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The star enters the digital interview and immediately launches into an explanation. “Apologies for the delay!” she states, sounding truly apologetic. Despite being only slightly delayed, she feels compelled to clarify. “My phone conversations always run long.” “Earlier calls made me late—I just can’t stop chatting!” Luckily, in this context, this is just what you want to encounter. Besides, it’s pretty predictable. Viewers familiar with the fearlessly LGBTQ+ and unapologetically crass project Bottoms—which Sennott penned with Emma Seligman and starred in alongside collaborator the talented actress—would understand that Sennott has a lot to share, whether on identity, intimacy, or the merits of starting a teen fight club. And, after watching her new multi-episode program I Love LA, viewers realize that she has additional thoughts regarding the darker side of Gen Z life (Now in her thirties, Sennott represents a relatable figure of the gang, straddling eras with a knack for straddling different age groups).

Guiding Lights and Storytelling Approach

Parallels to the iconic series Girls are inevitable and Sennott is an admirer, referencing the show in addition to the HBO hit, Insecure and the innovative program as guides for the project, which details the struggles of an influencer Tallulah and ally and aspiring representative portrayed by Sennott. Notably, the largest presence on the moodboard was reserved for the HBO series, the HBO sitcom focusing on an emerging A-list actor making his way in a corrupt LA scene (notable statement: “nobody’s happy in this town except for the losers”). She began viewing it during lockdown, became “captivated”, and decided to create a new version on it “with female and queer audiences in mind”.

“I sought to highlight online platforms as the new industry, since my professional journey launched there,” she says. The concept for I Love LA emerged—to some extent—from her own, originally difficult, transition to Tinseltown and from her cosmic event, a frequently discussed event for enthusiasts. It was a time that saw her learn major insights, in her career 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…”

Starting Out

Brought up in New England, Sennott commenced developing and showcasing humor while studying acting at New York University (NYU) Tisch School of the Arts. “Despite trying every conventional route, I couldn’t find my footing,” 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. And I just felt like, what am I doing here?”

Sennott decided to act independently, appearing at open mics with Ayo and posting uproarious (and distinctly) unconventional skits online. A particular video, Baby Cult, depicted characters intensely obsessed with having babies; another envisioned working at a trendy retail outlet as akin to being caught in a scary movie. By chance, she met Emma through NYU’s movie community and ended up appearing in her initial project, Shiva Baby, an anxious comedy set at a Jewish wake with shades of Uncut Gems. The central motif of her career, she explains, has been people her own age supporting her, instead of the industry at large. Does that mean bypassing the usual powers? “Definitely not them”, she confirms, stating humorously: “Our victory isn’t their goal.”

Career Breakthrough

Those who questioned regarding her then will surely be kicking themselves today. Through she labels a “incredibly circular” story, she seems to have created the perfect project. Previously she posted a video called on LA life on social media, in which she lampooned movie previews (“Substance abuse is rampant here”). Years later, she’s executive producer (with the co-writer) of a show about city dwellers balancing the perks of online celebrity (such as socializing at a famous actor’s house) with drawbacks (your friend being suspected of being a drug-addled thief, and possibly becoming a “brand unsafe” persona non grata). Some could easy to produce a show about online fame that was horribly glamorous—or, more problematic, one that mocked at those depicted. This show does neither, creating a depiction of advantaged young adult living that’s candid about the grot and the appeal.

Empathetic Approach

“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