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The star joins the digital interview and at once starts an apology. “I can’t believe I’m late!” she exclaims, sounding really regretful. She is only slightly late, she needs to clarify. “I have such a problem, because I’m a yapper on the phone. “Previous discussions went over, and I realized I talk too much!” Thankfully, in this context, this is exactly what one hopes to hear. Besides, it’s fairly unsurprising. Viewers who have seen the unapologetically LGBTQ+ and brash film Bottoms—which Sennott collaborated on with her creative partner and starred in with close companion the talented actress—will already know that Sennott possesses a lot to say, ranging from on identity, relationships, or the merits of creating a high-school brawl society. Furthermore, once you finish her latest eight-part HBO series titled I Love LA, it becomes obvious that the star carries even more perspectives on the challenges of modern youth (As a millennial, Sennott is an honorary member to younger audiences, a tale-end millennial adept for bridging both generations).

Guiding Lights and Storytelling Approach

The comparisons to Lena Dunham’s groundbreaking show are inevitable and the actress readily acknowledges an admirer, referencing it together with Sex and the City, the acclaimed comedy and Donald Glover’s series as inspirations for her series, which details the travails of a social media star Tallulah and close companion who is also new agent Maia. Notably, the largest influence on the moodboard was reserved for Entourage, the program about a rising Hollywood star navigating in a gritty entertainment industry (choice quote: “only the unsuccessful find joy here”). Sennott discovered it amid COVID-19, became “hooked”, and chose to put her own twist 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 explains. The concept for I Love LA originated—in part—from personal, initially fractious, relocation to Los Angeles and from the saturn return, a popular phenomenon for astrology heads. That period marked an era that included her learn some big truths, professionally and in private life. “In my early 20s I was so messy, crying in public everywhere, all the time,” she recalls. “After relocating to Los Angeles in my mid-twenties, I found stability, only for things to crumble. It was almost like these biblical tests …”

Humble Origins

Brought up in the East Coast, Sennott started creating and acting comedy 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 states. “I tried out for all the NYU comedy groups, and got rejected from all of them. “Theatre productions at school also didn’t accept me. “It left me questioning my purpose and place.”

She seized control, appearing at live shows with her friend and sharing hysterical (and distinctly) weird comedy videos on the internet. One, titled Baby Cult, centered on characters fetishistically drawn to motherhood; another envisioned working at the preppy clothing store Hollister as like being stuck in a scary movie. In a neat twist of fate, she encountered Emma through NYU’s movie community and ended up featuring in her initial project, titled Shiva Baby, a tense film set at a Jewish wake with hints of the intense thriller. A recurring idea of her path, she explains, has been peers supporting her, rather than traditional networks. So the old guard wasn’t helpful? “Definitely not them”, she repeats, stating with a laugh: “They don’t want us to win.”

Manifesting Dreams

Those who had doubts regarding her earlier will surely be feeling foolish currently. In what she describes as a “wild, full-circle” story, she has manifested an ideal role. Previously she posted a video called “it’s LA” on social media, in which she parodied Hollywood trailers (“I’m addicted to drugs – we all are”). Years later, she’s executive producer (with her partner) of a series about city dwellers managing the perks of internet fame (such as celebrating at a famous actor’s house) with its pitfalls (your associate being labeled as being a substance-abusing stealer, and possibly becoming a unreliable outcast). One might easy to make a program about online fame that was extremely aspirational—or, worse, one that punched down at its subjects. The series avoids both, making for a portrait of advantaged young adult existence that’s frank about the grot and the appeal.

Nuanced Portrayal

“There have been a lot of shows that depict young people and their relationship to the internet in this very condescending, hateful way,” 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