Rachel Sennott on the uproarious show depicting that chaotic glamour of Gen Z existence

The performer enters the online meeting and right away starts an excuse. “Oh my God – I’m sorry!” she says, seeming really remorseful. Although she's only slightly behind, she needs to clarify. “I tend to talk too much during calls. I had two calls before this, and I’m like, I’ve gotta stop talking!” Thankfully, during an interview, that’s just what you want to experience. Besides, it’s fairly expected. Those familiar with the unapologetically queer and brash film Bottoms—which Sennott collaborated on with Emma Seligman and appeared in alongside collaborator Ayo Edebiri—would already know that she has plenty to say, ranging from about roles, intimacy, or the appeal of creating a youth combat group. And, after watching the recent seasonal program titled I Love LA, it is clear that the star carries even more perspectives regarding the darker side of Gen Z life (As a millennial, Sennott is a relatable figure of the gang, straddling eras skilled for straddling millennials and Gen Z).

Influences and Artistic Direction

The comparisons to the iconic series Girls are inevitable and Sennott is a fan, citing the show in addition to the HBO hit, the acclaimed comedy and Donald Glover’s series as guides for the project, which details the journey of online personality played by Odessa A’Zion and ally who is also new talent manager Maia. However, the most significant spot on concept was reserved for Entourage, the HBO sitcom depicting an emerging celebrity making his way in a corrupt entertainment industry (memorable line: “only the unsuccessful find joy here”). She discovered it amid the pandemic, became “obsessed”, and decided to put her own twist on it “targeting women and LGBTQ+ viewers”.

“I sought to highlight online platforms as the new industry, since my professional journey launched there,” she notes. The idea for I Love LA originated—in part—from personal, originally fractious, transition to Los Angeles and from her astrological phase, a popular event for astrology heads. This represented a phase that saw her learn significant truths, in her career and personally. “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…”

Humble Origins

Growing up in the East Coast, the star started creating and acting humor while pursuing performance at New York University (NYU) Tisch School of the Arts. “I followed traditional paths to get on stage, but nothing clicked,” she explains. “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. And I just felt like, what am I doing here?”

Sennott seized control, taking the stage at live shows with her friend and sharing hysterical (and decidedly) weird online content online. A particular video, Baby Cult, followed several females obsessively obsessed with pregnancy; a different one envisioned being employed at the preppy clothing store Hollister as similar to being caught in a horror film. By chance, she connected with Seligman through campus film circles and eventually featuring in her directorial debut, Shiva Baby, a stressful comedy set at a religious event with echoes of the intense thriller. The big theme of her career, she explains, has been contemporaries offering opportunities, instead of the industry at large. Does that mean bypassing the usual powers? “Definitely not them”, she repeats, stating amusedly: “Our victory isn’t their goal.”

Manifesting Dreams

Those who were skeptical regarding Sennott then will likely be regretting it now. As part of she calls a “astonishingly complete” development, she has achieved an ideal role. Previously she shared a clip called on LA life online, in which she parodied film promos (“Everyone’s hooked on something”). Now, she’s the co-showrunner (with her partner) of a series about LA residents managing the perks of online celebrity (such as partying at Elijah Wood’s house) with downsides (your friend being accused of being a substance-abusing thief, and perhaps becoming a unreliable persona non grata). One might simple to make a show about internet celebrity that was extremely idealized—or, more problematic, one that punched down at the characters. I Love LA avoids both, resulting in a representation of privileged young adult existence that’s honest about the mess and the shine.

Empathetic Approach

“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

Charles Huffman
Charles Huffman

A cultural anthropologist and urban planner who writes about city dynamics and community engagement.