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The performer appears on the video call and immediately begins an apology. “Apologies for the delay!” she exclaims, seeming truly apologetic. Despite being only a bit delayed, she wants to justify. “I tend to talk too much during calls. “Previous discussions went over, and I realized I talk too much!” Thankfully, during an interview, that’s exactly what one hopes to experience. Besides, it’s fairly predictable. Those familiar with her fearlessly openly gay and outspoken project titled Bottoms—which Sennott penned with the director and appeared in alongside collaborator the talented actress—will understand that Sennott possesses plenty to discuss, be it on roles, relationships, or the appeal of creating a teen combat group. Furthermore, by the end her latest seasonal program I Love LA, it becomes obvious that the star has even more thoughts about the challenges of modern youth (As a millennial, Sennott represents a bridge for this generation, straddling eras with a knack for bridging both generations).

Influences and Artistic Direction

The comparisons to the iconic series Girls can’t be avoided and Sennott readily acknowledges an admirer, citing it together with the classic series, Insecure and the innovative program as influences for I Love LA, which follows the struggles of a social media star played by Odessa A’Zion and her friend who is also aspiring agent Maia. Notably, the most significant presence on creative vision was reserved for the HBO series, the HBO sitcom about an emerging Hollywood star navigating in an often-seedy LA scene (choice quote: “nobody’s happy in this town except for the losers”). Sennott discovered it throughout lockdown, became “obsessed”, and chose to put her own twist on it “targeting women and LGBTQ+ viewers”.

“I sought to highlight online platforms as the new industry, since my professional journey launched there,” she notes. The concept for I Love LA originated—in part—from her own, initially difficult, move to LA and from her saturn return, a much-talked-about phenomenon for followers. It was a phase that saw her learn some big insights, in her career and individually. “During my younger years, I was chaotic, often breaking down in public,” she says. “Settling in LA during my mid-twenties brought calm, but soon everything unraveled.” “It resembled a series of extreme challenges…”

Humble Origins

Raised in New England, Sennott began developing and showcasing stand-up while studying acting at a prestigious arts school. “I followed traditional paths to get on stage, but nothing clicked,” she says. “Auditions for university comedy troupes led to universal rejection. 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 seized control, performing at live shows with Ayo and uploading hilarious (and distinctly) unconventional skits digitally. A particular video, Baby Cult, depicted a group of women obsessively drawn to motherhood; a different one portrayed working at the brand Hollister as akin to being caught in a scary movie. Interestingly, she connected with Seligman through campus film circles and ultimately appearing in her directorial debut, titled Shiva Baby, a stressful dramedy set at a funeral gathering with echoes of Uncut Gems. A recurring idea of her path, she notes, has been contemporaries supporting her, instead of the industry at large. So, not the gatekeepers, then? “Not the gatekeepers”, she emphasizes, stating with a laugh: “They prefer we don’t succeed.”

Manifesting Dreams

Anyone who were skeptical regarding her then will likely be kicking themselves now. In what she calls a “wild, full-circle” development, she has created the perfect project. Previously she shared content called “it’s LA” on social media, in which she parodied movie previews (“I’m addicted to drugs – we all are”). Now, she’s a lead creator (with Emma Barrie) of a series about city dwellers managing benefits of internet fame (such as partying at Elijah Wood’s house) with its pitfalls (your client being labeled as being a substance-abusing thief, and possibly becoming a “brand unsafe” pariah). One might simple to create a series about online fame that was horribly glamorous—or, worse, one that belittled at its subjects. I Love LA avoids both, resulting in a representation of advantaged young adult living that’s candid about the grot and the appeal.

Balanced Perspective

“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