Rachel Sennott

Rachel Anne Sennott is an American actress, screenwriter, and comedian. She initially gained widespread recognition for starring in the critical breakout film Shiva Baby. She has since expanded her career across feature films and television, taking on lead roles, co-writing screenplays, and creating original television projects.

Sennott was born on September 19, 1995, in Connecticut to Donna and Jack Sennott, and grew up alongside four siblings. Raised Catholic and of Irish and Italian descent, she attended Simsbury High School, graduating in 2014. She developed an interest in comedy during her first year of college. She formally trained in acting at the New York University Tisch School of the Arts and the Stella Adler Studio of Acting, completing her studies in 2017.

While studying, Sennott performed at open mic events in New York City and acted in student film projects. To gain further autonomy over her creative output, she built a following through written comedy on Twitter and shifted into the alternative comedy circuit with regular performances on It's A Guy Thing. She established her own comedy events, including Puke Fest and Ur Gonna Slp Rlly Well Tonight. Alongside fellow comedian Ayo Edebiri, she co-created and developed two Comedy Central digital shows, Ayo and Rachel Are Single and Taking the Stage, while also appearing on television series such as High Maintenance and Call Your Mother.

Sennott transitioned into feature films with roles in Tahara and the 2020 full-length adaptation of Shiva Baby, reprising a lead performance she originally played in a 2017 short film. Her work in Shiva Baby earned her a Gotham Award nomination for Breakthrough Actor and the Rising Star award at the Philadelphia Jewish Film Festival. She subsequently starred in the 2022 comedy horror film Bodies Bodies Bodies, followed by supporting and lead appearances in Susie Searches, the tragicomedy I Used to Be Funny, and the period drama Finally Dawn.

In 2023, Sennott co-wrote and starred in the satirical teen comedy film Bottoms alongside Edebiri, earning an Independent Spirit Award nomination for Best Screenplay with director Emma Seligman. She also held a supporting role in the HBO drama series The Idol and appeared in the music video for Charli XCX's song 360. In 2024, she portrayed Rosie Shuster in the biographical comedy film Saturday Night.

Sennott expanded her role behind the scenes by creating, writing, producing, and starring in the HBO comedy series I Love LA. She also co-created the Netflix crime comedy series Big Mistakes with Dan Levy. Her recent film credits include the drama Bunnylovr and the mockumentary The Moment, alongside co-writing a biographical film project about Heidi Fleiss. Sennott divides her time between Los Angeles and New York City.