The actress and writer discussing her hilarious show depicting that messy appeal of Gen Z existence
The star enters the digital interview and right away begins an excuse. “Oh my God – I’m sorry!” she states, appearing really regretful. She is only slightly behind, she feels compelled to clarify. “I have such a problem, because I’m a yapper on the phone. I had two calls before this, and I’m like, I’ve gotta stop talking!” Luckily, during an interview, this is exactly what is ideal to experience. Additionally, it’s quite predictable. Those who have seen her fearlessly queer and outspoken project titled Bottoms—which she collaborated on with Emma Seligman and starred in together with her friend Ayo Edebiri—will understand that she possesses much to say, whether on gender, sex, or the appeal of forming a high-school brawl society. Plus, once you finish her new seasonal show I Love LA, viewers realize that she has further insights on the struggles of modern youth (Now in her thirties, Sennott represents a bridge of the gang, on the cusp with a knack for connecting both generations).
Inspirations and Storytelling Approach
Likenesses to the iconic series Girls can’t be avoided and the actress readily acknowledges enthusiastic, referencing the show in addition to Sex and the City, Issa Rae’s show and Donald Glover’s series as guides for the project, which details the travails of a social media star played by Odessa A’Zion and close companion and new representative portrayed by Sennott. Notably, the largest spot on creative vision was reserved for the popular sitcom, that show depicting a rising celebrity succeeding in an often-seedy entertainment industry (memorable line: “only the unsuccessful find joy here”). Sennott discovered it during COVID-19, became “obsessed”, and chose to create a new version on it “targeting women and LGBTQ+ viewers”.
“I wanted to make a show where the internet, not Hollywood, was the industry, because my career started online,” she notes. The idea for the series emerged—in part—from firsthand, initially difficult, transition to LA and from the cosmic event, a popular phenomenon for enthusiasts. This represented a phase that saw her understand major truths, in her career and in private life. “My twenties began with constant public emotional outbursts and disorganization,” she says. “After relocating to Los Angeles in my mid-twenties, I found stability, only for things to crumble. “The struggles felt almost mythic in scale…”
Starting Out
Raised in the East Coast, Sennott started creating and acting humor while enrolled in performance at NYU’s Tisch. “I went through all the proper channels to try to perform, and they weren’t gelling,” she says. “Auditions for university comedy troupes led to universal rejection. “None of the university plays cast me either.” And I just felt like, what am I doing here?”
She took matters into her own hands, taking the stage at amateur nights with Ayo and uploading hilarious (and very) unconventional online content digitally. One, titled Baby Cult, followed characters obsessively drawn to having babies; a different one portrayed being employed at a trendy retail outlet as similar to being stuck in a thriller. Interestingly, she encountered Emma through NYU’s movie community and ultimately featuring in her directorial debut, titled Shiva Baby, a tense dramedy set at a religious event with echoes of the intense thriller. A recurring idea of her path, she notes, has been people her own age offering opportunities, instead of established gatekeepers. So, not the gatekeepers, then? “Not the gatekeepers”, she emphasizes, adding humorously: “Our victory isn’t their goal.”
Manifesting Dreams
Those who were skeptical about her previously will certainly be kicking themselves today. In what she calls a “incredibly circular” story, she seems to have created an ideal role. Previously she posted a video titled “it’s LA” on the internet, in which she parodied movie previews (“I’m addicted to drugs – we all are”). Now, she’s executive producer (with the co-writer) of a comedy about city dwellers balancing benefits of digital stardom (such as partying at a celebrity’s house) with its pitfalls (your client being suspected of being a intoxicated thief, and perhaps becoming a “brand unsafe” outcast). One might tempting to produce a program about digital influence that was horribly glamorous—or, even less favorable, one that punched down at the characters. The series avoids both, resulting in a representation of advantaged millennial living that’s honest about the chaos and the glamour.
Balanced Perspective
“Many programs portray youth and online life with disdain and mockery,” 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