The performer appears on the video call and at once starts an explanation. “Apologies for the delay!” she states, appearing really apologetic. Despite being only slightly behind, she wants to justify. “I have such a problem, because I’m a yapper on the phone. “Earlier calls made me late—I just can’t stop chatting!” Thankfully, for a writer, that’s just what is ideal to hear. Besides, it’s pretty predictable. Those who know the boldly queer and unapologetically crass project titled Bottoms—that Sennott collaborated on with her creative partner and appeared in together with collaborator The Bear’s standout—can already know that she possesses plenty to say, be it about roles, relationships, or the pros of starting a high-school fight club. And, by the end her latest multi-episode program I Love LA, it becomes obvious that the star has additional perspectives regarding the darker side of modern youth (As a millennial, she represents a relatable figure of the gang, a tale-end millennial skilled for connecting different age groups).
Influences and Storytelling Approach
Likenesses to Lena Dunham’s groundbreaking show naturally arise and Sennott admits to being a fan, referencing it in addition to the HBO hit, Issa Rae’s show and the innovative program as influences for her series, which tracks the journey of a social media star played by Odessa A’Zion and her friend and fledgling agent Sennott’s character. However, the most significant presence on the moodboard was reserved for Entourage, the show focusing on a rising celebrity succeeding in a corrupt LA scene (choice quote: “nobody’s happy in this town except for the losers”). Sennott began viewing it during lockdown, became “obsessed”, and resolved to create a new version 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 notes. The inspiration for this project emerged—partly—from her own, at first fractious, relocation to Los Angeles and from her astrological phase, a much-talked-about phenomenon for enthusiasts. That period marked an era that involved her learn significant life lessons, professionally and individually. “My twenties began with constant public emotional outbursts and disorganization,” she says. “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
Growing up in the East Coast, Sennott commenced creating and acting humor while pursuing theatre at a prestigious arts school. “Despite trying every conventional route, I couldn’t find my footing,” she says. “Auditions for university comedy troupes led to universal rejection. 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.”
Sennott seized control, performing at amateur nights with her friend and sharing hilarious (and distinctly) bizarre skits on the internet. A particular video, Baby Cult, centered on characters intensely obsessed with having babies; a different one envisioned working at the preppy clothing store Hollister as akin to being caught in a thriller. Interestingly, she met Seligman through the university’s film scene and ended up appearing in her initial project, Shiva Baby, a stressful film set at a religious event with echoes of the intense thriller. A recurring idea of her career, she says, has been peers supporting her, instead of established gatekeepers. Does that mean bypassing the usual powers? “Definitely not them”, she confirms, continuing with a laugh: “Our victory isn’t their goal.”
Manifesting Dreams
Anyone who questioned about her earlier will certainly be kicking themselves now. Through she calls a “wild, full-circle” development, she seems to have manifested her dream vehicle. A few years back she posted a video called “it’s LA” on social media, in which she mocked film promos (“Everyone’s hooked on something”). Six years on, she’s the co-showrunner (with the co-writer) of a series about LA residents managing benefits of internet fame (such as partying at Elijah Wood’s house) with its pitfalls (your associate being accused of being a intoxicated stealer, and perhaps becoming a risky pariah). One might tempting to produce a program about online fame that was horribly idealized—or, more problematic, one that belittled at the characters. I Love LA avoids both, making for a depiction of privileged young adult life that’s honest about the grot and the glamour.
Nuanced Portrayal
“Numerous series present younger generations and digital culture in a derogatory manner,” she comments. “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
