The star joins the online meeting and at once begins an apology. “Oh my God – I’m sorry!” she says, seeming truly apologetic. Despite being only a bit delayed, she needs to justify. “I tend to talk too much during calls. “Previous discussions went over, and I realized I talk too much!” Thankfully, in this context, this is just what is ideal to encounter. Additionally, it’s pretty unsurprising. Those familiar with her unapologetically queer and unapologetically crass project Bottoms—that she collaborated on with the director and starred in alongside her friend Ayo Edebiri—can understand that she holds plenty to share, be it on identity, intimacy, or the merits of forming a youth combat group. Furthermore, by the end her latest seasonal show I Love LA, it becomes obvious that she holds additional perspectives on the darker side of Gen Z life (As a millennial, she represents an honorary member for this generation, on the cusp adept for straddling different age groups).
Influences and Creative Vision
Likenesses to the iconic series Girls naturally arise and Sennott is enthusiastic, referencing it in addition to Sex and the City, Issa Rae’s show and the innovative program as influences for her series, which tracks the journey of online personality Tallulah and ally who is also new talent manager Maia. Perhaps, the biggest presence on creative vision was reserved for the HBO series, the HBO sitcom about a rising Hollywood star succeeding in a corrupt LA scene (choice quote: “nobody’s happy in this town except for the losers”). She discovered it throughout COVID-19, became “hooked”, and decided to put her own twist on it “with female and queer audiences in mind”.
“I sought to highlight online platforms as the new industry, since my professional journey launched there,” she says. The inspiration for I Love LA originated—to some extent—from personal, at first rocky, relocation to Tinseltown and from her astrological phase, a popular phenomenon for enthusiasts. That period marked a phase that saw her grasp significant life lessons, professionally and individually. “During my younger years, I was chaotic, often breaking down in public,” 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 resembled a series of extreme challenges…”
Humble Origins
Growing up in Connecticut, the star commenced writing and performing comedy while pursuing acting at a prestigious arts school. “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.” “It left me questioning my purpose and place.”
She seized control, taking the stage at amateur nights with Ayo and sharing hysterical (and distinctly) bizarre comedy videos digitally. A particular video, Baby Cult, centered on several females intensely fixated on motherhood; another imagined working at the preppy clothing store Hollister as akin to being caught in a scary movie. In a neat twist of fate, she met Emma through the university’s film scene and ultimately starring in her directorial debut, Shiva Baby, a tense dramedy set at a Jewish wake with hints of the intense thriller. A recurring idea of her journey, she notes, has been peers giving her a shot, as opposed to established gatekeepers. Does that mean bypassing the usual powers? “Definitely not them”, she confirms, adding amusedly: “They prefer we don’t succeed.”
Rising Success
Those who questioned about her then will surely be feeling foolish today. Through she calls a “incredibly circular” story, she seems to have achieved an ideal role. A few years back she uploaded a video named on LA life on the internet, in which she parodied Hollywood trailers (“Substance abuse is rampant here”). Years later, she’s executive producer (with the co-writer) of a show about Angelenos juggling advantages of internet fame (such as partying at a celebrity’s house) with downsides (your client being accused of being a substance-abusing criminal, and possibly becoming a unreliable outcast). It would be tempting to make a series about internet celebrity that was extremely aspirational—or, even less favorable, one that mocked at the characters. I Love LA steers clear of each, making for a depiction of advantaged young adult existence that’s candid about the grot and the glamour.
Balanced Perspective
“Many programs portray youth and online life with disdain and mockery,” 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
