Rachel Sennott exploring her uproarious series about the chaotic allure of today's youth existence

The performer enters the video call and right away launches into an explanation. “Apologies for the delay!” she states, sounding truly remorseful. Although she's only a bit behind, she feels compelled to justify. “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 precisely what is ideal to experience. Moreover, it’s fairly expected. Those who have seen the unapologetically LGBTQ+ and outspoken movie Bottoms—that she co-wrote with Emma Seligman and appeared in alongside close companion Ayo Edebiri—would understand that Sennott holds plenty to say, whether about gender, relationships, or the appeal of creating a teen fight club. And, after watching the latest multi-episode show I Love LA, it becomes obvious that the star holds even more perspectives on the darker side of modern youth (At 30, Sennott serves as a bridge for this generation, on the cusp adept for straddling different age groups).

Inspirations and Creative Vision

Likenesses to the iconic series Girls are inevitable and the actress is a fan, referencing it alongside the classic series, Issa Rae’s show and Donald Glover’s series as influences for I Love LA, which details the journey of a social media star Tallulah and close companion and fledgling agent Maia. Notably, the most significant influence on the moodboard belonged to Entourage, the show depicting an emerging A-list actor making his way in a corrupt entertainment industry (choice quote: “nobody’s happy in this town except for the losers”). Sennott began viewing it throughout 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 says. The inspiration for I Love LA originated—partly—from personal, originally fractious, move to Los Angeles and from her saturn return, a much-talked-about phenomenon for enthusiasts. It was an era that involved her understand some big truths, work-wise and individually. “My twenties began with constant public emotional outbursts and disorganization,” she recalls. “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 …”

Humble Origins

Growing up in the East Coast, the star started developing and showcasing stand-up while enrolled in acting at NYU’s Tisch. “Despite trying every conventional route, I couldn’t find my footing,” she states. “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.”

She took matters into her own hands, appearing at live shows with Edebiri and sharing hilarious (and decidedly) weird online content on the internet. One, Baby Cult, centered on characters obsessively fixated on motherhood; another imagined being employed at a trendy retail outlet as akin to being trapped in a horror film. In a neat twist of fate, she met Emma through NYU’s movie community and ended up appearing in her initial project, Shiva Baby, a stressful film set at a funeral gathering with hints of Uncut Gems. The central motif of her journey, she notes, has been contemporaries supporting her, rather than the industry at large. Does that mean bypassing the usual powers? “They were not involved”, she repeats, stating amusedly: “Our victory isn’t their goal.”

Career Breakthrough

Those who questioned about Sennott earlier will certainly be regretting it currently. Through she describes as a “wild, full-circle” story, she appears to achieved her dream vehicle. Previously she shared a clip titled “it’s LA” on the internet, in which she lampooned film promos (“Everyone’s hooked on something”). Years later, she’s executive producer (with the co-writer) of a comedy about Angelenos managing the perks of online celebrity (such as socializing at a celebrity’s house) with its pitfalls (your friend being suspected of being a intoxicated thief, and perhaps becoming a unreliable outcast). One might simple to create a show about digital influence that was extremely idealized—or, even less favorable, one that punched down at the characters. I Love LA does neither, making for a representation of privileged twentysomething living that’s candid about the grot and the shine.

Nuanced Portrayal

“Many programs portray youth and online life with disdain and mockery,” 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