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Rachel Sennott appears on the video call and immediately launches into an excuse. “I can’t believe I’m late!” she exclaims, appearing truly remorseful. Although she's only a couple of minutes behind, she feels compelled 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!” Thankfully, for a writer, this is just what you want to encounter. Besides, it’s pretty unsurprising. Anyone familiar with her boldly LGBTQ+ and unapologetically crass movie titled Bottoms—which she collaborated on with her creative partner and starred in with collaborator the talented actress—will understand that Sennott holds much to say, ranging from on identity, intimacy, or the pros of creating a youth fight club. And, once you finish the recent multi-episode HBO series I Love LA, it becomes obvious that the star holds even more insights about the struggles of modern youth (As a millennial, she is a relatable figure for this generation, straddling eras adept for bridging different age groups).

Inspirations and Storytelling Approach

Likenesses to Lena Dunham’s groundbreaking show are inevitable and Sennott readily acknowledges an admirer, citing the show in addition to the classic series, the acclaimed comedy and Donald Glover’s series as guides for the project, which details the journey of online personality Tallulah and close companion who is also fledgling talent manager Maia. Notably, the most significant presence on creative vision went to the HBO series, that show depicting an emerging celebrity navigating in a corrupt LA scene (memorable line: “only the unsuccessful find joy here”). She discovered it amid COVID-19, became “hooked”, and chose to put her own twist 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 idea for I Love LA came—to some extent—from her own, initially fractious, transition to LA and from the cosmic event, a frequently discussed occurrence for enthusiasts. That period marked an era that included her grasp some big truths, professionally 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 was almost like these biblical tests …”

Starting Out

Brought up in New England, Sennott started developing and showcasing comedy while pursuing acting at New York University (NYU) Tisch School of the Arts. “I followed traditional paths to get on stage, but nothing clicked,” she says. “I tried out for all the NYU comedy groups, and got rejected from all of them. I tried out for all the NYU plays and didn’t make it into any of them. “I wondered why I was even there at all.”

She decided to act independently, appearing at live shows with Ayo and uploading hilarious (and very) bizarre skits on the internet. One, titled Baby Cult, depicted a group of women intensely drawn to pregnancy; a different one envisioned working at the preppy clothing store Hollister as similar to being caught in a scary movie. By chance, she encountered Emma through campus film circles and ultimately appearing in her directorial debut, titled Shiva Baby, a stressful comedy set at a funeral gathering with shades of Uncut Gems. The big theme of her path, she says, has been people her own age supporting her, instead of traditional networks. So the old guard wasn’t helpful? “Definitely not them”, she repeats, stating with a laugh: “They prefer we don’t succeed.”

Manifesting Dreams

Those who had doubts regarding Sennott earlier will likely be regretting it now. As part of she calls a “astonishingly complete” development, she has created an ideal role. A few years back she shared a video titled on LA life on social media, in which she mocked movie previews (“Substance abuse is rampant here”). Six years on, she’s the co-showrunner (with her partner) of a comedy about LA residents juggling advantages of internet fame (such as partying at Elijah Wood’s house) with its pitfalls (your client being accused of being a substance-abusing criminal, and potentially becoming a risky outcast). Some could easy to produce a show about online fame that was overly idealized—or, worse, one that punched down at the characters. I Love LA avoids both, resulting in a portrait of privileged young adult existence that’s frank about the mess 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