The performer appears on the video call and right away begins an explanation. “Oh my God – I’m sorry!” she says, appearing genuinely apologetic. Although she's only slightly delayed, she needs to explain. “I tend to talk too much during calls. I had two calls before this, and I’m like, I’ve gotta stop talking!” Fortunately, in this context, that’s just what is ideal to hear. Additionally, it’s pretty expected. Anyone familiar with the boldly queer and unapologetically crass movie titled Bottoms—which Sennott co-wrote with Emma Seligman and featured in alongside collaborator Ayo Edebiri—can understand that she has a lot to say, be it on roles, relationships, or the pros of starting a teen brawl society. Plus, by the end her latest multi-episode program I Love LA, it is clear that she has additional thoughts regarding the darker side of modern youth (At 30, she is a relatable figure to younger audiences, on the cusp skilled for straddling different age groups).
Influences and Artistic Direction
Parallels to Lena Dunham’s Girls naturally arise and Sennott readily acknowledges a fan, naming it alongside Sex and the City, the acclaimed comedy and the innovative program as inspirations for her series, which tracks the journey of a social media star played by Odessa A’Zion and close companion and fledgling talent manager Maia. Perhaps, the biggest spot on concept belonged to the HBO series, the show depicting a rising celebrity navigating in a gritty Hollywood (memorable line: “only the unsuccessful find joy here”). Sennott started watching it amid lockdown, became “captivated”, 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 says. The concept for the series emerged—to some extent—from her own, originally fractious, relocation to Tinseltown and from the cosmic event, a frequently discussed event for astrology heads. It was an era that saw her grasp major truths, professionally 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 resembled a series of extreme challenges…”
Humble Origins
Brought up in the East Coast, Sennott started creating and acting humor while studying theatre at a prestigious arts school. “I went through all the proper channels to try to perform, and they weren’t gelling,” 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 took matters into her own hands, taking the stage at open mics with Ayo and sharing hysterical (and decidedly) unconventional comedy videos online. One, titled Baby Cult, centered on several females obsessively obsessed with pregnancy; another imagined working at the preppy clothing store Hollister as like being trapped in a thriller. In a neat twist of fate, she met Emma through campus film circles and ultimately starring in her first film, Shiva Baby, an anxious comedy set at a Jewish wake with hints of the intense thriller. The central motif of her journey, she notes, has been contemporaries supporting her, instead of established gatekeepers. Does that mean bypassing the usual powers? “They were not involved”, she confirms, stating with a laugh: “Our victory isn’t their goal.”
Manifesting Dreams
Anyone who had doubts about Sennott previously will likely be regretting it currently. As part of she describes as a “astonishingly complete” story, she appears to achieved her dream vehicle. A few years back she uploaded a clip called about Los Angeles online, in which she lampooned film promos (“I’m addicted to drugs – we all are”). Now, she’s the co-showrunner (with Emma Barrie) of a series about LA residents balancing advantages of digital stardom (such as socializing at a celebrity’s house) with its pitfalls (your friend being labeled as being a substance-abusing thief, and possibly becoming a risky persona non grata). It would be tempting to create a show about internet celebrity that was extremely idealized—or, worse, one that punched down at those depicted. I Love LA steers clear of each, creating a depiction of affluent twentysomething living that’s candid about the grot and the shine.
Empathetic Approach
“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
