The star appears on the video call and right away begins an excuse. “Apologies for the delay!” she states, sounding truly regretful. Despite being only a bit late, she feels compelled to explain. “I tend to talk too much during calls. “Previous discussions went over, and I realized I talk too much!” Fortunately, for a writer, this is exactly what one hopes to experience. Besides, it’s quite unsurprising. Viewers who have seen her boldly queer and unapologetically crass project Bottoms—which Sennott collaborated on with Emma Seligman and appeared in alongside close companion Ayo Edebiri—will be aware that she possesses a lot to discuss, whether about identity, intimacy, or the pros of creating a youth combat group. And, once you finish her recent multi-episode program I Love LA, it is clear that the star holds even more thoughts about the struggles of modern youth (As a millennial, she serves as a relatable figure for this generation, a tale-end millennial adept for bridging millennials and Gen Z).
Inspirations and Storytelling Approach
Parallels to the iconic series Girls are inevitable and the actress admits to being a fan, referencing the show alongside the classic series, Issa Rae’s show and the innovative program as influences for her series, which tracks the journey of an influencer played by Odessa A’Zion and her friend and aspiring agent Maia. Perhaps, the most significant influence on creative vision belonged to the popular sitcom, the program focusing on a rising celebrity navigating in a gritty entertainment industry (choice quote: “nobody’s happy in this town except for the losers”). She began viewing it during lockdown, became “hooked”, and resolved to put her own twist on it “for the girls and the gays”.
“I sought to highlight online platforms as the new industry, since my professional journey launched there,” she notes. The idea for I Love LA emerged—partly—from her own, at first fractious, transition to Los Angeles and from the astrological phase, a popular occurrence for followers. It was a phase that saw her understand major life lessons, work-wise and personally. “During my younger years, I was chaotic, often breaking down in public,” she admits. “After relocating to Los Angeles in my mid-twenties, I found stability, only for things to crumble. “The struggles felt almost mythic in scale…”
Humble Origins
Raised in the East Coast, the star commenced developing and showcasing comedy 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 says. “Auditions for university comedy troupes led to universal rejection. “None of the university plays cast me either.” And I just felt like, what am I doing here?”
She seized control, appearing at amateur nights with her friend and sharing hysterical (and very) bizarre comedy videos online. One, titled Baby Cult, followed characters intensely drawn to having babies; another portrayed being employed at the preppy clothing store Hollister as akin to being trapped in a thriller. Interestingly, she encountered Emma through the university’s film scene and ended up appearing in her first film, titled Shiva Baby, a tense dramedy set at a religious event with shades of the Safdie brothers’ movie. The big theme of her career, she notes, has been contemporaries supporting her, rather than established gatekeepers. So the old guard wasn’t helpful? “Not the gatekeepers”, she repeats, stating humorously: “Our victory isn’t their goal.”
Manifesting Dreams
Individuals who had doubts about her then will certainly be feeling foolish now. Through she labels a “incredibly circular” turn of events, she appears to achieved her dream vehicle. Previously she posted content titled on LA life on social media, in which she lampooned film promos (“I’m addicted to drugs – we all are”). Now, she’s the co-showrunner (with Emma Barrie) of a show about Angelenos balancing benefits of internet fame (such as celebrating at Elijah Wood’s house) with its pitfalls (your associate being suspected of being a substance-abusing thief, and possibly becoming a unreliable persona non grata). Some could simple to make a show about internet celebrity that was overly idealized—or, worse, one that punched down at the characters. The series avoids both, creating a representation of privileged young adult living that’s honest about the chaos and the shine.
Nuanced Portrayal
“Numerous series present younger generations and digital culture in a derogatory manner,” she observes. “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
