← The Town with Matthew Belloni
The Town with Matthew Belloni
How to Chart a Career Path in Modern Hollywood, With Rachel Sennott
00:41:31
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- [00:00]
Matt Bellany
This episode is brought to you by AMC. The critically acclaimed series Dark Winds returns for a fourth season from executive producers Robert Redford and George R.R. martin. When a young girl disappears, the Navajo tribal police are pushed beyond their limits, forced to confront unfamiliar land, twisted obsessions and a trail of grisly murders. This season, one thing becomes clear. Justice has no boundaries. Watch Dark Winds Season 4 Sundays at 9pm watch on AMC or stream anytime on AMC. Plus. This episode of the Town is brought to you by the Madison, the new original series on Paramount. Plus Academy Award nominee Taylor Sheridan's most intimate story yet unlike anything he's ever done before, The Madison follows a family raised in a world of digital distraction, forced by tragedy to truly see one another and come together. Authentic, multi layered and did I mention starring Michelle Pfeiffer and Kurt Russell. Don't miss the Madison new series streaming March 14th only on Paramount. It is Friday, March 6th. It's a live show. Our little film school tour rolls on, taking a break from the Paramount Warner Brothers merger drama for a much more fun episode about how to chart a career path as an up and coming actor slash writer slash producer/everything Re Rachel Sennett is in many ways a combination of old school and new school talent. She first started acting at NYU Film School, but then she developed her own voice via everything online, from podcasts to Twitter to open mic nights around New York City. Most people first took notice of her in Shiva Baby in 2020, small indie that began as a short film directed by a classmate at nyu. She then did the indies Bodies, Bodies, Bodies and Bottoms, which led to a bunch of failed TV projects, Boys, both on traditional outlets like Comedy Central and Web only projects. And then last year she launched I Love la, the HBO comedy series that Craig and I are both fans of and was renewed for a second season. She's currently leading the writers room for that follow up season, but she took a break to join me and Lucas Shaw, our Monday guy at the Film School at Chapman University in Orange county as part of our mini tour. It's a very fun chat about her ambitions both inside and outside the traditional industry. So no call sheet today. It's Rachel Sennett and how it is still possible to break into Hollywood from the ringer and Puck. I'm Matt Bellany and this is the town. I want to start for this audience here with just getting a little bit of your path and the way that you got to where you are today. So tell us about some of the key moments early in your career, what you decided early on in School that you wanted to do and how you got there. Just give us like a little bit of your path.
- [02:50]
Rachel Sennett
I would say my path started like where you guys are now in school. Gorgeous school, by the way. I just was going to the bathroom six times and I went to nyu. My acting program didn't really encourage like doing stuff with other majors. Like they, they kept the acting students in one group, they kept the film students in this other group. And it was like nobody like interact with each other. Even the acting schools were broken down into like different programs. And it was kind of. It was very divided. And I think when things started clicking for me was when I kind of went out of my program and started making my own connections and finding my friends. I would like leave acting class to go do the film students exercises. And they, I'm sure the film students know you start, they're like, film an apple, like make it crazy. Or like someone looking out a window smoking a cigarette. And like I am in so much footage of doing just like the like anything or saying like three lines out of context like, how are you? How are you? So I did every film students things. I started with a freshman when I was a freshman. Gradually I got like. People saw that I was down to do like all the film student stuff and I started doing people's thesis films, which is what they do when they're a senior. It's like a short film.
- [04:20]
Matt Bellany
And
- [04:23]
Rachel Sennett
that is how Emma Seligman, who is the writer, director of Ship of a Baby and director of Bottoms and we wrote Bottoms together, first found me because Emma had seen me in other thesis films and was doing their thesis film, Ship a Baby because it was a short before it was a feature. And so they reached out to me to audition. And that was like the beginning of that relationship. I also met IO my friend Ayo Adebri. And I met IO when I did, when I auditioned for the comedy groups and neither of us got in. But then. And basically we started doing standup together and doing sketches together and whatever. And so basically like, I think my, my career path started when I met my future collaborators.
- [05:27]
Lucas Shaw
How did you decide to go to film school in the first place? Start acting?
- [05:30]
Matt Bellany
It was acting first. And then you're like, oh, maybe I should write my own material. Maybe I should, you know, be a creator, that kind of thing.
- [05:35]
Rachel Sennett
Yeah, it kind of gradually pulled me in. Where I went to, I was in the Stella Adler acting school, which is very serious. And it's like, you wear all black like you. Your dream is to like be One of the Shakespeare ladies, like, I can't even remember. Everyone would be like, you want to be one of the big five? And it's like, who are the big five? And it's like, all the women in Shakespeare, like, they're like, lady M. Don't say her name. Like, it was so serious. I was like, I'm not doing well in this environment. I can't compete in this environment. There was also, like, this thing as an actor that they really wanted to, like, smooth you down and sort of take away any of the things that make you individual, kind of. Or that's how I felt. And I felt I wasn't succeeding there. I couldn't get into any of the plays. I wasn't getting into any of the comedy groups. So that's kind of when I was like, I need to find my own lane. I also remember they had you crew for the seniors play to do, to sort of learn, and I was crewing for their play. And in between rehearsals and stuff, I would be like, what do you think of, like, what's your plan for graduation? What do you think you're gonna do after school? And no one had a plan. And it was freaking me out.
- [07:04]
Lucas Shaw
That's the worst question, though, I have to say.
- [07:06]
Rachel Sennett
I know. I know. A freshman being like, so, what's your plan?
- [07:09]
Lucas Shaw
Did you have a plan?
- [07:11]
Rachel Sennett
Well, I knew I needed a plan already. I was already anxious. You can tell I'm anxious now. But, like, I. I just knew that I needed to. That the school wasn't going to set me up on my own for success. I needed to go find my own individual path. And that's, I think, what led me to writing and creating and wanting to. But it was gradual. Like, even before the show got picked up, I think in my mind, I was always like, if I'm gonna create, it'll be, like, in a supporting role. And then I credit my friends a lot with this, of helping me find the confidence to take on directing and showrunning, which is the most in control of a creative process I've ever been. And it's intimidating, and it's a lot of pressure because it's kind of like, if people don't like it, there's no, like, well, I'm just the third writer on that. You know what I mean? It's like, they don't like you. They hate you. You know what I mean? It feels vulnerable, but I think it kind of led to it gradually, in
- [08:26]
Matt Bellany
steps, and you weren't afraid to put yourself out there, even at the time you were doing jokes on Twitter, you were doing open mic nights. You were doing a lot of stuff back then.
- [08:36]
Rachel Sennett
I'm more scared now.
- [08:37]
Matt Bellany
Yeah.
- [08:37]
Rachel Sennett
And now I'm like, don't speak. Don't say anything. Be really quiet. Yeah. I think I just felt like I was kind of throwing stuff at the wall to see what sticks and finding myself along the way, because I think it's. It's so much pressure to know who you are as an artist already. Like, I think you guys. Who you are and what you're meant to make is, like, already inside of you, but you just, like, part of it is your experiences and what you learn as you go. And there's an image, I think, like, for a lot of young people, there's an image of what they want to make or, like, what's good. The first thing you make isn't going to be as good as the image in your head. Um, but, like, it's. You have to keep making stuff to get there. And so I think I needed to, like, do really bad stand up, do really bad jokes on Twitter, make weird short films, do the Beyonce remake of the music video, whatever. I had to do that to, like, get closer and closer to making the types of things I want to make.
- [09:48]
Matt Bellany
Do you feel that you've gotten there? Do you feel like you're making what you're supposed to make?
- [09:52]
Rachel Sennett
I do, but I think I still have to get better at it. Like, I. You still have to keep. Like, I. I feel like I learned so much on the first season of the show where I'm like, oh, okay, now I know what showrunning is. Now I can. Now I have to do a better job.
- [10:08]
Lucas Shaw
What is something that is difficult or fun about showrunning that you did not anticipate when you started the process?
- [10:15]
Matt Bellany
Oh, she wants to say, ordering people around.
- [10:19]
Rachel Sennett
Yeah, I love it. Uh, I would say, I think I didn't realize, like, how much of the job exists. That's, like, in between parts of the job, which is, I think, just, like, communicating with people and, like, understanding people. Like, I. At some times I was like, I feel like I'm running, like, an insurance company. Like, there's parts of it where all of a sudden you feel, like, really, like, serious and businessy. And then there's just all these other little things that aren't writing or acting weird.
- [10:56]
Matt Bellany
Right. You come up as a creative person, you come up as a writer, as a performer, and then all of a sudden you get a show and you're in charge of a PNL?
- [11:05]
Rachel Sennett
Yeah.
- [11:05]
Matt Bellany
You have a $5 million an episode budget for a show and you're looking
- [11:10]
Rachel Sennett
at numbers and math, right? And I'm like, I did all of this to get away from that. I can't do that. I don't know what it is.
- [11:17]
Matt Bellany
And I remember reading something that Lena Dunham had said when Girls became big was, you know, because they gave her a person, Jenny Connor, to work with her on the show to kind of handle that aspect of it. Did you request that or did you want that? I mean, it seems like a daunting thing to take on a show without an experienced person over your shoulder.
- [11:37]
Rachel Sennett
Well, I got really lucky because they basically like set me up with different people to meet with, so. So I like ended up with this awesome team of people. Emma Berry, my co showrunner, it was also her first time showrunning, but she had tons of experience in rooms. And I think there was something nice about it being both of our first times showrunning so that I didn't feel scared to be like. I don't know, it didn't feel like we were like they were like, this person's bossing you around or telling you you don't know what you're doing. We got to figure it out together and figure out our own rhythm. And then Aida Rogers, our producer, who she also worked on Barry with Emma and like she's worked with HBO a lot. Like she, she's looking at the, the P and L, the LNPs or whatever.
- [12:32]
Lucas Shaw
It's like, remind me, when you were taking the project out, was it competitive? Did you have a bunch of networks? Did you always think hbo? What was the.
- [12:41]
Rachel Sennett
I didn't even. I didn't take a project out is the thing.
- [12:43]
Matt Bellany
They said, we want to work with you.
- [12:45]
Rachel Sennett
No, this is what happened. I taking projects out. There are scripts on the floor. Like I spent all of COVID like developing a completely different show that never got made.
- [12:57]
Lucas Shaw
And this was when you still lived in New York or had you moved to LA by then?
- [13:00]
Rachel Sennett
This was when it was partially when I was in New York and partially when I was in la. Oh, and partially when I was in my parents basement in between that. But I pitched like two shows to like a bunch of people that didn't get made. And then I had a meeting with Amy Gravett and Ali Wasserman at hbo and it was. They had seen Bottoms and Shiva Baby and then read a couple other scripts that I'd written. And then my agents were like, this is, it's just a meeting Just be. Don't pitch them anything. Like, they don't want to be pitched stuff. Like, just be yourself. Obviously. I pitched them everything that I had. I was like. I walked in there and I was like, imagine this. It's a girl. She's just a fresh college girl, like, spitting log lines at them. And they were just like. They just didn't. They just wanted to get to know me because they like to work with creators from the beginning. They like to, like, work with you from the jump. And so they kind of, like, relaxed me a little, and they were like, babe, stop pitching log lines. Not. Not that, actually, but, you know, they were just kind of like, what's going on in your life? Like, what's. You know, where. What chapter are you in? Whatever. And so I just started talking about where I was in my life, and I was like, ugh, I feel like I'm fucked because I'm about to go through my Saturn return. And I just started sharing, like, too much on this zoom. And then I. Whatever, we get off the zoom. And I was like, kind of fun meeting, whatever. Then I'm driving in my car, and my agent is, like, calling me, and I pick up, and she's like, babe, congrats. You sold the show.
- [14:48]
Matt Bellany
And you said, what show?
- [14:49]
Rachel Sennett
I said, what show? I was like, what is the show? And she was like, it's just everything you talked about. It's all that. It's all of those things. And then I'm like, in the car trying to remember, by the way, it's like, do you know when you vent and then you black out? Like, you're like, what did I say about who? Like, I was sort of like, okay. And so what? I. I didn't have a full show. I had. The way HBO works, like, is basically like, you get. You get hired to develop an idea first. So you develop an idea and an original pilot script. Then if they like the pilot script, they can pick up the pilot. Then you shoot a pilot. Then if they like the pilot, they can pick up the show. So it's like, I don't want to say, like, boom, I had a whole show. But, boom, I had a script that I got to write. So then. Then the writers strike was called, like, right after this. First I get an email in my inbox, Untitled Racial Senate Friendship Show. Which is where the. The joke. We kept joking about it because we were like, what? Like, me seeing that in my email, and I was like, okay, I guess I talked about friendship. Like, I don't know.
- [16:00]
Matt Bellany
And then.
- [16:02]
Rachel Sennett
And Then it was like, my deal closed. And like a couple days later, they called the writers strike.
- [16:07]
Lucas Shaw
At least it closed before the strike.
- [16:08]
Rachel Sennett
Literally. Thank God. Thank God. But I didn't get to talk to Amy and Ali about what the show. So I didn't get to meet with them for months and months and months.
- [16:19]
Matt Bellany
You must have been stewing in your head.
- [16:21]
Rachel Sennett
Oh, I was like journaling, trying to remember what I said.
- [16:25]
Matt Bellany
Friendship, friendship, Friendship, Friendship, friendship, friendship.
- [16:29]
Rachel Sennett
I was so stupid scared. And I was like. And I was like, I also can't. I could. I couldn't communicate with them. So then anyways, right after the strike ended, I had like a meeting with them where they were like, we want to talk about your idea. And I was like, my big idea that I said before. And then I. As soon as I met with them, I immediately felt at ease because I think, like, I realized that they wanted to be in the development process with me. Like, they wanted to be creative with me. I didn't need to have a script or like, I was going to go through, like, collaborate with them. And they were super involved. And so from there we. We developed the show together. But, like, I never, like, had this one idea that I took out and I had other idea. Like, I don't want to make it seem like I didn't ever pitch show, but anything I ever, like, pitched pitch didn't get made.
- [17:29]
Matt Bellany
And was anything from that initial meeting, did it end up in the show? Was there influencers? Was it LA based? Was there anything that, like, that you kind of use the jumping point, or was it all original?
- [17:38]
Rachel Sennett
I think, like, the things that I was talking about, like, I was talking about, like starting my career on the Internet, that's kind of like the Tallulah character comes from, like, that's a little bit based off of my New York chapter. Everyone's like, who is this crazy? Whatever. I'm like the. I. I related to, like, that when I was sort of a little bit more messy, a little more online. And then like, the relationship stuff is like, you know, fictional, but with a wink. The, like comes from a place of like, truth. Truth. Thank you. Yeah, exactly the word I was looking for. And like, and then I also, I think the thing about Tallulah not coming to la, I think I had, like, when I was in my mid-20s, like, realizing not all my friends were gonna live in the same place as me. Enjoy it. Right now. Some of you guys are gonna be in Chicago. Okay. You don't know. Some people are going to be in Chicago. Some people are going to be in la. Some people are going to be in New York. There's even a fourth place that I can't think of right now. But some of you will be there. Some people will be in Atlanta.
- [19:00]
Matt Bellany
There are only four places.
- [19:00]
Rachel Sennett
Four places, yeah.
- [19:02]
Lucas Shaw
Related questions Because a lot of the projects you'd done prior to this, I feel like, were done sort of independently, outside of the system. Did you welcome having a big company part of the development process? And did you, during that process, go to some of the kind of your collaborators over the years and get their feedback as well, or were they too busy doing their own thing for Bottoms?
- [19:24]
Rachel Sennett
We had already written the script, but then we got to collaborate with Alana Mayo at Orion, and she gave notes. So I had been, like, in the notes process before, but not from the jump. But, like, in a way it was kind of cool because I didn't know what to expect. And Amy and Ali and Casey, too. Like, they were just really involved and quick with the process. Like, it just moved. And everything I had heard was, like, everything I had developed in the past had taken so long, but that was like, without a network. I had, like, developed it with a producer or something or on my own and then pitched it. And so it was really refreshing. And I feel really lucky, like, to have had that experience.
- [20:13]
Matt Bellany
You can tell they wanted it to happen. Yeah, it was just when they don't want it to happen, when they want it to happen.
- [20:18]
Rachel Sennett
I just felt like we were in a good flow together. And also, like, I like to move and. And like, when someone turns notes around quickly for you, then you want to do a draft really quick. Like, when it feels like something's happening, you want to make it happen, you know? And I think we all had that energy, which felt really good.
- [20:41]
Matt Bellany
Do you consider yourself super ambitious?
- [20:43]
Rachel Sennett
Yes.
- [20:44]
Matt Bellany
That was quick.
- [20:45]
Rachel Sennett
Well, I'm just like. I'm not gonna be like, no.
- [20:48]
Matt Bellany
What are your ambitions?
- [20:49]
Rachel Sennett
I. My ambitions are, I think, to me, success in the industry. Jumping. Jumping off one of your other questions that you emailed to me in advance. Yeah. Study for this. I think being able to get something made, like, get anything you want made is, like, true success, is being able to be like, I wanna do a movie. It's this, this and this. And everyone's like, okay, go. Or, I wanna do a show and you can make it happen. And I think I want. After having the experience of the first season, I wanna keep making the show. And then I think I wanna. It's made me feel like I wanna direct movies and do, like, what Margot Robbie has done with Lucky Chap and create, like, my own production company and be able to move through the different roles of, like, actor, writer, director, whatever, and, like, have different things going at once.
- [21:54]
Matt Bellany
One of the tenets of her success is that she's produced for other people as well. You want to do that?
- [21:58]
Rachel Sennett
Yeah. I started doing that with my friend Katarina's feature Bunny Lover, which is. Which is coming out. Shout out. Bunny Lover. It's coming out. Utopia is releasing it this spring. And that was my first getting to, like, be a. It's like a indie film, like, super indie. But that was, like, my first time getting to, like, produce a script with a friend who I was like, she's so talented and cool and getting to, like, be a part of making it, but, like, getting to do that on a bigger scale and be more involved, I think would be really cool.
- [22:39]
Matt Bellany
This episode is brought to you by the Walt Disney Animation Studios. Zootopia 2. Now nominated for the Academy Award for Best Animated Feature, the Hollywood reporter hails Zootopia 2, knocks it out of the park with its dazzling visuals, sophisticated humor and genuine emotion. For your consideration for best Animated feature, this episode is brought to you by Hotels.com Save youe Way is a new feature on Hotels.com, and it's as simple as it sounds.
- [23:04]
Rachel Sennett
When you book a trip as a Hotels.com member, you decide how to use your savings.
- [23:09]
Matt Bellany
Take the instant savings now or bank
- [23:11]
Rachel Sennett
the savings as rewards for later. It's your call only at hotels.com Save youe Way is available to loyalty members in the US and UK and hotels with member prices. Other terms apply.
- [23:22]
Matt Bellany
See site for details.
- [23:24]
Lucas Shaw
I'm curious. You've spoken in the past about, and you referenced it sort of earlier about, like, being comfortable, almost more comfortable when you're failing because you learn from it, and being scared when things are going well, which is, I think we said earlier, like, things seem to be going pretty well right now. So what are you scared of?
- [23:41]
Rachel Sennett
Don't worry. Okay, thank you. That's a really good question. So unsettling. I think the good thing is that I actually found a job that's, like, always. My brain is sort of, like, grabbing at a new thing to be worried about. But there's always gonna be something to worry about. Like, what if we're shooting and it rains? Like, problem like, that could happen and it could ruin the whole thing.
- [24:10]
Lucas Shaw
Minor problem, but yeah.
- [24:11]
Rachel Sennett
Yeah. Or like, what if they hate all the scripts we wrote? You know what I mean? Like, there's Always, like, there will be a challenge in the structure of, like, making something. So I feel like, in a way, my brain, which, like, searches for problems, is almost, like, satiated by the job where I'm like, a problem will come. A problem will come on its own, which is kind of fun.
- [24:37]
Matt Bellany
Do you think about the show all the time?
- [24:39]
Rachel Sennett
Of course. Because I'm. Because.
- [24:41]
Matt Bellany
Well, I mean, not when you're writing it, like.
- [24:44]
Rachel Sennett
Like alone.
- [24:45]
Matt Bellany
Yeah.
- [24:45]
Rachel Sennett
Like, when I'm at. In bed at night.
- [24:47]
Matt Bellany
Yeah. Or when. When you're not working on it and you're just, like, in your normal life, like, does it consume you?
- [24:53]
Rachel Sennett
Um, I feel like I asked, because
- [24:57]
Matt Bellany
I've asked that of other creative showrunners, and a lot of them say yes.
- [25:01]
Rachel Sennett
Well, the thing is that you're never really not working on it in a way, because you go right from the. At least for us. We wrapped the show. We were editing the show while we were shooting the show. We finished the edit. I started doing press while we were still in the edit. Then we kept. I'm doing press right now, and we're writing this next season. Like, it kind of just keeps going. But I also feel like when you're working on something, like, you, you know, you leave work and then you go to dinner with someone, and then something happens, something crazy happens, or someone does this behavior or whatever that you're sort of working on the story, problems in the back of your head, and you're like, ooh, that would be a fun thing for Charlie to do. Or that would be a fun whatever. Like, I want to meet a guy like that in the show. Whatever. So I think. Yes.
- [25:57]
Lucas Shaw
I'm curious because you talked about this idea of blissful unawareness, and you were making jokes about the P and L earlier. Like, are you paying attention to what is happening in the broader entertainment business around you while you're doing the show? Like, you're making a show for hbo. HBO is in the process of getting sold. You talked a little bit about the strike.
- [26:14]
Rachel Sennett
I listened to you guys talk about
- [26:17]
Lucas Shaw
there could be a strike later this year. Are these things that you are thinking about, or do you just try to.
- [26:22]
Rachel Sennett
So I actually think about it when I listen to you guys talk about it, and sometimes I kind of actually get relaxed because you guys talk about it. Like, look, it's. Obviously, it's gonna. You know, that that's my impression of
- [26:34]
Matt Bellany
you guys, but, like, yeah, that was good.
- [26:36]
Rachel Sennett
Yeah. Since I've joined the industry and since I joined the world as an adult, it's been in turmoil. And like, even more for you guys. Like, I feel like it's like you. They put the iPad in your hand and it was just bad. Like, it was just like you were watching goop videos or, like, slime, whatever, and like, just chaos. And so it's like, I kind of expect to that a little.
- [27:06]
Matt Bellany
What do you think about the world of influencers? I mean, obviously it's the subject of the show and. But do you try to make it feel realistic? Do you have an opinion about the rise of the influencer culture? Especially someone who kind of dabbled a little bit, but is now very much a professional film and TV person?
- [27:26]
Rachel Sennett
I feel like the Internet is how I came up, and so I'm, like, grateful to the Internet for that. And I feel like it's shown me or, like, introduced me to, like, creative people that I. Or like comedians, writers, actors, whatever. Like, people that I wouldn't have otherwise been able to find. Like, I think it's kind of like a equalizer in that way. Right now I am, like, getting a little bit depressed, but that's not something that I'll get into. I went just. There's just so much stuff on there that you can read about.
- [28:04]
Matt Bellany
Oh, do you read about yourself?
- [28:06]
Rachel Sennett
No, I'm talking about the Epstein files. I'm like, what are you. I am. I. Sorry. I'm reading. I don't care actually anymore that they are saying, like, that my Bob is weird. I don't care. I'm literally like, this is refreshing. I'm like. I am, like, deep in the Epstein files, and it's really bad. So anyways, that's what I mean.
- [28:28]
Lucas Shaw
You're searching for people's names.
- [28:30]
Rachel Sennett
I'm just like, reading. I'm just reading stuff and getting. Getting really, really disturbed. So, I mean, that's. That's the part of the Internet that's different than influencers. But it's like, you.
- [28:41]
Matt Bellany
Yeah, there are no Epstein influencers.
- [28:44]
Lucas Shaw
This is like, sounds like me and the Sony hack, right? I just started going through all of the executives anyways, so it's.
- [28:50]
Rachel Sennett
There's too much to read and it's really scary. So I forget what the. Oh, influencers. I. I.
- [29:00]
Matt Bellany
Do you want your show to have a commentary on the world of influencers? Do you want it to say something about them? And if so, what?
- [29:06]
Rachel Sennett
Okay, sorry. Let me re. I need to reground myself. Yeah, I think so. I think I want to. I am trying not to judge them. Like, I think that the. I'm trying to, like, have empathy for like, people who grew up on the Internet and like. Or have seen all of these things. Like, I think, like, I. I feel sometimes, like, a little fried. Like, I feel like my brain is fried from all the things that I've seen. And, like, just the amount. Like, it's easy to get, like, nihilistic, whatever. So basically, the characters, we wanted each of the characters to be, like, a different response to, like, the times and the way the world feels. Because, like, like I was saying, like, ever since I was in college, it was like, just like, chaotic event after chaotic event. And, like, as soon as I graduated, it was Covid. And then I moved to la and then there was a big strike in the industry. And, like, there's never been solid ground. Like, I think a lot of people talk about, like, oh, it used to be like this. It used to be like that. Like, I wasn't there for that. So I. My, like, approach to my career and life is like, I'm like a, like, little, like, hamster on the wheel, like, running. Like, I can just outrun this and it'll be okay. Like, next thing, next thing, next thing. But then I have friends who are like, fuck this. There's no way to, like, succeed in the world. Like, we're never gonna be able to buy houses. We're never gonna be able to do this. Like, I'm very nihilistic. Like, and I think, like, Tallulah is a little bit more of the nihilistic character. Maya's a little bit more the hamster Char. Like, Alani is, like, able to approach things with a little more love. Cause she has the resources, but also it's refreshing and you want her perspective. And then Charlie is a little bit older, has a little bit more grain of salt view. He's a little chip on his shoulder. But we kind of wanted each character to be a different response to the times and, like, growing up on the Internet so that, like, we're not trying to say one thing about it. We're trying to say, like, it's affecting different people in different ways.
- [31:29]
Lucas Shaw
Do you feel like the Internet and the comedy that it's inspiring is materially different from the comedy that you grew
- [31:35]
Rachel Sennett
up on in so many ways? I mean, I think it's like, there's, like, shared jokes that everyone has in this way where it's like, you talk, people talk the same. And, like, in a way, there's like a community of, like, someone says something, like a teenager, like, coins, like a catchphrase or whatever. And then the whole world, like, says, It.
- [31:57]
Matt Bellany
I think that used to be movies that would do that, but now it's memes and things you see on TikTok.
- [32:02]
Rachel Sennett
But, like, that's fun. Like, I don't know, it's fun. Like, everyone talking about, like, a new thing and you're like, we all got served the same, like, TikTok algorithm, whatever.
- [32:13]
Matt Bellany
Right now it's clavicular for me.
- [32:15]
Rachel Sennett
It's clavicular.
- [32:16]
Matt Bellany
Locked in on getting all day long clavicular videos. Yeah, he'd be good on I love la.
- [32:23]
Rachel Sennett
He would be good. Max. Max. Or one of our writers is obsessed with him Max. Every day is like, this is just like, clavicular. I'm like, I. I can't. I can't with clavicular.
- [32:33]
Lucas Shaw
Okay, you tick tock a couple times. If you took out your phone, what is the app that's taking that you're spending the most time on every day?
- [32:40]
Rachel Sennett
I would say tick tock. I deleted X to get away from the Jeffrey Epstein files. And I. I feel like Instagram is just kind of. I hate to say it. It's falling flat for me right now. So I mostly would say TikTok right now. Yeah. Thanks, you guys. We feel the same.
- [33:01]
Matt Bellany
We'll have one more and then we'll open it up to some questions from the audience. So if you have one, we'll do a few after this. But you're doing a Heidi Fleiss movie.
- [33:11]
Rachel Sennett
Yes.
- [33:12]
Matt Bellany
What attracts you to that project?
- [33:15]
Rachel Sennett
I. So I. Heidi Fleiss, by the way,
- [33:18]
Matt Bellany
the Hollywood madam in the 90s. It was a big story. She was running a brothel and she had prostitution clients that implicated a lot of Hollywood people.
- [33:28]
Rachel Sennett
Exactly.
- [33:29]
Matt Bellany
I just wanted to explain it, but now that's good.
- [33:31]
Rachel Sennett
I thought I was gonna have to say that, and I was like, basically, Leah Rachel, the director and writer, like, approached me and Travis Jackson, who is her writing partner and husband, approached me, like, back. Like, it was a couple years back. I want to say it was like 2022. And they were like, we are, like, obsessed with Heidi. Like, we think you're meant to play her. Like, we want to work with you on this. And we worked on the script for and, like, developing it. And then the timing with the show, it didn't work out with the timing of when the film is supposed to shoot. But I still got to be, like, involved in the writing process and a producer on it, which is, like, kind of speaks to being able to, down the line, get to produce other stuff. But I just thought she was such an interesting character. She's Such. Her. She has. She has multiple books, but the. There's, like, her. It's like her whole story is crazy. And the way she was so, like, blatantly open about what she was doing, and she kept talking to the press, and everyone was like, you can't talk to the press. And you're like, it. I don't care. Like, I just thought she was a really interesting character, so I was drawn to her.
- [34:56]
Matt Bellany
Last question for me, and Lucas may have one. So I.O. has been on your show. When are you gonna be on the bear?
- [35:01]
Rachel Sennett
I'm available, but they haven't reached out, and I think they're. They were wrapping soon, so I'm like, I. I show up as an extra in the background, in the kitchen, in the restaurant. I could be. Yeah, I could be like. I feel like I would be a really good, like, annoying person ordering food, but. Yeah.
- [35:23]
Matt Bellany
And how did you end up in the moment?
- [35:24]
Lucas Shaw
The bear is both IO and Molly Gordon. I know.
- [35:27]
Matt Bellany
Yeah.
- [35:27]
Rachel Sennett
And our friend Mitra. Like, we have so many. I'm like, get me on there. But.
- [35:31]
Matt Bellany
And how did you end up in the moment? I know you and Charlie are friends, but it's very funny, by the way, if you haven't seen the moment, it's really funny. It got a great response when you popped up at the Sundance premiere. Everyone started screaming. It was funny.
- [35:44]
Rachel Sennett
It was really fun to film. They were shooting it in London, and I was in the writer's room, but I was like, in Paris. And we were like, we can swing it if you like. It was the first day of filming, so they ended up putting me in a van. They drove me in a van on the Channel, which is a train, a bus that goes underground. It goes under the water.
- [36:08]
Matt Bellany
Yes.
- [36:09]
Rachel Sennett
Or the.
- [36:09]
Lucas Shaw
The Channel. English Channel.
- [36:10]
Rachel Sennett
The Channel. The Channel. And it was like, basically, I left the show. I, like, took a sleeping pill. I got in a van with a random man. I handed him my passport. I was like, good night. I trust you with my life, I guess. And then he drove me, like, across the border. And then in the middle of the night, they, like, like, were knocking on the van, and they were like, ma', am, ma'. Am. Like, wake up. And I was like, hello? They were like, like, we need to. You need to, like, tell us that you're choosing to go to crossing the border from France.
- [36:46]
Matt Bellany
Human trafficking or something.
- [36:47]
Rachel Sennett
Yes. Yeah. And I was like, I'm here to be in a Charlie XX movie. And they were like, we don't believe you. And I was like, I am. And Then they drove me right to set, but I loved the script, and, like, it's sort of like taking the brat era and doing kind of like, what if she had sort of lost control of the creative process? And I was in the 360Music video, so it was kind of like a reference to that, and it was really fun.
- [37:18]
Matt Bellany
All right, you got anything else?
- [37:19]
Lucas Shaw
I have a couple of very boring classic town questions.
- [37:22]
Matt Bellany
Oh, please. Do we want to be extra boring?
- [37:24]
Lucas Shaw
I'll do. I'll give you two. Two quick ones. How much do you care if a movie that you make gets a theatrical run?
- [37:30]
Rachel Sennett
Gets a theatrical run? I care.
- [37:32]
Matt Bellany
You care.
- [37:32]
Rachel Sennett
It's just different. It's just different sitting in the movie theater and, like, for bottoms. Bottoms came out during the strike, and so we.
- [37:43]
Matt Bellany
You couldn't promote it?
- [37:44]
Rachel Sennett
I couldn't promote it at all. We were really scared. And I'm a control freak, obviously, and so I was like, I can't do anything. I'm just gonna go to the theater, like, every night and see how many tickets are sold. Like, I basically was, like, at the theaters, like, pacing around, looking to see who was there. The first night I went in to a screening, and I was there, and, like, they started playing the movie, and I was like, it's too quiet. Way too quiet. We're not gonna get laughs. So then I go to, like, the high school students who are working at the movie theater, and I was like, you have to turn up the volume in there, like. And they were like, ma', am, we can't do that. We're in high school. It was the only way I felt control was, like, going. But everybody.
- [38:32]
Matt Bellany
But when you do theaters, you open yourself up to that Monday morning judgment of whether it did well or not. And if you do a streaming movie. Not the same.
- [38:41]
Rachel Sennett
Yeah, but what if it does well?
- [38:43]
Matt Bellany
Exactly.
- [38:44]
Rachel Sennett
And Bottoms, I think it was really cool because everyone who saw the movie and loved it made the movie successful. And there was no. Literally shout out, shout out. People were dressing up, going to the movie and, like, promoting it on TikTok. And, like, we didn't. We didn't get to do any promotion. And it made me feel. It made me feel like the movie was. Was fully brought up by the people who loved it and the people that we made it for. And so that was, like, a really special feeling. But, like, going to the theater every night for the first, like, two weekends, I was like, the energy in here feels so special. And I think how much of the
- [39:25]
Matt Bellany
Bottoms box office is directly attributable to you. $100, $200 a couple.
- [39:30]
Rachel Sennett
I was there. I was there. I was like, I was, like, sitting and, like, asking people to, like, what do you think?
- [39:36]
Matt Bellany
Like, it's like, wait, aren't you in the movie?
- [39:39]
Rachel Sennett
It was just. But I, it was the only way I could measure it. And then I would also go on, like, the fandango, like, ticket app.
- [39:47]
Matt Bellany
Oh, my God.
- [39:48]
Rachel Sennett
And I would chill.
- [39:49]
Matt Bellany
This is neurotic.
- [39:49]
Rachel Sennett
Yes.
- [39:50]
Matt Bellany
I can't believe you're not Jewish.
- [39:51]
Rachel Sennett
I, I, this is kind of like you with the Melania box office. I feel like you've been doing that where you're like, how many people are actually buying tickets? But I was doing that with bottoms where I would just, like, scan and see how many people had actually, like, bought tickets.
- [40:07]
Lucas Shaw
There are 12 empty seats at the Grill. What the hell is going on?
- [40:09]
Rachel Sennett
The hell is going on. Yeah.
- [40:11]
Matt Bellany
Well, congratulations on the show and thank you to everyone for coming.
- [40:14]
Rachel Sennett
Thanks, guys.
- [40:15]
Matt Bellany
All right, that's the show for today. I want to thank our guest, Rachel Sennett, Chapman University, for hosting us. Our guy, Lucas Shaw, producer Craig Horlbag. Art is there. Jon Jones and I want to thank you. We'll see you next week.
- [40:31]
Rachel Sennett
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