame (such as socializing at a celebrity’s house) with drawbacks (your client being suspected of being a intoxicated criminal, and perhaps becoming a “brand unsafe” pariah). It would be simple to make a series about digital influence that was extremely glamorous—or, more problematic, one that punched down at its subjects. The series avoids both, resulting in a representation of advantaged young adult existence that’s honest about the grot and the shine.
Empathetic Approach
“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
