The actress and writer exploring the hilarious show about the chaotic glamour of today's youth lifestyle

The star appears on the digital interview and right away starts an explanation. “I can’t believe I’m late!” she states, seeming really apologetic. Despite being only slightly delayed, she needs to clarify. “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 just what one hopes to experience. Besides, it’s quite predictable. Anyone familiar with the fearlessly queer and outspoken project titled Bottoms—which Sennott collaborated on with Emma Seligman and featured in alongside collaborator the talented actress—would already know that she possesses plenty to discuss, be it about identity, relationships, or the pros of forming a teen combat group. Furthermore, once you finish the recent eight-part HBO series I Love LA, it becomes obvious that the star has additional thoughts about the struggles of Gen Z life (At 30, Sennott is an honorary member for this generation, on the cusp skilled for bridging millennials and Gen Z).

Guiding Lights and Storytelling Approach

Likenesses to Lena Dunham’s Girls are inevitable and Sennott readily acknowledges an admirer, referencing it in addition to Sex and the City, Issa Rae’s show and Atlanta as inspirations for I Love LA, which tracks the struggles of a social media star Tallulah and her friend and fledgling agent Sennott’s character. However, the most significant influence on creative vision was reserved for the popular sitcom, the show focusing on an up-and-coming Hollywood star succeeding in a gritty Hollywood (choice quote: “nobody’s happy in this town except for the losers”). Sennott began viewing it during lockdown, became “captivated”, and decided to create a new version 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 originated—in part—from firsthand, originally difficult, relocation to LA and from the astrological phase, a frequently discussed occurrence for astrology heads. That period marked an era that involved her learn some big truths, work-wise and in private life. “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 …”

Early Beginnings

Growing up in New England, the star started developing and showcasing humor while studying theatre at NYU’s Tisch. “I followed traditional paths to get on stage, but nothing clicked,” she explains. “Every campus humor group turned me down after tryouts.” “None of the university plays cast me either.” “It left me questioning my purpose and place.”

She seized control, performing at open mics with her friend and uploading uproarious (and decidedly) weird skits digitally. A particular video, Baby Cult, depicted a group of women fetishistically fixated on motherhood; a different one portrayed being employed at the brand Hollister as akin to being trapped in a horror film. By chance, she met Seligman through NYU’s movie community and ended up appearing in her initial project, titled Shiva Baby, a stressful comedy set at a Jewish wake with hints of Uncut Gems. A recurring idea of her path, she notes, has been people her own age offering opportunities, rather than established gatekeepers. So the old guard wasn’t helpful? “Definitely not them”, she repeats, stating amusedly: “They don’t want us to win.”

Rising Success

Those who had doubts regarding her then will surely be feeling foolish currently. As part of she calls a “wild, full-circle” development, she seems to have achieved an ideal role. In 2019 she posted a clip named “it’s LA” on the internet, in which she lampooned Hollywood trailers (“Everyone’s hooked on something”). Now, she’s the co-showrunner (with her partner) of a comedy about LA residents managing benefits of digital stardom (such as celebrating at a famous actor’s house) with drawbacks (your client being accused of being a drug-addled stealer, and potentially becoming a unreliable pariah). It would be tempting to create a program about internet celebrity that was overly idealized—or, worse, one that mocked at those depicted. This show does neither, creating a depiction of privileged young adult existence that’s frank about the chaos and the shine.

Balanced Perspective

“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

Robert Martin
Robert Martin

A fashion journalist with over a decade of experience covering global trends and sustainable style.