The star appears on the online meeting and right away launches into an excuse. “Oh my God – I’m sorry!” she states, sounding truly remorseful. Although she's only a bit behind, she needs to clarify. “I tend to talk too much during calls. “Previous discussions went over, and I realized I talk too much!” Thankfully, during an interview, that’s exactly what is ideal to hear. Besides, it’s quite predictable. Those who have seen the fearlessly openly gay and unapologetically crass movie Bottoms—that Sennott co-wrote with her creative partner and appeared in alongside close companion The Bear’s standout—can already know that she has plenty to say, be it on roles, sex, or the merits of creating a high-school fight club. And, by the end her recent eight-part HBO series I Love LA, viewers realize that the star carries further perspectives regarding the darker side of young adulthood (At 30, she represents an honorary member for this generation, on the cusp with a knack for connecting millennials and Gen Z).
Inspirations and Artistic Direction
Likenesses to Lena Dunham’s Girls naturally arise and Sennott admits to being an admirer, naming it in addition to Sex and the City, Issa Rae’s show and Atlanta as inspirations for I Love LA, which follows the struggles of a social media star played by Odessa A’Zion and close companion and new agent portrayed by Sennott. However, the biggest influence on the moodboard was reserved for the HBO series, that HBO sitcom focusing on an emerging A-list actor navigating in a corrupt LA scene (memorable line: “only the unsuccessful find joy here”). Sennott started watching it throughout lockdown, became “obsessed”, and resolved to put her own twist on it “targeting women and LGBTQ+ viewers”.
“I sought to highlight online platforms as the new industry, since my professional journey launched there,” she explains. The concept for the series emerged—to some extent—from personal, originally fractious, transition to LA and from the cosmic event, a frequently discussed phenomenon for enthusiasts. That period marked a time that included her understand significant life lessons, in her career 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 resembled a series of extreme challenges…”
Starting Out
Raised in Connecticut, the star started writing and performing comedy while studying performance at a prestigious arts school. “Despite trying every conventional route, I couldn’t find my footing,” she explains. “Every campus humor group turned me down after tryouts.” “Theatre productions at school also didn’t accept me. “I wondered why I was even there at all.”
She decided to act independently, taking the stage at amateur nights with Ayo and sharing hysterical (and decidedly) weird online content on the internet. One, Baby Cult, centered on characters fetishistically drawn to pregnancy; another envisioned working at a trendy retail outlet as akin to being trapped in a scary movie. In a neat twist of fate, she connected with Seligman through NYU’s movie community and ultimately featuring in her first film, Shiva Baby, a tense dramedy set at a Jewish wake with shades of the intense thriller. The central motif of her journey, she notes, has been people her own age giving her a shot, as opposed to traditional networks. So the old guard wasn’t helpful? “Not the gatekeepers”, she repeats, adding with a laugh: “Our victory isn’t their goal.”
Rising Success
Individuals who had doubts about her previously will likely be regretting it currently. As part of she describes as a “wild, full-circle” development, she seems to have created her dream vehicle. A few years back she shared a video named “it’s LA” on social media, in which she parodied movie previews (“I’m addicted to drugs – we all are”). Now, she’s a lead creator (with her partner) of a show about LA residents managing advantages of internet fame (such as partying at a famous actor’s house) with its pitfalls (your friend being suspected of being a drug-addled criminal, and potentially becoming a “brand unsafe” persona non grata). One might simple to make a program about online fame that was extremely aspirational—or, more problematic, one that punched down at those depicted. I Love LA steers clear of each, creating a depiction of affluent young adult life that’s candid about the mess and the appeal.
Balanced Perspective
“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
