Ayo Edebiri and Rachel Sennott on growing up Millennial, not Gen Z — Inside HBO’s I Love LA
Ayo Edebiri has once again proven she’s not one to let generational stereotypes slide. During a recent interview for her latest movie, the Emmy-winning actress was asked how it feels to represent Generation Z — a question that immediately drew a dramatic reaction. “I’m literally turning 30!” she exclaimed. “Rachel and I are always in those articles like, ‘You won’t believe how old these young-looking girls actually are!’”
Her “Rachel” is Rachel Sennott — the witty comedic actress and Edebiri’s close friend. While the two have only appeared together once, in the 2023 cult hit Bottoms, their chemistry has turned them into the internet’s favorite duo. Both born in 1995, they hover between Millennial and Gen Z, often caught in the pop culture tug-of-war that tries to define them.
This generational confusion is something Sennott cleverly explores in her latest project — HBO’s new comedy I Love LA, her first creation as a writer and showrunner. The show takes a tongue-in-cheek look at what it means to hustle, survive, and self-brand in a city where every friendship feels like a transaction.
A Millennial’s Lens on Gen Z Los Angeles
Sennott stars as Maia, an ambitious young talent manager clawing her way up in a Hollywood agency run by Alyssa (Leighton Meester), a boss who preaches empowerment while undermining her employees. Maia’s apartment costs $2,400 a month, yet she insists it’s “cozy,” not cramped — a painfully relatable millennial delusion.
But I Love LA isn’t about Millennials exactly. It’s about what happens when someone standing just outside Gen Z’s gate tries to decode their world. Maia represents the “cusper” generation — people who remember dial-up internet but now work in influencer marketing.
The show opens on Maia’s 27th birthday, where her boss mockingly calls her age “tough.” “Better than 28,” Alyssa adds, sipping from her Stanley cup. The humor lands perfectly — a sharp commentary on a generation obsessed with youth while pretending to be self-aware about it.
When Friendship Meets Frenzy
The tension skyrockets when Maia’s old friend, Tallulah (Odessa A’zion), resurfaces. Once a social media sensation thanks to Maia’s help, Tallulah has now fallen from grace. Her influencer empire, built on viral bikini subway videos, has crumbled, and she’s desperate to rebuild.
Bringing Tallulah back into her professional life gives Maia a ticket out of assistant-hood but thrusts her into chaos. Tallulah’s unpredictability — one minute raking in five figures per sponsored post, the next dodging lawsuits over stolen designer bags — sets the tone for a story about ambition gone feral.
Supporting characters like Maia’s mild-mannered boyfriend Dylan (Josh Hutcherson), her stylist friend Charlie (Jordan Firstman), and the effortlessly privileged Alani (True Whitaker) add layers of satire. Each represents a different shade of Los Angeles ambition — messy, funny, and painfully self-aware.
HBO’s New Comedy That Speaks to Two Generations
With I Love LA, Sennott doesn’t just create another comedy — she crafts a mirror for a generation that’s still figuring itself out. The show balances self-deprecating humor with moments of emotional honesty. It’s equal parts Girls, The Other Two, and modern-day Entourage, all filtered through a lens that’s distinctly female and chaotic.
Sennott’s performance grounds the absurdity. She plays Maia as both protagonist and victim — a hustler who knows the game is rigged but still plays anyway. Her scenes with A’zion are electric, especially when the two fall back into their old nicknames — “Roger” and “Munchy” — symbols of a friendship too wild to fade.
By the end of the season, I Love LA emerges as a sharp, layered exploration of what it means to chase relevance in an age when everyone is selling something — even themselves.
FAQs
Q1: Why did Ayo Edebiri reject being labeled Gen Z?
Ayo Edebiri clarified that she’s turning 30 and identifies more with Millennials than Gen Z, despite often being cast in younger roles.
Q2: What is HBO’s I Love LA about?
The series follows Maia, a struggling talent manager navigating toxic workplaces, influencer culture, and chaotic friendships in modern Los Angeles.
Q3: Who stars in I Love LA?
The show features Rachel Sennott as Maia, Leighton Meester as her manipulative boss Alyssa, Odessa A’zion as the unpredictable influencer Tallulah, and Josh Hutcherson as Maia’s boyfriend, Dylan.
Q4: Is I Love LA a satire or a drama?
It’s primarily a dark comedy and social satire, blending sharp humor with emotional realism about ambition and self-image in the digital age.
