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The star enters the digital interview and immediately starts an excuse. “Apologies for the delay!” she exclaims, sounding really apologetic. Although she's only a bit late, she wants 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!” Luckily, for a writer, that’s exactly what is ideal to experience. Additionally, it’s quite unsurprising. Those who have seen her boldly queer and brash film titled Bottoms—that Sennott collaborated on with the director and starred in with collaborator the talented actress—will understand that she holds a lot to discuss, whether about gender, intimacy, or the appeal of starting a teen brawl society. Furthermore, by the end the latest multi-episode show I Love LA, it becomes obvious that the star holds additional insights about the challenges of young adulthood (As a millennial, Sennott represents a bridge to younger audiences, on the cusp with a knack for bridging both generations).

Guiding Lights and Creative Vision

Likenesses to Lena Dunham’s Girls can’t be avoided and the actress admits to being enthusiastic, referencing the show together with the classic series, Insecure and Donald Glover’s series as guides for the project, which follows the struggles of a social media star played by Odessa A’Zion and close companion who is also fledgling representative Maia. Perhaps, the largest spot on concept went to Entourage, the HBO sitcom depicting a rising A-list actor making his way in a corrupt entertainment industry (notable statement: “nobody’s happy in this town except for the losers”). Sennott discovered it throughout lockdown, became “hooked”, and resolved to add a fresh perspective on it “for the girls and the gays”.

“I sought to highlight online platforms as the new industry, since my professional journey launched there,” she notes. The inspiration for I Love LA originated—to some extent—from firsthand, at first fractious, relocation to LA and from the astrological phase, a frequently discussed occurrence for enthusiasts. That period marked a phase that involved her learn significant insights, work-wise and individually. “In my early 20s I was so messy, crying in public everywhere, all the time,” she says. “Settling in LA during my mid-twenties brought calm, but soon everything unraveled.” “It resembled a series of extreme challenges…”

Starting Out

Raised in the East Coast, Sennott began creating and acting stand-up while pursuing performance at a prestigious arts school. “I followed traditional paths to get on stage, but nothing clicked,” she explains. “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 decided to act independently, appearing at live shows with her friend and uploading hysterical (and decidedly) weird skits on the internet. One, Baby Cult, centered on several females obsessively obsessed with motherhood; another envisioned being employed at the preppy clothing store Hollister as like being stuck in a horror film. In a neat twist of fate, she connected with Emma through NYU’s movie community and eventually featuring in her directorial debut, titled Shiva Baby, a tense comedy set at a funeral gathering with echoes of the Safdie brothers’ movie. The big theme of her journey, she says, has been people her own age supporting her, rather than traditional networks. So, not the gatekeepers, then? “Not the gatekeepers”, she repeats, continuing humorously: “They prefer we don’t succeed.”

Manifesting Dreams

Individuals who were skeptical regarding her then will surely be kicking themselves today. Through she calls a “astonishingly complete” development, she seems to have achieved the perfect project. In 2019 she shared content named “it’s LA” on social media, in which she parodied Hollywood trailers (“Substance abuse is rampant here”). Now, she’s the co-showrunner (with the co-writer) of a comedy about LA residents managing the perks of online celebrity (such as partying at Elijah Wood’s house) with its pitfalls (your friend being accused of being a drug-addled thief, and potentially becoming a risky persona non grata). Some could easy to create a program about internet celebrity that was overly glamorous—or, worse, one that mocked at the characters. This show steers clear of each, making for a representation of advantaged young adult living that’s honest about the grot and the shine.

Nuanced Portrayal

“Numerous series present younger generations and digital culture in a derogatory manner,” she comments. “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