The actress and writer on her side-splitting comedy about that chaotic appeal of today's youth lifestyle

The performer joins the digital interview and right away starts an explanation. “I can’t believe I’m late!” she says, seeming truly regretful. Although she's only a couple of minutes delayed, she needs to explain. “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, that’s precisely what you want to hear. Moreover, it’s fairly unsurprising. Anyone familiar with the fearlessly openly gay and brash project Bottoms—that Sennott collaborated on with her creative partner and starred in together with her friend Ayo Edebiri—will understand that she has a lot to discuss, ranging from on roles, intimacy, or the merits of starting a high-school combat group. Furthermore, once you finish the new multi-episode show titled I Love LA, viewers realize that she carries additional thoughts on the struggles of young adulthood (Now in her thirties, she represents an honorary member to younger audiences, on the cusp skilled for connecting both generations).

Inspirations and Creative Vision

Parallels to Lena Dunham’s groundbreaking show can’t be avoided and Sennott readily acknowledges a fan, naming it together with Sex and the City, the acclaimed comedy and the innovative program as guides for her series, which follows the struggles of an influencer played by Odessa A’Zion and ally who is also aspiring talent manager Maia. Perhaps, the biggest spot on the moodboard went to Entourage, the program focusing on an up-and-coming celebrity making his way in an often-seedy Hollywood (memorable line: “only the unsuccessful find joy here”). She started watching it amid COVID-19, became “hooked”, and resolved to add a fresh perspective on it “for the girls and the gays”.

“I sought to highlight online platforms as the new industry, since my professional journey launched there,” she notes. The inspiration for I Love LA originated—to some extent—from firsthand, at first fractious, transition to Tinseltown and from her cosmic event, a popular phenomenon for followers. It was an era that involved her learn significant insights, professionally and personally. “In my early 20s I was so messy, crying in public everywhere, all the time,” she admits. “In my mid-20s, I moved to LA and got settled. And then I felt like everything started to just fall apart. It was almost like these biblical tests …”

Starting Out

Growing up in New England, the star began developing and showcasing humor while enrolled in performance at a prestigious arts school. “Despite trying every conventional route, I couldn’t find my footing,” she states. “Every campus humor group turned me down after tryouts.” “None of the university plays cast me either.” And I just felt like, what am I doing here?”

Sennott seized control, appearing at amateur nights with her friend and uploading uproarious (and decidedly) weird comedy videos online. A particular video, titled Baby Cult, followed characters obsessively fixated on motherhood; another portrayed being employed at a trendy retail outlet as akin to being trapped in a scary movie. In a neat twist of fate, she connected with Emma through the university’s film scene and ultimately starring in her first film, Shiva Baby, an anxious dramedy set at a religious event with hints of the intense thriller. The central motif of her career, she says, has been people her own age giving her a shot, instead of the industry at large. So, not the gatekeepers, then? “Not the gatekeepers”, she emphasizes, continuing amusedly: “Our victory isn’t their goal.”

Career Breakthrough

Anyone who questioned regarding Sennott then will likely be feeling foolish now. Through she describes as a “wild, full-circle” story, she appears to achieved her dream vehicle. In 2019 she posted content titled about Los Angeles online, in which she lampooned film promos (“Everyone’s hooked on something”). Six years on, she’s a lead creator (with the co-writer) of a series about Angelenos balancing benefits of online celebrity (such as partying at Elijah Wood’s house) with its pitfalls (your friend being labeled as being a substance-abusing criminal, and perhaps becoming a “brand unsafe” outcast). It would be tempting to produce a show about online fame that was extremely aspirational—or, worse, one that belittled at those depicted. I Love LA avoids both, creating a portrait of advantaged young adult life that’s frank about the grot and the glamour.

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

John Mendez
John Mendez

Elena is a tech enthusiast and digital strategist with over a decade of experience in analyzing emerging technologies and their impact on society.