The actress and writer exploring the uproarious series portraying the chaotic appeal of Gen Z existence
The star joins the online meeting and at once starts an excuse. “Apologies for the delay!” she exclaims, sounding really apologetic. She is only slightly behind, she wants to justify. “My phone conversations always run long.” I had two calls before this, and I’m like, I’ve gotta stop talking!” Luckily, in this context, that’s just what you want to encounter. Moreover, it’s fairly predictable. Viewers who have seen the fearlessly queer and outspoken project Bottoms—which she collaborated on with Emma Seligman and starred in alongside collaborator the talented actress—will understand that Sennott holds plenty to discuss, whether about identity, intimacy, or the merits of forming a youth brawl society. Plus, by the end her recent multi-episode program I Love LA, it is clear that the star holds even more thoughts on the darker side of young adulthood (At 30, she represents a relatable figure of the gang, on the cusp skilled for connecting different age groups).
Inspirations and Artistic Direction
Parallels to Lena Dunham’s groundbreaking show naturally arise and Sennott is an admirer, referencing it together with the classic series, the acclaimed comedy and Donald Glover’s series as influences for the project, which details the journey of an influencer played by Odessa A’Zion and her friend and new agent Sennott’s character. Perhaps, the most significant influence on creative vision went to the HBO series, the HBO sitcom depicting a rising A-list actor making his way in a gritty Hollywood (choice quote: “nobody’s happy in this town except for the losers”). Sennott began viewing it during the pandemic, became “obsessed”, and resolved to create a new version on it “with female and queer audiences in mind”.
“My aim was to focus on digital fame over traditional entertainment, as my own beginnings were on the web,” she says. The idea for the series originated—partly—from her own, initially difficult, relocation to Los Angeles and from her saturn return, a popular phenomenon for enthusiasts. That period marked a phase that involved her understand major truths, work-wise 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 resembled a series of extreme challenges…”
Starting Out
Raised in Connecticut, Sennott began developing and showcasing stand-up while studying theatre at NYU’s Tisch. “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. “It left me questioning my purpose and place.”
She seized control, appearing at open mics with Ayo and sharing hilarious (and very) unconventional skits digitally. A particular video, Baby Cult, followed a group of women obsessively obsessed with pregnancy; a different one portrayed being employed at the preppy clothing store Hollister as like being stuck in a scary movie. By chance, she encountered Emma through NYU’s movie community and ultimately appearing in her directorial debut, Shiva Baby, a stressful dramedy set at a Jewish wake with hints of the intense thriller. The big theme of her journey, she explains, has been people her own age giving her a shot, rather than traditional networks. So the old guard wasn’t helpful? “Definitely not them”, she confirms, continuing with a laugh: “Our victory isn’t their goal.”
Rising Success
Those who questioned regarding Sennott then will surely be feeling foolish now. Through she describes as a “wild, full-circle” turn of events, she seems to have manifested her dream vehicle. A few years back she posted a video titled “it’s LA” online, in which she lampooned Hollywood trailers (“I’m addicted to drugs – we all are”). Six years on, she’s a lead creator (with her partner) of a comedy about LA residents managing benefits of internet fame (such as socializing at a celebrity’s house) with its pitfalls (your associate being accused of being a drug-addled criminal, and perhaps becoming a risky persona non grata). It would be easy to create a program about online fame that was extremely aspirational—or, worse, one that punched down at the characters. The series does neither, making for a depiction of advantaged twentysomething existence that’s frank about the mess and the glamour.
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
