{"id":359820,"date":"2025-11-06T13:02:32","date_gmt":"2025-11-06T13:02:32","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/359820\/"},"modified":"2025-11-06T13:02:32","modified_gmt":"2025-11-06T13:02:32","slug":"rachel-sennotts-i-love-la-cast-covers-cosmopolitan","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/359820\/","title":{"rendered":"Rachel Sennott’s ‘I Love LA’ Cast Covers Cosmopolitan"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"Estimated24 min read\"the <\/p>\n

Every generation has a chaos show\u2014a cultural artifact that captures the vulnerability and specific humor of right now, whenever that \u201cnow\u201d might be. In 2012, it was Girls. In 2016, it was Insecure. (Both distributed by HBO<\/a>.) Now, in 2025, the network has a contender for Gen Z<\/a>: the deeply unhinged new series for the chronically online, I Love LA. <\/p>\n

Created by and starring writer\/actor\/comedian\/director Rachel Sennott<\/a>, the script is a love letter to the messy in-between years where friends are soulmates, everyone\u2019s finances are a secret, and social media is therapy with a comments section.<\/p>\n

Rachel plays Maia, an overworked and under-promoted junior staffer with big dreams, a chip on her shoulder, and two best friends who are simultaneously helping and hindering her growth. Those friends are Tallulah (Odessa A\u2019zion), the maximalist wild card in a constant state of living off her last brand deal, and Alani (True Whitaker), the group\u2019s glowing ride-or-die whose industry daddy\u2019s deep pockets cover the checks. Add in Charlie (Jordan Firstman), the live wire in a losing race to be steps ahead of everyone, and Dylan (Josh Hutcherson), Maia\u2019s adoring and stable Spanish-teacher boyfriend, and you\u2019ve got a wildly charming ensemble that hums with charisma and chemistry.<\/p>\n

After their beachside shoot, the cast sat down for an interview over takeout sushi and beer, which quickly turned into something closer to an unfiltered dinner party. What unfolded was a candid conversation about class tension, social identity, code-switching between generations, the pressures of keeping up, and how I Love LA uses sex, style, and sibling-level loyalty to paint a portrait of young adulthood that\u2019s deeply specific yet recognizable. <\/p>\n

Here\u2019s what happened when Cosmopolitan joined the group chat.<\/p>\n

\"rachelI want to talk about the title of the show. It was under wraps for so long that everyone got used to calling it the Untitled Rachel Sennott Project. Was the nod to the \u201cI <\/p>\n

Rachel Sennott: <\/strong>Definitely. I moved to LA from New York, and for so long I was like, \u201cI hate LA, I hate LA, I hate LA. I\u2019m going back to New York. It\u2019s such a big part of my identity.\u201d Moving here was hard. And these characters, like so many people in real life, all have different perspectives on that push and pull between the two coasts. We\u2019re perpetuating the beef. <\/p>\n

True Whitaker: <\/strong>HBO showed us a little list, and asked us, \u201cYea or nay?\u201d and we definitely had a big \u201cyea\u201d for I Love LA.<\/p>\n

How are you hoping to make LA\u2014which can often, as an industry city, feel very inside baseball\u2014appeal to the masses?<\/p>\n

Rachel Sennott<\/strong>: We\u2019re showing a hyper-specific corner of it. We\u2019re just one friend group, so we\u2019re definitely not representing all of LA. We\u2019re not a monolith.<\/p>\n

Jordan Firstman<\/strong>: I am.<\/p>\n

\"\u201cweBut LA is not!<\/p>\n

Josh Hutcherson<\/strong>: What really works is how quickly you understand the characters in this show. <\/p>\n

Rachel Sennott<\/strong>: Hopefully, we\u2019ve created characters that viewers can really see themselves in and be like, \u201cOkay, you\u2019re being so Charlie right now\u201d or \u201cOh, you\u2019re having a Tallulah moment\u201d or \u201cI\u2019m feeling very Alani today.\u201d1 <\/p>\n

1. Cheat codes, for the uninitiated: If you’re being a Charlie, you\u2019re acting horny. Being a Tallulah means everything\u2019s going your way, and feeling Alani is embracing your most optimistic self.<\/p>\n

Jordan Firstman<\/strong>: Some of the jokes have a certain LA specificity, but there\u2019s a layer of emotional truth to them. Like, yeah, you might not know what Courage Bagels is, but you\u2019re going to understand why Charlie is upset that no one\u2019s eating them. If you get something for your friend\u2019s birthday and they don\u2019t eat it, you\u2019re going to be mad. A lot of shows that are based in LA tend to be very industry, but ours leans more internet-y. <\/p>\n

Rachel<\/strong>: That\u2019s our window in. <\/p>\n

This story is part of Cosmo\u2019s Online Issue2 and I\u2019m curious how heavily you leaned on the internet to influence the script.<\/p>\n

Josh Hutcherson<\/strong>: Jordan\u2019s got the books for this, man. <\/p>\n

Odessa A’zion<\/strong>: The books!<\/p>\n

Jordan Firstman<\/strong>: These characters are internet people. Right now, especially for Gen Z, that\u2019s so universal. You don\u2019t need to live anywhere in particular to know what\u2019s going on. It\u2019s a language that Rachel has written in the show. There are jokes about how Tallulah is not trying to be an actress\u2014she thinks that\u2019s cringe. We\u2019re playing with the fact this isn\u2019t an industry show. It\u2019s what LA has become since the influencer takeover.<\/p>\n

True Whitaker<\/strong>: Being Gen Z myself, the internet influences every single aspect of my day-to-day life. We have our own language that we can reference almost universally at this point. <\/p>\n

2. To read more from the Online Issue, head this way<\/a>. <\/p>\n

\"ImageThese characters are so online. Phones were practically glued to everyone\u2019s hands. <\/p>\n

True Whitaker<\/strong>: I mean, it\u2019s the 21st century\u2014we always have our phone in our hands. They weren\u2019t our real phones though. They were props. If you were to take a picture of the people outside the window right now, a majority of them would have their phone in their hand. People are always online. Even if they\u2019re operating in the real world, they\u2019re still connected to what\u2019s going on on the internet.<\/p>\n

Jordan Firstman<\/strong>: Also, sorry, but it\u2019s such a trope that only young people are on their phones. These boomer-ass bitches live on their phone.3<\/p>\n

3. Jordan is right. A 2025 report indicates<\/a> half of baby boomers spend 3+ hours on their phones every day.<\/p>\n

Josh Hutcherson<\/strong>: My mom\u2019s screen time is probably 10 times mine.<\/p>\n

Odessa A\u2019zion<\/strong>: 10 times?!<\/p>\n

Rachel Sennott<\/strong>: Can I take this moment to go on the record as a cusp who is non\u2013Gen Z? Can I just say it before anyone says, \u201cShe thinks she is younger than she is.\u201d I\u2019m going on record as old. <\/p>\n

True Whitaker<\/strong>: Old? Well, that\u2019s ridiculous.<\/p>\n

Jordan<\/strong>: No, no! You\u2019re medium. <\/p>\n

Odessa A\u2019zion<\/strong>: Yeah, you\u2019re medium.<\/p>\n

Jordan Firstman<\/strong>: But it is important to note we only have two Gen Z actors. <\/p>\n

Josh Hutcherson<\/strong>: I\u2019m a hardcore millennial. <\/p>\n

\"a<\/p>\n

Shirt Brunello Cucinelli<\/strong>, bra and underwear Cou Cou Intimates<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

\"a<\/p>\n

Coat Polo Ralph Lauren<\/strong>, swimsuit and boots Herm\u00e8s<\/strong>.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Cusp is valid though! There are micro generations. I always say if you are the oldest of your siblings born in 1996, you are Gen Z, no question. But if you\u2019re born in 1996 with older siblings born in the late \u201980s or early \u201990s, you\u2019re going to have millennial influences. Do you all think the show is more Gen Z or millennial? <\/p>\n

Josh Hutcherson<\/strong>: [My character] Dylan doesn\u2019t speak Gen Z, I don\u2019t think.<\/p>\n

But he understands it, no?<\/p>\n

Josh Hutcherson<\/strong>: He works with preteens. But even still, in my mind, half the shit that is talked about in front of Dylan goes over his head.<\/p>\n

I love the way this show illustrates how generations interface with one another. Tallulah\u2019s conversation with Maia\u2019s boss4 couldn\u2019t be more different than Maia\u2019s talks with her peers. Everyone is code-switching in a way.<\/p>\n

Odessa A\u2019zion<\/strong>: Tallulah code-switches a lot. She\u2019s very manipulative.<\/p>\n

Jordan Firstman<\/strong>: Tallulah does that Gen Z thing where they\u2019ll come into an office and be like, \u201cThis is what\u2019s happening. Either you\u2019re in or you\u2019re out.\u201d There\u2019s a crassness about them.<\/p>\n

True Whitaker<\/strong>: Yeah, we do. But it works.<\/p>\n

Rachel Sennott<\/strong>: What will feel most generational about the show is how our characters\u2019 adult lives have been shaped by global chaos. Like, imagine graduating college during COVID and then entering a workforce that barely exists. It put a lot of people behind. Maia\u2019s still an assistant at 27, going, \u201cWhat the fuck?\u201d And it\u2019s not because she\u2019s not trying.<\/p>\n

There\u2019s also this feeling of waiting for older people to offer you opportunities and realizing they\u2019re not going to. It\u2019s your friends who end up giving you the push. That\u2019s been my experience. Pretty much every opportunity I\u2019ve had has come through collaboration with a friend.<\/p>\n

4. Who plays Maia\u2019s boss? That would be none other than Leighton Meester.<\/p>\n

\""sorry,We\u2019re in an era where one 27-year-old might be hitting their stride, making real money, while another is still an assistant, begging for a promotion. And this series addresses financial inequity in a way I haven\u2019t seen before. Usually, ensemble casts are either all successful or all broke. This is one of a few shows where not everyone is earning the same\u2014and no one\u2019s saying it out loud. Talk to me about tapping into that truth, which is one most people don\u2019t even want to address.<\/p>\n

True Whitaker<\/strong>: Because it\u2019s uncomfortable.<\/p>\n

Odessa A’zion<\/strong>: Everyone\u2019s putting on a face.<\/p>\n

Jordan Firstman<\/strong>: We\u2019re all posturing. Everyone\u2019s pretending to be at the same level when they\u2019re not. Maia is making a dinner reservation at a restaurant she can\u2019t afford, Tallulah has a Balenciaga bag, and we\u2019re all having these meals we can\u2019t pay for. Except Alani\u2026<\/p>\n

Rachel Sennott<\/strong>: \u2026is paying for everyone.<\/p>\n

True Whitaker<\/strong>: With no actual job. It\u2019s all from her family. <\/p>\n

What I love is that as a viewer it doesn\u2019t ever dawn on me that any of the friends are using her. Because they aren\u2019t. She\u2019s a ride-or-die who just happens to have money.<\/p>\n

True Whitaker<\/strong>: That\u2019s Alani. Her role in the show is to take care of her friends. Not just financially\u2014which she does because she has that financial flexibility\u2014but to just be there for them however she can.<\/p>\n

Jordan Firstman<\/strong>: Alani is such an interesting character, especially with the nepo conversation happening. She\u2019s such a nice person who\u2019s actually using what she\u2019s been given to make sure her friends live a good life.<\/p>\n

\"josh<\/p>\n

Sweater Polo Ralph Lauren<\/strong>. <\/p>\n

And then there\u2019s Tallulah, who everyone in the friend group believes has a bunch of money she\u2019s made on brand deals\u2014specifically one with Heaven by Marc Jacobs\u2014which she later admits she\u2019s already blown through.<\/p>\n

Odessa A\u2019zion<\/strong>: I mean, I do that every single time I get a job in real life. Literally! When we started the show, I had no money in my account. I was in the red. And then we started the show, and the money came back. But then you have to pay for stuff and then it\u2019s gone again. It\u2019s this cycle that happens to me a lot.<\/p>\n

Jordan Firstman: <\/strong>It\u2019s modern life. Modern life is so expensive.<\/p>\n

Odessa A\u2019zion<\/strong>: It\u2019s so expensive.<\/p>\n

True Whitaker<\/strong>: Yeah, it is. Because there\u2019s this concept of having to keep up appearances in this industry. We have to show up to events dressed to the nines. You get some money, then you have to throw it back out at stuff because our generation feels this need to present ourselves in the most glamorous, glitzy ways when in reality, it\u2019s usually not what\u2019s happening. <\/p>\n

Rachel Sennott<\/strong>: I think there\u2019s a bit of nihilistic, like, \u201cFuck it, I\u2019m just going to spend the money when I get it, because I\u2019m never going to be able to buy a house\u201d attitude. It\u2019s hard to watch the news and not just want to put a Band-Aid on things.<\/p>\n

Jordan Firstman<\/strong>: I\u2019m busting my ass; I\u2019m going to get fucking sushi. <\/p>\n

\"Image\"Image <\/p>\n

Rachel Sennott<\/strong>: Also the ages of the characters in the show is important because we look at how everybody makes big life decisions in their early 20s almost privately. You get toward the end of your 20s and all of a sudden, it\u2019s like, How am I not in the same place as someone I graduated from college with? How do they have a job and I don\u2019t? But what you don\u2019t realize is that every day, that person was waking up at 6 a.m. and going out looking. You don\u2019t see that part. And it\u2019s almost like, \u201cWait a second, I didn\u2019t know you were doing that.\u201d<\/p>\n

I had a friend who would never go out to dinner. Anytime we\u2019d go out, they would be like, \u201cI can\u2019t pay, I\u2019m broke.\u201d So I would always pick up the check. But then they were like, \u201cI\u2019m saving to buy this, and I have a 401(k).\u201d And I was like, \u201cWait a second\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n

Jordan Firstman<\/strong>: \u201cI\u2019m paying, so she can save?\u201d<\/p>\n

Rachel Sennott<\/strong>: Yeah, like, \u201cShould I not be going to dinner?\u201d<\/p>\n

Jordan Firstman<\/strong>: But also, \u201cI\u2019m paying so you can contribute to a 401(k)?\u201d<\/p>\n

Josh Hutcherson<\/strong>: I bet that\u2019s a nice 401(k).<\/p>\n

Rachel Sennott<\/strong>: What you realize is everyone\u2019s doing a different thing. In the beginning, at school or whatever, you\u2019re this group that\u2019s in it together. And then everyone starts making their individual life choices and you\u2019re like, \u201cHold on, guys. When are we having babies? Is anyone getting married? Are we keeping our jobs? Are we quitting? Which coast are we living on?\u201d All of that.5 <\/p>\n

5. Mid-conversation, Odessa turned to Rachel and said, \u201cSorry, Rachel, you have such sexy beach hair right now. You look so good.\u201d (She was right.)<\/p>\n

\"the<\/p>\n

On True: Sweater Brunello Cucinelli<\/strong>. On Jordan: Sweater J.Crew<\/strong>, necklace (worn throughout) Gabriela Artigas<\/strong>. On Rachel: Cardigan Polo Ralph Lauren<\/strong>, ring Gabriela Artigas<\/strong>. On Odessa: Sweater MM6 Maison Margiela<\/strong>. On Josh: Sweater Polo Ralph Lauren<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

But no matter where people are on their spending or saving journey, everyone always finds a way to rally. I love how in the pilot these characters are all hustling to make this perfect night happen for Maia\u2019s birthday. And how even though Tallulah doesn\u2019t have money she\u2019s able to use her social currency in a way that\u2019s beneficial to the entire friend group. She\u2019s like Mr. Magoo, fumbling her way through life but always sticking the landing. <\/p>\n

Odessa A\u2019zion<\/strong>: I had a really hard time playing Tallulah. I feel so different from who she is as a person. Morally, how she presents herself, how she talks, I don\u2019t feel like I relate to her. But I got into the flow and began to understand her thought process and why she\u2019s always code-switching\u2014in front of her friends, even! Her voice with Maia versus Alani, she talks differently. It was so weird and out of my fucking comfort zone. <\/p>\n

Josh Hutcherson<\/strong>: You just do it.<\/p>\n

Odessa A\u2019zion<\/strong>: You really do. And that\u2019s something I had to live by, playing this character. Posing for a photo with my tits pushed out, wearing crazy heels. It\u2019s so not me, but I had to fully jump in and immerse myself in it. <\/p>\n

Did anyone else have a hard time relating to their character?<\/p>\n

True Whitaker<\/strong>: I had an amazing time playing Alani. We obviously have parallels in our lives. Like yeah, I\u2019m the daughter of someone famous in the industry.6 I\u2019m a nepo actor. But Alani allowed me to play a version of myself that was almost…airy. I wouldn\u2019t say my life has been traumatic, but I\u2019ve lost my mother. Things have happened that have caused me to be a little more jaded or a little less enthusiastic than I used to be. But Alani was freeing. Playing her felt like a load had been lifted. Alani has gone through shit, too, but the way that she communicates and deals with it is inspiring to me because the trauma that she\u2019s gone through has never allowed her to become bitter.<\/p>\n

6. That would be Academy Award winner Forest Whitaker, if you\u2019re curious.<\/p>\n

\"\u201ci\u2019mI can\u2019t wait to learn about her trauma. Right now she\u2019s such a light!<\/p>\n

Rachel Sennott<\/strong>: It\u2019s coming.<\/p>\n

Odessa A\u2019zion<\/strong>: Alani is such a beautiful character. And like Alani, you\u2019re a very loyal and supportive friend. You see the best in people.<\/p>\n

True Whitaker<\/strong>: I do feel like we all started to pull a lot of inspiration from our actual personalities. <\/p>\n

How much of this would you say is based on real life? This script is a prime example of how writing what you know really pays off.<\/p>\n

Rachel Sennott<\/strong>: I\u2019m someone who started out doing stand-up and publishing my thoughts on Twitter, and I would directly spit out what was happening in my life as it was happening.7 And with this show, I\u2019ve been able to similarly draw on personal stuff but expand on it with a bunch of amazing writers who also have their own stories and opinions and perspectives which helps expand this world. We\u2019re definitely drawing on some real-world experiences and personality traits. <\/p>\n

I am in love with every person here. These are amazing actors and they all are so special and funny and unique in their own way. And when we\u2019re writing scenes, we would be like, \u201cOh my god, you can just see Jordan saying that line.\u201d Or like, \u201cOh my god, True with her Margiela Tabis\u2026\u201d <\/p>\n

7. Some gems from the graveyard of Rachel\u2019s Twitter account? \u201cTotal princess vibes on set today meaning I am wearing Uggs and have a UTI\u201d and, famously, \u201cIf I ever go on Seth Meyers I\u2019m going to tell him that I gave my first blowjob to a guy who was an intern there and I picked him bc I thought interning at Seth Meyers was cool.\u201d (Which she did!)<\/p>\n

Jordan Firstman<\/strong>: Spoiler: There are Tabis!<\/p>\n

Josh Hutcherson: <\/strong>Damnit, Rachel. <\/p>\n

\"Image<\/p>\n

Rachel Sennott<\/strong>: Oh, fuck. Well, it\u2019s coming, episode 2. Alani\u2019s got Tabis.<\/p>\n

True Whitaker<\/strong>: Spoiling the whole show. <\/p>\n

Rachel Sennott: <\/strong>The fact is, we got to the place in the writers\u2019 room where we would read the lines out loud and just know.<\/p>\n

Odessa A\u2019zion<\/strong>: I think it helps when you have not just the characters in your mind while writing but the people who are playing those characters. The script felt super tailored in that way.<\/p>\n

Jordan Firstman<\/strong>: I mean, the pilot in general was really hard to film because we didn\u2019t really know what we were doing yet.<\/p>\n

Josh Hutcherson<\/strong>: We were still setting the tone. <\/p>\n

Jordan Firstman<\/strong>: The pilot is a bit more grounded and then it gets a little more hype-y as the show goes on. It remains grounded, but there are jokes every line, and we had to be like, \u201cDo we play these as a comedy or do we play them real?\u201d I think we figured it out pretty quickly, but finding it in the beginning was a journey. <\/p>\n

In that experimentation, were there a lot of improvisational moments?<\/p>\n

Jordan Firstman<\/strong>: Never. No improv ever.<\/p>\n

Odessa A\u2019zion<\/strong>: No, we had so much freedom, which is a gift that you\u2019re not usually given, especially on projects that aren\u2019t comedies. And we got lucky enough to work with a cast where every single person\u2014<\/p>\n

Jordan Firstman<\/strong>: \u2014can do it. And really knows how to improvise.<\/p>\n

Odessa A\u2019zi<\/strong>on: <\/strong>And can bounce off of each other. We were dying laughing all the time.<\/p>\n

True Whitaker<\/strong>: Everyone has truly put their own spin on every delivery. I got to watch actual geniuses at work. The way these guys approached their work was incredible. I really feel like we all put our pussies in that shit.<\/p>\n

\"jordan<\/p>\n

Sweater Bode<\/strong>, boxers ERL<\/strong>. <\/p>\n

Jordan Firstman<\/strong>: I also think that Rachel writes from such a place of love. When I first read the scripts, as someone who has known her for eight years now, I was like, \u201cOh my god, she is doing me so right, and she sees the deepness in me.\u201d My character goes through a lot of shit. But that, to me, was the greatest way she could show me love, because she knows I want to go there. I want to express deeper parts of myself through my work. She gave us really meaty characters, all while still delivering the archetypes a successful TV show needs.<\/p>\n

Her writing comes from such a deep place of care, which made the entire experience so rewarding. Even if there were times where I felt like, \u201cOh god\u201d or I knew there was one thing she used from my real life that I\u2019m like, \u201cThis is going to be really embarrassing for me,\u201d I was ultimately like, \u201cLet her do it.\u201d<\/p>\n

Rachel Sennott<\/strong>: I texted first! <\/p>\n

Jordan Firstman<\/strong>: And I was like, \u201cYeah, let her do it.\u201d Because I trust the journey she\u2019s taking these characters on, and she\u2019s not trying to humiliate us. She\u2019s trying to help us. I worked in the writers\u2019 room on a show that I won\u2019t name, but they would seek to humiliate people they knew. They would be like, \u201cThis bitch is so annoying, let\u2019s write this in to humiliate her.\u201d<\/p>\n

Odessa A’zion<\/strong>: Okay, so\u2026that\u2019s crazy. Oh my god. Holy shit.<\/p>\n

Jordan Firstman<\/strong>: A lot of TV comedy writers are very insecure and competitive. So sometimes the scripts can feel like some sort of retaliation.<\/p>\n

Odessa A\u2019zion<\/strong>: An attack.<\/p>\n

Jordan Firstman<\/strong>: But Rachel doesn\u2019t write from a bitter place at all. She writes about things that interest and excite her and make her laugh. <\/p>\n

Rachel Sennott<\/strong>: I know Tabis and trauma. <\/p>\n

\"odessa's<\/p>\n

Sweater MM6 Maison Margiela<\/strong>.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\"odessa<\/p>\n

Shirt R13<\/strong>, boxers Herm\u00e8s<\/strong>.\u00a0<\/p>\n

You can tell that this was a blast to film and everyone trusts Rachel with their lives, but were there any scenes that were harder to do than others? <\/p>\n

Odessa A\u2019zion<\/strong>: We all genuinely love each other and love hanging out with each other.<\/p>\n

Jordan Firstman<\/strong>: And I know every cast says that, but we mean it. We really are\u2014<\/p>\n

True Whitaker<\/strong>: \u2014a chosen family, it\u2019s a blessing.<\/p>\n

Odessa A\u2019zion<\/strong>: That doesn\u2019t happen a lot. Nobody feuded, and if we did, it was like a sister fight.<\/p>\n

Rachel Sennott<\/strong>: And it was squashed so fast.<\/p>\n

Odessa A\u2019zion<\/strong>: Like daughters on their way home in the back seat of the car. <\/p>\n

True Whitaker<\/strong>: And I\u2019m, like, active in the group chat as soon as I\u2019m away from you guys.<\/p>\n

What is the group chat called?<\/p>\n

True Whitaker<\/strong>: We Love LA.<\/p>\n

Odessa A\u2019zion<\/strong>: I made it. Thank you. Taking the credit.<\/p>\n

Rachel Sennott<\/strong>: Then we have The Real Girls.<\/p>\n

Jordan Firstman<\/strong>: Without Dylan.<\/p>\n

Odessa A\u2019zion<\/strong>: Which I also named! I\u2019m the group chat namer.<\/p>\n

Josh Hutcherson<\/strong>: What? Wow. That chat better be fucking crickets.<\/p>\n

Jordan Firstman<\/strong>: We never use it. <\/p>\n

Rachel Sennott<\/strong>: Aww, Josh. We made it before you were hired!<\/p>\n

Odessa A\u2019zion<\/strong>: And then our Instagram group chat is We Kind Of Like It Here. And I also named that, thank you, ma\u2019am.<\/p>\n

Rachel Sennott<\/strong>: We Kind Of Like It Here, like in Annie. But you wanted to know which scenes were harder to write, right? <\/p>\n

Yes, please.<\/p>\n

Rachel Sennott<\/strong>: I feel like [REDACTED]8<\/p>\n

8. Rachel immediately spilled a massive, HBO-embargoed forbidden spoiler to the shock and horror of every single one of her castmates and the accompanying studio representative.<\/p>\n

I don\u2019t think I was supposed to know that! <\/p>\n

Rachel Sennott<\/strong>: Oh my god, I\u2019m so wrong for that. <\/p>\n

\"Image\"Image<\/p>\n

Josh Hutcherson<\/strong>: Rachel, you\u2019re going to be a fucking nightmare on the press tour. Strike it, strike it, strike it!<\/p>\n

Rachel Sennott: <\/strong>Holy shit. So yeah, that was a joke.<\/p>\n

True Whitaker<\/strong>: Someone take her beer away!<\/p>\n

Rachel Sennott<\/strong>: Okay. Pause, rewind. I\u2019m sorry.<\/p>\n

Jordan Firstman<\/strong>: And we were nervous about the Tabis. <\/p>\n

Josh Hutcherson<\/strong>: Good times. <\/p>\n

Rachel Sennott<\/strong>: I\u2019m really sorry. <\/p>\n

Odessa A\u2019zion<\/strong>: We gotta PR-train this bitch.<\/p>\n

Rachel Sennott: <\/strong>So the opening sex scene was hard. That was a hard scene to craft.<\/p>\n

True Whitake<\/strong>r: I\u2019m crying.<\/p>\n

Odessa A\u2019zion<\/strong>: Rachel, it\u2019s okay.<\/p>\n

Rachel Sennott: <\/strong>That was a hard scene! <\/p>\n

This is Cosmo, so I do have to ask: How did you approach the sex scenes?9 Because we open the pilot on one and it\u2019s somewhat comedic but still very raw and real. It wasn\u2019t pornographic and felt like an honest representation of how real couples actually have sex.<\/p>\n

Rachel Sennott<\/strong>: It wasn\u2019t? I\u2019m pretty sure that was porn. That was supposed to be porn, so\u2026<\/p>\n

Josh Hutcherson<\/strong>: I was going for porno sex. There goes that career! <\/p>\n

Rachel Sennott<\/strong>: Shit.<\/p>\n

Josh Hutcherson<\/strong>: We worked with an intimacy coordinator, which was super helpful. I\u2019ve been in situations where there isn\u2019t one and it\u2019s awkward\u2014the scenes take longer to shoot and someone is always uncomfortable. It sucks. But having one for this show made it so we could perform at the highest level. They talk you through the shot list and they have separate discussions with each actor to take stock of everyone\u2019s comfort levels and ensure we\u2019re not feeling any pressure. And they call the director to find out what they\u2019re trying to accomplish. There are these little separate negotiations that help us land on a finished product everyone feels good about. It just feels like the best way to do it.<\/p>\n

9. We do love a sex scene. In 2025, Cosmo even launched \u201cLong Live the Sex Scene,\u201d<\/a> a special project exploring why steamy TV and movie moments matter more than ever.<\/p>\n

\"the<\/p>\n

On Josh: Shirt Polo Ralph Lauren<\/strong>, boxers CDLP<\/strong>, necklace Josh\u2019s own. On True: Shirt Brunello Cucinelli<\/strong>, bra and underwear Cou Cou Intimates<\/strong>. On Rachel: Dress Balenciaga<\/strong>, underwear Araks<\/strong>. On Odessa: Shirt R13<\/strong>, boxers Herm\u00e8s<\/strong>. On Jordan: Shirt Ferragamo<\/strong>, boxers CDLP<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

Rachel Sennott<\/strong>: You learn so much about people\u2019s relationships from the way they\u2019re having sex. It\u2019s an immediate way to track where a couple is at and who each person is. All of the sex scenes we\u2019ve written really serve a purpose. We\u2019re telling the audience something interesting about the characters involved and making it feel real and funny, without being schticky or gross. <\/p>\n

Josh Hutcherson: <\/strong>In the pilot, the sex scene is comical because of what\u2019s happening, but what immediately follows is Maia talking to Dylan about Chipotle. There\u2019s a great balance between nudity being hot and also just\u2014<\/p>\n

Rachel Sennott<\/strong>: Real. And weird. Yes. <\/p>\n

Josh Hutcherson<\/strong>: We\u2019re a couple who lives together\u2014it\u2019s realistic for her to be talking to me topless without it feeling sexually charged.<\/p>\n

It\u2019s true intimacy!<\/p>\n

Jordan Firstman<\/strong>: Charlie has some porno sex. Well, maybe a little more\u2026porn light.<\/p>\n

A little more uninhibited than their safe-in-bed sex?<\/p>\n

Jordan Firstman<\/strong>: It\u2019s gay guy sex.<\/p>\n

Say less. Like Rachel said, it is indicative of who he is as a person and where he\u2019s at in life. It does not surprise me that your character has that coming\u2014<\/p>\n

Odessa A\u2019zion<\/strong>: \u2014no pun intended. <\/p>\n

\u2014because it\u2019s clear that Charlie is the devil on Maia\u2019s shoulder, Alani is the angel, and those dynamics will for sure leak into their personal lives.<\/p>\n

Jordan Firstman<\/strong>: There’s definitely going to be leaking.<\/p>\n

Rachel Sennott<\/strong>: Oh, we leak.<\/p>\n

Odessa A\u2019zion<\/strong>: Lots of leaking.<\/p>\n

True Whitaker: <\/strong>There will be lots and lots of leaking. But it\u2019s true what you said about the devil and angel thing. Alani\u2019s not just Maia\u2019s friend, she\u2019s her sister.<\/p>\n

\"\u201cyouThe show deals with the complexities of female friendship so beautifully. There\u2019s this undying devotion to one another but also this silent competition.<\/p>\n

Odessa A\u2019zion<\/strong>: Very, very sisterly.<\/p>\n

Rachel Sennott<\/strong>: In the past, I\u2019ve been someone who\u2019s afraid that people don\u2019t love me as much as I love them, and I think I wrote Maia as someone who gives a certain amount of energy with the expectation that it will be reciprocated. And that\u2019s not always fair. But that\u2019s why Maia is projecting a lot. Like Maia, I would be nothing without my friends. I feel like they\u2019ve shaped me into the person I am today, and they continue to do so. And even if there\u2019s a little bit of tension, ultimately anytime I\u2019ve ever had any sort of disagreement with them, I come out closer. <\/p>\n

Maia, Tallulah, and Alani are all parts of me, which is why their dynamic works. Maia is the obsessive control freak part of me. Tallulah is that younger version of me who used to live in New York. And Alani is my sensitive side, my Cancer moon.<\/p>\n

True Whitaker<\/strong>: I have a Cancer moon, too!<\/p>\n

Rachel Sennott<\/strong>: We lead with our emotions on our sleeve and then people think we\u2019re ditzy, but we\u2019re just feeling really hard.<\/p>\n

True Whitaker<\/strong>: Exactly how it feels.<\/p>\n

Rachel Sennott<\/strong>: During my Saturn Return, I was really in my Maia era. And when my life got shaken up again, my Alani would come out and I\u2019d be crying in public. Or my Tallulah would show and and I\u2019d be doing poppers and getting drunk. Obviously these are characters, but they do feel like real-life friends who draw out different sides of myself. <\/p>\n

\"jordan<\/p>\n

On Jordan: Sweater Bode<\/strong>.\u00a0On Josh: Sweater Polo Ralph Lauren<\/strong>.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\"joshViewers are going to inevitably place this show within the context of other shows with an ensemble cast of friends that have come before it, like Girls and Insecure. How would you say I Love LA is different and new? And why is it important to tell this story now?<\/p>\n

Rachel Sennott<\/strong>: When we talk about the show we call it Entourage for It Girls.<\/p>\n

I love that.<\/p>\n

Rachel Sennott<\/strong>: Another HBO show! I dream of making something that comes close to any of those titles. All of those shows are favorites of mine and we\u2019ve definitely referenced them, but hopefully this feels like its own thing. <\/p>\n

Josh Hutcherson<\/strong>: If I can gush a little bit, what makes this show so special is Rachel\u2019s voice. She has a unique, one-of-a-kind, fresh, honest, intelligent perspective that I haven\u2019t seen captured before. When I read these scripts, I was like, \u201cHoly shit, these characters are so well-defined.\u201d <\/p>\n

Jordan Firstman<\/strong>: It\u2019s also fearless. Rachel writes about some very controversial topics. Things you wouldn\u2019t think people would say on a TV show. Or opinions you wouldn\u2019t expect a character to have. It\u2019s what the younger generation is craving because we hear these takes on TikTok, but when you turn on the TV, everything feels so sanitized.<\/p>\n

Odessa A\u2019zion<\/strong>: Fake, yeah.<\/p>\n

Jordan Firstman<\/strong>: I think it\u2019s going to feel really refreshing for younger audiences to hear people talking like their friends talk or recognize the way people speak on the internet. <\/p>\n

Odessa A\u2019z<\/strong>ion<\/strong>: Without it feeling performative.<\/p>\n

Jordan Firstman<\/strong>: And it\u2019s not a show about the internet. <\/p>\n

\"ImageHow important do you think it is to have folks your age helming an HBO show right now? I\u2019ve seen so many young people on TikTok and Instagram asking, \u201cWhen is Gen Z getting their show?\u201d I think this is it.<\/p>\n

True Whitaker<\/strong>: I think we got it.<\/p>\n

Even though you\u2019re technically a millennial.<\/p>\n

Rachel Sennott<\/strong>: Whoa.<\/p>\n

Jordan Firstman<\/strong>: Cut! Cut!<\/p>\n

True Whitaker<\/strong>: Cut!<\/p>\n

Rachel Sennott<\/strong>: We\u2019ve established on the record that I\u2019m a cusp. <\/p>\n

Jordan Firstman<\/strong>: Younger sisters, remember? That means she\u2019s Gen Z.<\/p>\n

Rachel Sennott<\/strong>: Yeah, younger sisters!<\/p>\n

Okay, okay, you\u2019re a Gen Z\u2013leaning cusp. <\/p>\n

Jordan Firstman<\/strong>: Cosmo said it!<\/p>\n

Rachel Sennott<\/strong>: I think it\u2019s really important to have a show like this right now. Young people are so funny. I\u2019ll swipe for an hour on TikTok and be like, \u201cOh my god, I just saw 10 people who should be making movies.\u201d<\/p>\n

True Whitaker<\/strong>: And what\u2019s great is the show does feature some actors who\u2019ve made a name for themselves on TikTok. Like Quen Blackwell<\/a>\u2014<\/p>\n

\u2014who is also in this issue of Cosmo!10<\/p>\n

10. Quen took the Cosmo Quiz<\/a>, and her handwriting is as fantastic as you\u2019d expect.<\/p>\n

Josh Hutcherson<\/strong>: There\u2019s something to be said for having an HBO show that appeals to such an online generation. You\u2019ve got to draw those people in or else we won\u2019t have a future making great TV. We\u2019ve found a way to bring them into the fold. Having Rachel at the helm is vital for the future of television.<\/p>\n

Jordan Firstman<\/strong>: And the world!<\/p>\n

Odessa A\u2019zion<\/strong>: Mankind, goddamn it. <\/p>\n

Was that part of the intentionality behind the 30-minute episode format? It’s like, \u201cWell, their attention spans are not an hour long.\u201d<\/p>\n

Rachel Sennott<\/strong>: No, I just got a 30-minute order. <\/p>\n

True Whitaker<\/strong>: Rachel\u2019s writing reflects the culture and time period we\u2019re in right now. Yes, it\u2019s Gen Z. But we even have a Gen Alpha moment. We show that there\u2019s another generation even younger than Gen Z that the media isn\u2019t even really talking about yet. <\/p>\n

Rachel Sennott<\/strong>: It\u2019s a jumpscare.<\/p>\n

Odessa A\u2019zion<\/strong>: Is that what they\u2019re called? The young ones?<\/p>\n

True Whitaker<\/strong>: Yeah. They\u2019re Gen Alphas. The Skibidi Toilet young ones. <\/p>\n

\""thisWhat would you say are your biggest hopes for this series? How many seasons are you hoping this runs for?<\/p>\n

Odessa A\u2019zion<\/strong>: I\u2019m just trying to stay employed.<\/p>\n

Speak it into existence!<\/p>\n

True Whitaker<\/strong>: 10.<\/p>\n

Jordan Firstman: <\/strong>6.<\/p>\n

Rachel Sennott<\/strong>: I\u2019m hearing 10, I\u2019m hearing 6. So maybe we go 8?<\/p>\n

Jordan Firstman<\/strong>: 6 is fabulous. We won\u2019t overstay our welcome.<\/p>\n

Rachel Sennott<\/strong>: 8.<\/p>\n

Jordan Firstman<\/strong>: 6 and a movie.11 <\/p>\n

11. Speaking of movies, if you’ve somehow yet to see Rachel’s acting genius on display, then be sure to stream Bottoms, Shiva Baby, or I Used to Be Funny to get yourself acquainted.
<\/p>\n

Do you think that we have the next big iconic show, or do you not like to think about the pressure of something that can feel like such lightning in a bottle?<\/p>\n

Odessa A\u2019zion<\/strong>: I have no idea. But I hope people are fucking obsessed with it.<\/p>\n

Jordan Firstman<\/strong>: We have no idea how it\u2019s going to be perceived, but I think all of us know it\u2019s a great show. Rachel\u2019s unstoppable. Everyone\u2019s obsessed with Rachel. She\u2019s not going to lose.<\/p>\n

True Whitaker<\/strong>: There\u2019s a reason why.<\/p>\n

Rachel Sennott<\/strong>: I think that\u2019s a lot of pressure. But I know we\u2019re all proud of what we made.<\/p>\n

True Whitaker: <\/strong>I think we do.<\/p>\n

Josh Hutcherson: <\/strong>You never know, but in my experience you kind of know\u2026<\/p>\n

The Hollywood vet says, \u201cThis is good.\u201d<\/p>\n

Jordan Firstman<\/strong>: It\u2019s the new Hunger Games.<\/p>\n

Josh Hutcherson<\/strong>: I used to try to be humble and pretend like I didn\u2019t set out to make a hit. But this series has that secret recipe. You never know, the world can end before this show comes out. But apart from that, I think it\u2019s going to be big. <\/p>\n

\"the<\/p>\n


(Cover image) On Josh: Sweater Polo Ralph Lauren<\/strong>. On Rachel: Cardigan Polo Ralph Lauren<\/strong>, bracelet Gabriela Artigas<\/strong>. On True: Sweater Brunello Cucinelli<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

Styled by Angelina Vitto<\/a>. Hair by Sami Knight<\/a> for Rehab<\/a>. Makeup by Lilly Keys<\/a> for Alastin Skincare<\/a>. Produced by Lucky 13 Projects<\/a>. <\/p>\n

(Video loops) Director: Rae Medina<\/a>. Director of photography: Darren Kho<\/a>. Editor: Sarah Ng<\/a>. <\/p>\n

(Group Therapy With Cosmo video) Director: Rae Medina<\/a>. Director of photography: Darren Kho<\/a>. Cinematographer: Jake Mitchell<\/a>. Editors: Ana Fangayen<\/a> and Chris Green<\/a>. Senior producers: Rae Medina<\/a> and Lucy Dolan-Zalaznick<\/a>. Producers: Phoebe Balson<\/a> and Ali Buchalter<\/a>. Director of East Coast video: Amanda Kabbab<\/a>. Director of West Coast video: Kathryn Rice<\/a>. Vice president of video: Jason Ikeler<\/a>. <\/p>\n