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Rachel Sennott enters the online meeting and at once begins an excuse. “Apologies for the delay!” she states, seeming really apologetic. Although she's only slightly delayed, she needs to clarify. “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, during an interview, this is precisely what is ideal to experience. Besides, it’s pretty expected. Anyone familiar with her boldly openly gay and outspoken project Bottoms—which she collaborated on with her creative partner and appeared in together with collaborator The Bear’s standout—would already know that she has a lot to say, ranging from on gender, intimacy, or the merits of starting a high-school brawl society. Furthermore, after watching the latest seasonal program titled I Love LA, it is clear that she has additional perspectives about the struggles of young adulthood (As a millennial, Sennott represents a relatable figure to younger audiences, on the cusp adept for bridging both generations).

Inspirations and Artistic Direction

Parallels to the iconic series Girls are inevitable and the actress admits to being enthusiastic, naming it together with the classic series, Insecure and the innovative program as influences for I Love LA, which details the journey of an influencer Tallulah and ally and new representative Maia. However, the largest influence on concept was reserved for Entourage, the HBO sitcom focusing on an emerging Hollywood star making his way in a gritty LA scene (choice quote: “nobody’s happy in this town except for the losers”). Sennott began viewing it during COVID-19, became “hooked”, and resolved to add a fresh perspective on it “targeting women and LGBTQ+ viewers”.

“I sought to highlight online platforms as the new industry, since my professional journey launched there,” she explains. The inspiration for I Love LA emerged—partly—from personal, at first difficult, relocation to LA and from her astrological phase, a frequently discussed phenomenon for astrology heads. It was a phase that saw her grasp significant insights, in her career and in private life. “During my younger years, I was chaotic, often breaking down in public,” she recalls. “After relocating to Los Angeles in my mid-twenties, I found stability, only for things to crumble. It was almost like these biblical tests …”

Starting Out

Brought up in New England, the star began developing and showcasing humor while pursuing acting at NYU’s Tisch. “I followed traditional paths to get on stage, but nothing clicked,” she states. “Every campus humor group turned me down after tryouts.” 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.”

Sennott seized control, appearing at open mics with Ayo and posting hysterical (and distinctly) weird comedy videos on the internet. A particular video, titled Baby Cult, depicted characters intensely fixated on having babies; a different one portrayed being employed at a trendy retail outlet as akin to being caught in a scary movie. By chance, she met Seligman through the university’s film scene and eventually featuring in her first film, Shiva Baby, a tense dramedy set at a Jewish wake with echoes of the intense thriller. A recurring idea of her journey, she says, has been people her own age supporting her, instead of traditional networks. Does that mean bypassing the usual powers? “Not the gatekeepers”, she repeats, adding humorously: “They prefer we don’t succeed.”

Manifesting Dreams

Anyone who were skeptical about Sennott then will surely be regretting it today. Through she calls a “incredibly circular” development, she seems to have created the perfect project. Previously she posted content called on LA life on social media, in which she parodied Hollywood trailers (“Everyone’s hooked on something”). Now, she’s executive producer (with her partner) of a show about LA residents balancing the perks of internet fame (such as celebrating at Elijah Wood’s house) with downsides (your friend being accused of being a substance-abusing criminal, and possibly becoming a risky persona non grata). It would be tempting to create a series about digital influence that was extremely glamorous—or, even less favorable, one that punched down at those depicted. I Love LA does neither, making for a depiction of advantaged young adult life that’s honest 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