As a film enthusiast who has followed Liana Liberato’s career with great interest, it’s fascinating to see how her real-life connections have found their way into her roles. The coincidental casting of Kaia Gerber in both “Bottoms” and “Saturday Night” is reminiscent of the Hollywood small world theory. It seems as if Liana and Kaia are creating their own cinematic universe!
During Rachel Sennott‘s time at NYU, she wasn’t selected for the top sketch comedy group. However, now she’s starring as one of the creators of the renowned sketch comedy show in Jason Reitman’s “Saturday Night”. Co-written by Reitman and Gil Kenan, this biographical comedy-drama follows a tumultuous 90 minutes before the first episode of “Saturday Night Live”, which premiered on October 11, 1975. In the movie, Sennott plays Rosie Shuster, who was also the initial spouse of “SNL” creator Lorne Michaels (portrayed by Gabriel LaBelle). Interestingly, just as their ambitious goal to revolutionize NBC’s Saturday night shows, their marriage, as portrayed in the film, is shown to be equally fragile yet collaborative.
Unlike many of her co-stars who had substantial prior work to draw from during preparation, Sennott found herself in a situation where she lacked a significant amount of referential material. However, she had an incredibly valuable asset within arm’s reach – a single phone call away.
In an interview with The Hollywood Reporter, Sennott shared his experience talking to Rosie. He found it extraordinary, getting to listen to her voice and her laughter. He asked, ‘Were you nervous on October 11, 1975?’ To which she replied, ‘Yes, we knew it was a significant event, but also not.’ It was impressive to note that the script, penned by Reitman and Kenan, included words and phrases that Rosie actually used in real life, making it all the more exciting.
It seems like Sennott’s dream of appearing on Saturday Night Live (SNL) is becoming increasingly inevitable, given that her college friend and frequent collaborator, Ayo Edebiri, hosted the show in February. Interestingly, they both experienced the same rejection from the SNL sketch group while pursuing comedy at New York University’s Tisch School of the Arts. Despite having a work commitment that prevented her from attending Edebiri’s SNL taping, Sennott chose to watch the show live. Thus, demonstrating the loyalty of a true friend, she added another streaming service to her monthly expenses in order to catch the episode.
Sennott remembers rushing home from work that same evening to subscribe to Peacock specifically for her show’s live broadcast. Ayo and I became friends during our college comedy days, and neither of us made the top sketch group. Witnessing her shine on stage was an incredibly heartwarming moment for both of us.
In 2018, Sennott completed her studies at NYU. However, her promising career took off during an unexpected period: March 2020. Her film “Shiva Baby,” co-written and directed by fellow NYU alum Emma Seligman, was initially scheduled for a live premiere at South by Southwest. But the rapidly spreading pandemic forced a change in plans. Despite this setback, the movie got a digital premiere through the festival the following month. The positive reception of “Shiva Baby” may have facilitated the sale of their subsequent project, “Bottoms.” This R-rated high school comedy was also warmly received by critics, just like Sennott and Halina Reijn’s previous work, the comedy-horror mystery “Bodies Bodies Bodies,” released in 2022.
Overall, Sennott acknowledges that she’s embarked on her career journey during one of the most turbulent periods in the entertainment industry.
Emma Seligman and I found ourselves in our family’s basements, worried no one would watch ‘Shiva Baby’ and struggling to market ‘Bottoms’ online via Zoom, all while feeling quite down. That period was certainly intriguing,” Senott reminisces. “To be honest, the last five years have been incredibly chaotic. My professional journey essentially began during the pandemic, and once we seemed to emerge from that, there was the strike.
In this conversation following the selection of her unnamed HBO pilot for a series (which occurred post-interview), Sennott shares insights about the network she’s developed over her burgeoning career, comprising a tight-knit group of friends and regular collaborators.
It seems like you’re quite adept at navigating through hectic situations, whether it’s from “Shiva Baby” and “Bodies Bodies Bodies” to “Bottoms” and now “Saturday Night”. Does this pattern of handling chaos not stand out to you?
It’s not, but I’m kind of chill in this one. Do you agree?
Yeah, I was going to say that Rosie handles the pressure pretty well, all things considered.
Typically, I experience anxiety attacks; you’ve hit the nail on the head. It’s quite unusual and comforting that others around me seem to be going through anxiety attacks too, while I remain calm and say, “All good!
As a gamer, do intense situations get your adrenaline pumping and bring out the best in you? Or do you find yourself needing to let off steam by taking a deep breath and maybe even a quick pillow yell when things get too heated?
It’s clear that I have a pillow handy for when I feel the need to let out a yell. That’s what made playing Rosie such a delight – just diving right in and watching everything unfold. It’s hilarious because it’s almost like my therapist talking to me. She always tells me, “Don’t worry about it. Rachel, don’t worry about it.” I tend to absorb everyone else’s feelings instantly. I feel like saying, “I’ll handle everyone else’s emotions, whatever comes my way.” But Rosie taught me something different – she said, “Don’t worry about it. Stay calm and just go with the flow. If something comes your way, you can adjust or change direction, and find a solution.
Would hosting SNL suit you perfectly, and you’ve expressed interest in doing so before. I wonder if this film could deter some from pursuing that goal, but instead, did it fuel your desire to host even more strongly?
I think so. Of course, I grew up watching SNL, and I always knew about the history, but I really got to dive in here. Reading the script, I was like, “Whoa!” Jason [Reitman] and [co-writer] Gil [Kenan] spoke to so many different people who were involved in the making of SNL, and so there’s all these different perspectives. You then realize how layered it is. It’s the same with any production, but everyone has a different story. The sound guy, the lighting guy, the PAs, the crafty person, there’s tea/drama from everyone, and this experience just deepened the history and the lore for me. So, yeah, it made [hosting SNL] even a little bit more of a dream.
Was Ayo Edebiri’s taping the first time you saw SNL in person?
Unfortunately, I wasn’t able to attend Ayo’s performance in person due to work commitments. However, I did manage to catch Billie Eilish’s taping instead, which was amazing! After my shift, I hurried home and signed up for Peacock that very night so I could watch Ayo’s show live. It was truly awe-inspiring watching her host, especially since Ayo and I were college comedy partners who didn’t make it into the top sketch group. Seeing her shine on stage felt incredibly special.
As a dedicated gamer, I often find myself diving deep into the world of online gaming when I need to study the behavior of other players. However, for my latest project, instead of getting lost in endless YouTube videos, I chose an intriguing approach – I decided to engage with my subject in real-life gaming sessions. This way, I could observe their strategies, reactions, and overall gaming style up close and personal.
Indeed, I had an incredible chat with Rosie. While the script gave me a clue, hearing her voice and laughter made it even more real. I asked if she was nervous about the project, to which she replied that they knew it was significant but also didn’t. She’s both cool and intelligent, and the writing by Reitman and Kenan was evident in her actual dialogue used in the script, making our interaction all the more intriguing. Unlike some of my other cast members, I didn’t have much footage to review on YouTube. Our discussion and gaining insight into her perspective were incredibly enlightening for me.
In a creative freedom sort of way, it’s tempting to think that Rosie genuinely smeared shaving foam on John Belushi’s (Matt Wood’s) face in those movies. Have you ever inquired from Jason or any other crew member about that specific incident?
To begin with, we didn’t have that particular event planned. The scene concluded, and at some point during the flow of events, Jason suggested putting shaving cream on someone’s face. I can’t say for certain if it was a spontaneous idea or something premeditated, but in filmmaking, such moments are often referred to as “movie magic.” This is where you might question whether the event actually took place or not, and sometimes the truth gets blurred. It’s similar to when I narrate a personal experience for the first time. At that initial telling, it may not be an accurate portrayal of what truly happened, but with each retelling, it becomes the version of reality I share. So, in essence, there’s a touch of this cinematic magic woven into that moment.
Besides being a writer, it seemed like she helped keep some of the egos in check.
It was clear that she was exceptionally skilled at interacting with people and handling various personality types. In a dynamic environment such as Saturday Night Live, where numerous gifted creators and writers often collide due to differing personalities, she appeared to be particularly adept at navigating these situations effectively.
None of you had trailers on this set. Instead, there was a ‘70s-inspired common room.
Essentially, we set up a camp-like environment for our cast. Each of us had private dressing rooms equipped with ’70s style furniture, and there was a communal area filled with board games and constantly playing clips from SNL’s first season on TV. The atmosphere was lively, and after work, we resided in a nearby village called Trilith Village, which offered accommodations to anyone working on the lot. This place had an air of a college campus, as you’d frequently bump into people at the gym, coffee shop, or bar, making it quite enjoyable.
Additionally, during our filming session, a solar eclipse occurred. The production team had thoughtfully provided eclipse viewing glasses for everyone. Consequently, we stepped outside to witness this unique event collectively, making for a truly enjoyable experience.
If you’re in charge of a project in the future, would you consider doing something comparable?
Absolutely! Reflecting on some of my best times, like the ones spent in the films “Shiva Baby” and “Bodies,” both of which were filmed at the same location. The “Bodies” set was this massive, eerie mansion, while the “Shiva Baby” one had just a single bathroom, yet there was an immediate sense of friendship and bonding among us. It’s almost like a twist, as when you cut scenes, everyone is still present, unlike being on trailers far away. I’d really enjoy recreating such an experience; it’s incredibly enjoyable.
If you were to create a dramatic portrayal of 90 minutes from your career thus far, which 90 minutes would tell the most captivating tale? This is reminiscent of a Saturday Night, where only the most intriguing moments are highlighted.
Wow, the Covid-19 pandemic certainly had an impact, didn’t it? Filmmaker Emma Seligman and I were both stuck in our parents’ basements, worried nobody would see [Shiva Baby] and trying to sell Bottoms via Zoom, feeling quite down. That was quite a time. Honestly, the last five years have been nothing short of chaotic. My career essentially took off during the pandemic, and when we finally emerged from that period, there was a strike. So these past five years are all I’ve got so far, but hopefully things will improve and we can make a movie about it, if not, the last couple of years have been quite intriguing. [Writer’s Note: If Sennott were to dramatize her pandemic success story, Moms’ Basements could be a fitting title.]
It appears that many of your past co-stars remain friends with you, and from my conversations with other actors, this isn’t always the case. It seems like the norm is for a group chat to fade over time, but maybe this is more about generational differences. So, I’m curious about your perspective on it.
It’s generally normal, yet it can vary based on the film, but I’ve been incredibly fortunate to encounter numerous intelligent, humorous, compassionate individuals early in my journey. Many of them were around my age and entered the industry concurrently. Emma, Ayo, and I crossed paths at school, while Molly [Gordon] was met during the production of “Shiva Baby“. Later on, I encountered Chase [Sui Wonders], Amandla [Stenberg], Myha’la [Herrold] and Maria [Bakalova] during “Bodies“. All of these individuals were around the same age as me, and we were all embarking on our careers simultaneously. This common ground made us bond. They truly understand me. I trust them. There’s a sense of security there. The challenge is that everyone is constantly occupied and busy, so it’s hard to spend time together. I often find myself saying, “You comprehend exactly what I’m experiencing, but I won’t be able to see you because you’re filming in another country for four months.” The tricky part is accepting that everyone will always be in different locations. That’s also just growing older. So you won’t always be in the same city, but when we are, it’s like, “I’m meeting you for dinner tonight, and it will be fantastic to catch up as if I last saw you yesterday.
By any chance, was it just happenstance that your co-star, Kaia Gerber, happened to appear on Saturday Night Live too?
Wow, Kaia and I were practically exclaiming, “It’s clear we’re launching our own multiverse!” After performing in Bottoms in New Orleans and then in Saturday Night in Georgia, we found ourselves experiencing flashbacks and noticing striking similarities. It was such a blast to work together again in an entirely new environment. We couldn’t help but say, “Is that PJ and Brittany?” We spent time on set with each other, but our characters didn’t share many scenes in the film. We kept thinking, “If our characters cross paths, there will be so much high school drama!
Another link is Naomi McPherson portraying Janis Ian in the movie ‘Saturday Night’. The band Muna significantly contributed to the soundtrack of ‘I Used To Be Funny’.
It’s truly amazing how the web of acquaintances grows as I delve deeper into this world. For instance, the lead performer in our Saturday Night production turned out to be close friends with the second assistant director on Bottoms – a surprising and delightful connection!
In “I Used to Be Funny”, your character selects a book from the shelf and makes fun of the author’s name, which is Breann Smordin. However, it turns out that Breann Smordin was also one of the producers for the movie. Was this a secret joke shared among you all on set?
In the process of deciding on a title for the book, I wasn’t present when the decision was made. However, whenever I have to choose a name for something, it always ends up being a name of someone I know without me even realizing it. For instance, in the book Bottoms, the wrestler character in the cage is named Tucker. It just slipped out – “Uh, we’ll call him Tucker.” Later on, I received a message from a high school acquaintance named Tucker who was a wrestler, asking if the book was about him. I was taken aback and apologized, as I hadn’t realized my unconscious choice. So it’s likely that the filmmaker Ally Pankiw jokingly suggested using the name of our producer for the title, which could have been amusing since a movie was being made poking fun at someone with your name.
***
Saturday Night expands to movie theaters nationwide on Oct. 11.
Read More
Sorry. No data so far.
2024-10-09 21:57