Rachel Sennott on her uproarious show about that messy allure of Gen Z existence

The star appears on the video call and at once begins an excuse. “Apologies for the delay!” she says, appearing genuinely remorseful. Despite being only slightly delayed, 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!” Thankfully, in this context, that’s just what one hopes to hear. Besides, it’s fairly unsurprising. Those who have seen the boldly openly gay and unapologetically crass film Bottoms—that Sennott co-wrote with the director and featured in alongside her friend Ayo Edebiri—can be aware that Sennott holds plenty to share, whether about identity, sex, or the pros of forming a youth combat group. Plus, after watching her recent multi-episode HBO series I Love LA, it is clear that she holds additional thoughts regarding the struggles of modern youth (As a millennial, Sennott represents an honorary member to younger audiences, a tale-end millennial adept for straddling millennials and Gen Z).

Inspirations and Storytelling Approach

Likenesses to the iconic series Girls can’t be avoided and Sennott admits to being enthusiastic, citing the show together with Sex and the City, Insecure and the innovative program as inspirations for her series, which follows the struggles of online personality Tallulah and close companion who is also new talent manager Maia. Perhaps, the biggest influence on concept was reserved for Entourage, that program depicting a rising celebrity succeeding in a corrupt Hollywood (choice quote: “happiness eludes everyone but failures in this city”). Sennott began viewing it amid lockdown, became “hooked”, and decided to put her own twist 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 idea for the series originated—in part—from personal, originally fractious, relocation to LA and from the cosmic event, a popular phenomenon for astrology heads. That period marked an era that involved her learn major truths, professionally and personally. “In my early 20s I was so messy, crying in public everywhere, all the time,” she admits. “Settling in LA during my mid-twenties brought calm, but soon everything unraveled.” It was almost like these biblical tests …”

Early Beginnings

Raised in New England, the star began writing and performing humor while enrolled in theatre at a prestigious arts school. “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. “Theatre productions at school also didn’t accept me. “I wondered why I was even there at all.”

Sennott took matters into her own hands, taking the stage at open mics with Edebiri and uploading hilarious (and distinctly) unconventional skits digitally. A particular video, titled Baby Cult, followed characters intensely obsessed with having babies; a different one imagined being employed at a trendy retail outlet as similar to being stuck in a horror film. In a neat twist of fate, she met Emma through the university’s film scene and eventually starring in her initial project, titled Shiva Baby, a tense comedy set at a funeral gathering with shades of the intense thriller. The big theme of her career, she says, has been contemporaries giving her a shot, instead of established gatekeepers. Does that mean bypassing the usual powers? “They were not involved”, she repeats, adding amusedly: “They prefer we don’t succeed.”

Rising Success

Individuals who were skeptical regarding Sennott then will likely be feeling foolish currently. Through she describes as a “incredibly circular” development, she has manifested an ideal role. Previously she uploaded a clip called “it’s LA” online, in which she lampooned movie previews (“Everyone’s hooked on something”). Six years on, she’s a lead creator (with the co-writer) of a show about Angelenos balancing benefits of digital stardom (such as celebrating at a celebrity’s house) with downsides (your associate being suspected of being a substance-abusing stealer, and possibly becoming a risky outcast). Some could simple to produce a series about internet celebrity that was overly aspirational—or, worse, one that punched down at its subjects. This show steers clear of each, making for a portrait of advantaged millennial existence that’s candid about the grot and the glamour.

Nuanced Portrayal

“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

Adrian Duncan
Adrian Duncan

A software engineer and tech writer passionate about AI ethics and open-source projects, with over a decade of industry experience.