The actress and writer on the side-splitting series about the chaotic appeal of younger generation life
The performer appears on the online meeting and right away begins an explanation. “I can’t believe I’m late!” she says, seeming really remorseful. Although she's only a bit delayed, she wants to justify. “My phone conversations always run long.” “Earlier calls made me late—I just can’t stop chatting!” Fortunately, during an interview, this is exactly what you want to experience. Moreover, it’s fairly predictable. Those familiar with the fearlessly openly gay and outspoken film titled Bottoms—which Sennott co-wrote with Emma Seligman and appeared in alongside close companion Ayo Edebiri—can already know that she possesses much to share, ranging from about identity, sex, or the merits of starting a youth combat group. Plus, once you finish the latest eight-part show I Love LA, it becomes obvious that she holds further perspectives on the challenges of young adulthood (As a millennial, she is a bridge to younger audiences, a tale-end millennial with a knack for straddling millennials and Gen Z).
Inspirations and Storytelling Approach
Parallels to Lena Dunham’s Girls naturally arise and Sennott admits to being enthusiastic, citing it in addition to the HBO hit, the acclaimed comedy and the innovative program as influences for the project, which details the travails of an influencer Tallulah and close companion and new agent portrayed by Sennott. However, the most significant influence on the moodboard belonged to Entourage, that show focusing on an up-and-coming Hollywood star making his way in an often-seedy entertainment industry (choice quote: “only the unsuccessful find joy here”). She discovered it amid COVID-19, became “captivated”, and decided to put her own twist on it “with female and queer audiences in mind”.
“I sought to highlight online platforms as the new industry, since my professional journey launched there,” she notes. The concept for this project originated—to some extent—from personal, initially fractious, move to Los Angeles and from the cosmic event, a much-talked-about event for followers. It was a time that saw her learn significant life lessons, professionally and personally. “My twenties began with constant public emotional outbursts and disorganization,” she recalls. “Settling in LA during my mid-twenties brought calm, but soon everything unraveled.” It was almost like these biblical tests …”
Starting Out
Brought up in New England, the star commenced writing and performing humor while pursuing theatre at New York University (NYU) Tisch School of the Arts. “I followed traditional paths to get on stage, but nothing clicked,” she explains. “I tried out for all the NYU comedy groups, and got rejected from all of them. “Theatre productions at school also didn’t accept me. “I wondered why I was even there at all.”
Sennott took matters into her own hands, performing at amateur nights with her friend and sharing hilarious (and decidedly) weird skits digitally. A particular video, titled Baby Cult, depicted a group of women intensely obsessed with having babies; another envisioned working at the preppy clothing store Hollister as akin to being stuck in a scary movie. By chance, she connected with Emma through NYU’s movie community and eventually appearing in her first film, Shiva Baby, an anxious dramedy set at a funeral gathering with shades of Uncut Gems. The big theme of her path, she explains, has been contemporaries giving her a shot, instead of established gatekeepers. So, not the gatekeepers, then? “They were not involved”, she repeats, stating with a laugh: “They prefer we don’t succeed.”
Manifesting Dreams
Those who had doubts regarding her then will surely be kicking themselves currently. In what she calls a “incredibly circular” turn of events, she has manifested her dream vehicle. A few years back she shared content titled “it’s LA” on social media, in which she lampooned film promos (“I’m addicted to drugs – we all are”). Years later, she’s executive producer (with her partner) of a comedy about Angelenos balancing the perks of internet fame (such as celebrating at Elijah Wood’s house) with drawbacks (your client being accused of being a intoxicated thief, and perhaps becoming a “brand unsafe” pariah). It would be tempting to create a series about online fame that was overly aspirational—or, even less favorable, one that punched down at its subjects. The series does neither, resulting in a portrait of privileged twentysomething existence that’s frank about the mess and the appeal.
Nuanced Portrayal
“There have been a lot of shows that depict young people and their relationship to the internet in this very condescending, hateful way,” 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
