Rachel Sennott on the Gen Z horror of Bodies Bodies Bodies

In case you weren’t already acquainted with Rachel Sennott for her horny and hilarious dating tweets, her thotty e-girl Instagram posts or her tenure as a stand-up comedian, then you definately’re about to be. Within the buzzy Gen Z horror flick Our bodies Our bodies Our bodies, Sennott delivers a breakout efficiency as ditzy influencer Alice, one in all a number of privileged 20-somethings who will get caught in a backstabbing night time of homicide at a distant mansion celebration. What ensues is an evening of chaos that faucets into our society’s collective obsession with social media.

“I hope folks see Alice as a bit little bit of levity in moments of darkness,” Sennott explains over Zoom from a lodge room in New York Metropolis. “I really feel like I acquired to play this enjoyable character who’s actual — you do not all the time see this in a horror film. I hope folks relate to her.”

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Our bodies Our bodies Our bodies is the actor-comedian’s first movie position since her standout efficiency as an aimless millennial-turned-sugar child trapped at a shiva within the 2020 indie Shiva Child, a cringe-worthy coming-of-age story that toed the road between comedy and horror made along with her buddy and artistic collaborator Emma Seligman.

In an interview with AP, Sennott mentioned the scariest factor that occurred throughout the making of Our bodies Our bodies Our bodies, reuniting with Seligman for her subsequent mission and who she desires of collaborating with throughout her profession.

You’ve got been a really on-line persona for a very long time. Did you draw from elements of your personal expertise for Alice, or did you may have any influencers or celebrities that you just used as inspiration?

Undoubtedly my on-line expertise and being a comedy particular person. I believe Alice, additionally in her buddy group, identifies herself as “the humorous one, the sensible [one].” Rising up, I undoubtedly wasn’t “the recent one,” so I used to be like, “I’ve to choose one thing else.” And then you definately’re like, “OK, I am ‘the humorous one’ or ‘the attention-grabbing one.’” I used that [idea of] selecting that very same identification inside the group and the way I might be if I used to be round my buddies from highschool. It’s horrible. 

It’s been two years since Shiva Child was launched. How has your life modified since then?

It has been wild, actually. It was the day after the LA premiere of Shiva Child. I get up, I am a bit hungover and I acquired the decision about this job [Bodies Bodies Bodies], and I used to be crying. I used to be so excited as a result of I needed this job so unhealthy. I felt this very large shift the place I used to be attempting to construct momentum pre-pandemic in my profession. Shiva Child was supposed to come back out earlier, after which I felt this low, which I really feel like everybody felt throughout COVID, the place I used to be like, “It is over. I will dwell with my mother and father endlessly,” which might have been nice as a result of I really like them. However Shiva Child got here out, after which all this momentum that had been on maintain began rolling once more. I shot this film, after which Emma and I acquired greenlit. We simply wrapped on our second film that we wrote collectively. It feels prefer it’s been selecting up tempo ever since, however it felt very wild, getting a name the day after it got here out. I used to be like,  “OK, all the pieces’s beginning.”

What drew you to the character of Alice in Our bodies Our bodies Our bodies?

I relate to her quite a bit. Alice and I’ve comparable insecurities and comparable anxieties. And on the finish of the day, I really like her. She simply desires everybody to have an excellent time, and she or he desires to see the most effective in everybody — generally to a fault. 

You and Lee Tempo play a pair in Our bodies Our bodies Our bodies. What was that dynamic like?

Lee Tempo is clearly some of the good-looking males alive, however he is additionally simply so caring, very gracious, as an actor and as an individual. I felt fortunate to be paired up with him. It was simply enjoyable creating their chemistry and speaking about their two-week relationship. Any scene that we had with Lee — just like the scene within the fitness center — performs on our reactions to him. That was an extended day, and the blood on Lee was ice chilly and really sticky and gooey. It was bodily strenuous, and Lee was so dedicated each time, even when he isn’t on digital camera, as a result of he needed to present us one thing to react off of. He is very beneficiant.

Did you may have any nervousness working with Lee?

Actually, I keep in mind I posted a selfie of me and Lee on my “shut buddies” [on Instagram] after we have been capturing. Immediately all my replies have been like, “Bitch, what? Are you kidding me?” I’ve seen folks on Twitter be like, “She’s not scorching sufficient for Lee Tempo.” And I am like, “Nobody is scorching sufficient for Lee Tempo.” I believe that and likewise I am a fan of his. The one factor I used to be afraid of is the Twitter stuff, however I really feel like that is all in good enjoyable.

Do you may have any humorous untold tales about filming?

There was a second with scorching canines the place we’re filming the primary loss of life, I am going to say. We ran out into the rain coated in blood. We’re so chilly. In my head, I by no means thought that rain could be that chilly as a result of it wasn’t that chilly outdoors, however you get doused with water, then you definately’re dry, then you definately’re moist and then you definately’re dry. Abruptly you are like, “I’ve by no means been colder.” All of us simply sitting there shivering, holding on to those little towels that are not doing something; they’re clearly soaked. Useless silence for like 10 minutes. And there is this bizarre odor within the room, and we do not know what it’s.

Then Maria [Bakalova] seemed down, and there was a tin with paper towels over it. She pulls again the paper towels, and it is simply uncooked scorching canines on their very own, and we have been like, “What the fuck is that this?” Then we got here out, and a PA was like, “Oh, I put in scorching canines for you guys.” And we have been like, “Why would we need to eat [that]? It is 4 a.m., identical to singular scorching canines.” That was a really dissociative second, however a really humorous reminiscence.

What do you assume the ending of Our bodies Our bodies Our bodies says about our relationship with one another and our relationship with expertise?

I believe it says one thing about fear-based decision-making, which I do know I am fully responsible of. Or being in a bubble. These folks get themselves caught on this bubble, and so they cannot ever decelerate. They assume they’re considering rationally, however they don’t seem to be. The reveal on the finish is absolutely devastating since you understand it virtually might have all been prevented. Hopefully, it says to decelerate and let your self take a step again earlier than you do something rash.

So your subsequent mission is Bottoms, which you co-wrote with Emma Seligman. Are you able to describe your position within the movie?

My character is a faux, assured, little asshole woman, which was actually enjoyable to play. She’s completely different from the characters I’ve performed earlier than. She initiatives this false confidence and tries to make use of it to assist her and her finest buddies via the tip of highschool. We wrapped that in Could. 

Who do you dream of working with at this level?

There’s lots of people I dream of working with. Eliza Hittman is one in all my favourite filmmakers. By no means Not often Generally All the time is so good. It is one in all my favourite motion pictures of that yr. Sean Baker, Janicza Bravo, Maggie Gyllenhaal [and] Sofia Coppola, clearly. The sorts of roles I might need to play, I all the time need to mix genres. I wish to play a mad lady who’s the lead. Simply somebody who could be attractive and evil and humorous and a bunch of issues directly, in the identical manner of mixing genres, mixing character tropes. I believe that may be actually enjoyable and attention-grabbing to play.

How does your social media presence replicate what you place into the roles that you have been in?

I assume my Instagram is a personality of myself. Enjoying on the expectation of sexiness or girls or what they need to be or painting after which having my very own tackle that. I all the time need to be attractive, even when it is in a horrifying, unusual or bizarre manner. I believe enjoying on these tropes or expectations is all the time enjoyable.

You’re additionally set to star in Sam Levinson and The Weeknd’s present The Idol. What are you able to say about your character?

I am unable to discuss my character. I need to, however I am unable to. It has been so enjoyable working with Sam and everybody on the present. It is very liberating in an analogous manner with Our bodies Our bodies Our bodies, the place the best way that we’re capturing has been so distinctive and enjoyable and difficult as an actor. So I am very enthusiastic about that.