Rachel Sennott on the uproarious show depicting that chaotic appeal of Gen Z existence
The star enters the video call and at once begins an apology. “Oh my God – I’m sorry!” she exclaims, appearing truly apologetic. Despite being only a bit behind, she feels compelled to explain. “My phone conversations always run long.” “Previous discussions went over, and I realized I talk too much!” Fortunately, in this context, this is precisely what is ideal to hear. Moreover, it’s fairly predictable. Viewers who know her boldly queer and outspoken project titled Bottoms—that she co-wrote with Emma Seligman and starred in with close companion Ayo Edebiri—can already know that she possesses a lot to discuss, ranging from about gender, sex, or the appeal of starting a teen fight club. Plus, by the end the recent eight-part show I Love LA, it is clear that she has additional thoughts about the struggles of young adulthood (As a millennial, she is a relatable figure to younger audiences, a tale-end millennial skilled for connecting millennials and Gen Z).
Guiding Lights and Storytelling Approach
The comparisons to the iconic series Girls can’t be avoided and the actress readily acknowledges enthusiastic, referencing it together with Sex and the City, the acclaimed comedy and the innovative program as inspirations for the project, which tracks the struggles of an influencer Tallulah and ally who is also aspiring talent manager portrayed by Sennott. However, the most significant spot on the moodboard was reserved for the HBO series, the HBO sitcom about a rising celebrity navigating in an often-seedy Hollywood (choice quote: “nobody’s happy in this town except for the losers”). She started watching it throughout the pandemic, became “obsessed”, and chose 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 this project originated—partly—from firsthand, at first rocky, transition to LA and from her cosmic event, a frequently discussed occurrence for followers. It was a phase that involved her understand some big truths, work-wise and personally. “My twenties began with constant public emotional outbursts and disorganization,” 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 …”
Humble Origins
Raised in New England, the star started developing and showcasing comedy while studying theatre at NYU’s Tisch. “Despite trying every conventional route, I couldn’t find my footing,” she states. “I tried out for all the NYU comedy groups, and got rejected from all of them. I tried out for all the NYU plays and didn’t make it into any of them. “I wondered why I was even there at all.”
Sennott seized control, appearing at open mics with Ayo and sharing hysterical (and decidedly) bizarre comedy videos digitally. A particular video, titled Baby Cult, centered on several females fetishistically fixated on pregnancy; another portrayed working at a trendy retail outlet as like being caught in a thriller. In a neat twist of fate, she met Emma through the university’s film scene and ultimately featuring in her first film, titled Shiva Baby, an anxious comedy set at a religious event with shades of the Safdie brothers’ movie. A recurring idea of her journey, she says, has been contemporaries supporting her, instead of traditional networks. Does that mean bypassing the usual powers? “They were not involved”, she emphasizes, adding amusedly: “Our victory isn’t their goal.”
Rising Success
Those who questioned regarding Sennott then will certainly be regretting it now. Through she labels a “incredibly circular” story, she seems to have created the perfect project. In 2019 she posted a clip titled “it’s LA” on social media, in which she mocked Hollywood trailers (“Substance abuse is rampant here”). Years later, she’s executive producer (with the co-writer) of a comedy about city dwellers managing the perks of internet fame (such as socializing at Elijah Wood’s house) with downsides (your client being accused of being a drug-addled criminal, and perhaps becoming a unreliable outcast). It would be simple to make a program about internet celebrity that was extremely aspirational—or, more problematic, one that punched down at the characters. The series avoids both, resulting in a depiction of advantaged millennial living that’s honest about the mess 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