The performer appears on the video call and right away launches into an excuse. “Oh my God – I’m sorry!” she says, appearing really apologetic. Despite being only a bit late, she wants to justify. “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!” Fortunately, during an interview, that’s exactly what is ideal to experience. Besides, it’s quite predictable. Those who have seen her unapologetically LGBTQ+ and brash project titled Bottoms—which she collaborated on with her creative partner and featured in with close companion Ayo Edebiri—would understand that she has a lot to share, be it about identity, sex, or the pros of forming a teen brawl society. Plus, after watching the recent seasonal HBO series titled I Love LA, it becomes obvious that the star carries further perspectives regarding the struggles of Gen Z life (As a millennial, she represents a relatable figure of the gang, on the cusp with a knack for bridging both generations).
Inspirations and Storytelling Approach
Parallels to the iconic series Girls are inevitable and the actress readily acknowledges enthusiastic, citing it alongside the HBO hit, Insecure and Atlanta as inspirations for the project, which tracks the travails of online personality Tallulah and her friend who is also aspiring representative Maia. Notably, the most significant presence on concept went to the HBO series, that show about an up-and-coming celebrity succeeding in a corrupt LA scene (notable statement: “only the unsuccessful find joy here”). Sennott began viewing it throughout lockdown, became “hooked”, and chose to create a new version on it “with female and queer audiences in mind”.
“My aim was to focus on digital fame over traditional entertainment, as my own beginnings were on the web,” she notes. The inspiration for this project originated—partly—from firsthand, initially fractious, move to LA and from her saturn return, a frequently discussed occurrence for astrology heads. It was a time that saw her understand significant life lessons, in her career and individually. “My twenties began with constant public emotional outbursts and disorganization,” she says. “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 Connecticut, the star started developing and showcasing comedy while enrolled in acting at NYU’s Tisch. “Despite trying every conventional route, I couldn’t find my footing,” she says. “Every campus humor group turned me down after tryouts.” 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 decided to act independently, taking the stage at amateur nights with Ayo and sharing uproarious (and decidedly) unconventional comedy videos on the internet. One, Baby Cult, depicted a group of women fetishistically obsessed with pregnancy; a different one imagined working at the preppy clothing store Hollister as akin to being trapped in a thriller. In a neat twist of fate, she connected with Emma through the university’s film scene and eventually appearing in her first film, titled Shiva Baby, a stressful dramedy set at a Jewish wake with shades of Uncut Gems. The big theme of her career, she notes, has been contemporaries supporting her, instead of established gatekeepers. So, not the gatekeepers, then? “They were not involved”, she confirms, adding with a laugh: “They don’t want us to win.”
Rising Success
Individuals who questioned about Sennott then will certainly be feeling foolish now. As part of she describes as a “wild, full-circle” story, she seems to have created an ideal role. A few years back she shared a clip titled about Los Angeles online, in which she lampooned movie previews (“Everyone’s hooked on something”). Years later, she’s executive producer (with Emma Barrie) of a show about city dwellers balancing benefits of online celebrity (such as socializing at a famous actor’s house) with drawbacks (your client being suspected of being a substance-abusing stealer, and perhaps becoming a risky persona non grata). Some could tempting to make a show about online fame that was horribly glamorous—or, worse, one that punched down at those depicted. The series does neither, making for a portrait of advantaged millennial life that’s frank about the chaos and the shine.
Balanced Perspective
“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
