Like Dante Hicks, Rachel Sennott didn't expect to be here today. Three years ago, the screenwriter and actress, heir to the '90s slacker comedy boom (let the generational statistics say she was born a year after the premiere) film "Clerks"« ), came to the general meeting of HBO and left, having sold... something?
«My agent called me and said, „You sold it to them. idea “"," Sennott tells Gold Derby with a laugh. "Before I went to see her, she said, 'Don't push anything, they just want to meet you.' And then I pushed it all on them!"„
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As she had been warned, HBO executives showed no interest in these initial proposals. But they was interested in getting to know Sennott, and they gently eased her out of sales mode and into what she calls "free-wheeling conversation" about her life since recently moving from New York to Los Angeles.
«When I left the meeting, I thought, „Have I revealed too much about my personal life?“» Sennott recalls. That feeling only intensified when she learned she’d sold the idea right there in the meeting, and the start of the writers’ strike in 2023 meant she couldn’t ask HBO for more details. idea .
«I was terrified, like, „What did I say in that meeting?“» she admits. «But once the strike was over, I was able to meet with them again, and we started talking about different characters and what we wanted to see.» Slowly but surely, what had been a vague idea began to take shape as a concrete half-hour comedy, which Sennott eventually called « I love Los Angeles.".
Since its premiere on HBO in November, the series has been praised for its accurate depiction of the challenges of growing up as Generation Z enters early adulthood. Skilfully blending deep empathy with self-aware hyperbole, Sennott and her writing team skillfully deliver laughs through the adventures of her alter ego, Maya, and her group of friends, who live in a kind of dreamland where success seems increasingly fleeting and even deeply personal relationships can devolve into purely businesslike ones.
Earlier this month, Sennott and her co-star Odessa A'zion attended the 2026 Gotham TV Awards, where they accepted the "Breakthrough of the Year in a Comedy Series" statuette—one of the first steps toward an Emmy nomination. In an insightful interview, Sennott shared her unique approach to awkward comedy and outlined what to expect from the second season, which the writers are currently working on.
Gold Derby: This is a two-part question - what was the first idea that came to mind when you said, "Oh, that's what could be this series"?
Rachel Sennott: The idea of two best friends who drift apart and then reunite. I've thought about that a lot in my own life. In your early twenties, you're with all your friends, and everyone feels like they're part of a group. Then, around 26 or 27, you drift apart in different ways and branch off into your own little circles. For a long time, I had that idea of what my life should be, and then things took a different turn. So the idea of two friends reuniting—like what happens with Maya and Tallulah (played by A'zion) in the show—was there from the very beginning.
And now the second part - in which episode did you suddenly say: «Ah, so this is what it is This show"?
Oh, I'll say I only realized what this show was in the editing room. A little late, but honestly! Laughs ] You know, sometimes it's hard to define the tone of something when you're creating it. You can describe the tone, but you only truly understand it during editing, making adjustments, deciding which jokes to cut and which to keep. For me, episode six, "Game Night," is what the show is really about. Both in the way it tackles hyper-specific aspects of the internet as an industry and influencer culture, and in the comedic way I tend to lean toward—relationship dynamics. It was in that episode that we really dove into that.
I would have noticed that too. That's where I recognized many of the elements of awkward humor you used in films like «Shiva Baby» и «Bottoms» .
Yes, I like to push boundaries. "Pushing boundaries" isn't quite the right word, because I never do anything to shock you. In real life, I would certainly stop myself from doing something like Maya does in "Game Night," but that instinct to let my inner thoughts run wild is always there, so allowing myself to do that in my work is very liberating and enjoyable for me.
From the very beginning of my career, I've had the opportunity to play or write characters who, on paper, are definitely not perfect or even likable. There will always be people who can relate to that, because humans are imperfect, and we make mistakes. Leading up to season two, we had a lot of discussions about what we felt we could and couldn't do with her and all the other characters, but I think we also have a moral code for her, so I'm not afraid to make mistakes.
Sennott and Josh Hutcherson in I Love L.A.«
Another connecting theme «Shiva Baby» With "« I love Los Angeles", — It's your character's strength and independence in matters of sex. The finale, in particular, addresses this topic in a complex way, putting Maya in an awkward position without ever judging her for it. How far do you think you could have gone with this scene?
I wanted Maya to feel powerful in this scene and then lose that power, but I also didn't want her to feel disgusted by it or regret it. We stayed in a gray area, not going too far one way or the other. I think the end of the scene, where she looks at herself in the mirror and thinks, "What am I doing?" is an important moment to convey her feelings and show her thoughts.
It was my first time directing and performing in a scene like that. But [my co-star] Colin Woodell is an incredible actor, and by that point we had already built a trusting relationship and a sense of comfort. But it was also funny because during the close-ups, I'd be standing on the other side of the camera saying, "Okay, now spit!" It was a hilarious day at the office.
What media products have had the most influence on your approach to writing about sex?
Season 1 «Girlfriends» was just an amazing series, and I thought the sex was shown very realistically. The movie «American Honey» I also remember some scenes and felt that everything was shown correctly. On the other hand, I remember watching «Gossip Girl» and I was shocked by the sex in this series, but at the same time I loved it. I remember wanting something sexy and funny, even if it was bad—like reading «"Twilight"» and get excited, something like that. Laughs ]
I remember that in movies like «The 40-Year-Old Virgin, Sex was portrayed in a very comedic way, but always from the male perspective. For me, sex is both comedy and the quickest way to understand what's really going on in a couple's relationship, which is very funny. In our pilot, we shot a whole scene where Maya leaves for work and her boyfriend, Dylan (played by Josh Hutcherson), follows her around the apartment, and he's very aroused, but she's too focused on getting off. We didn't end up using that scene, but it immediately showed where the couple was in their relationship.
Elijah Wood, Sennot and True Whitaker in I Love L.A.
There is a version of this series that could become another «Entourage» , but you rarely feature celebrity cameos. However, Elijah Wood's appearance in episode four was one of the highlights. How did that come about?
We knew we needed someone famous but not creepy in real life, so he could play this quirky version of himself in a way that felt fun, not scary or dangerous. Elijah was the starting point for casting, and he was the first person I connected with over Zoom. I told him about the project, and he said, "That sounds crazy—send me the pages." After reading it, he agreed. If you look at his filmography, it's obvious he's done all these big films, but he also does independent and quirky projects, so he's always willing to try something new. And it was great to pair this movie star with a powerful man in this storyline; it was a really great dynamic to explore.
What was the most important lesson you learned while filming the first season of the show?« I love Los Angeles"» , which you know you will use in the second season?
Don't try to overload the script! Laughs ] It's better when you can take a breather while filming. We had to cut a lot of scenes from our episodes because we were trying to fit too much in. You can see that shift in episode five, where we're able to stay within one story for longer periods of time instead of jumping from one to the next. This episode breathes differently than the previous ones, and we were able to play with character dynamics and weird conversations. But sometimes I feel like I'm in the writers' room thinking, "And then they do this! And then they do This ! And then they go to Disneyland! And the writers have to say to me, 'Okay, you just wrote five episodes. We can do one or two of those things.' Laughs ]
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