Rachel Sennott Calls HBO Sex Scenes “Bizarre” in New Interview

Actress and showrunner Rachel Sennott has opened up about a surprising aspect of filming her new HBO series I Love LA. During an appearance on Conan O’Brien Needs A Friend on Monday, Sennott described her interactions with the show’s intimacy coordinator as “funny and bizarre.” The Bottoms star explained that balancing her dual roles as both lead actor and showrunner added an unusual layer to the process of shooting intimate scenes.

What Happened and Why

In I Love LA, Rachel Sennott portrays Maia, opposite Josh Hutcherson, who plays her on-screen boyfriend, Dylan. The series, airing weekly on HBO Max at 10:30 p.m., opens with a sex scene between the two characters. As the show’s creator and head writer, Sennott was responsible for scripting each intimate moment with purpose, ensuring none felt gratuitous.

Speaking to Conan O’Brien, she explained the humor behind her coordination meetings:

“We of course had an intimacy coordinator,” Sennott said. “I would talk to her as the showrunner — and then thirty minutes later she’d call me as the actor, saying, ‘Here’s what they’re thinking.’ It was funny and sort of bizarre.”

Sennott joked that the dynamic led to absurd conversations where she, as both writer and performer, was asked what she felt “comfortable” doing — for scenes she herself had written.

What Others Said

Host Conan O’Brien and his co-hosts laughed at Sennott’s recounting of the experience, noting the irony in her being asked to approve her own scripted material. O’Brien praised Sennott’s creative direction, saying the sex scenes in I Love LA were “funny, familiar, and telling,” rather than exploitative.

Sennott added:

“For me, sex — if you’re going to show it in a show or movie — it should be funny. It should tell you something about the relationship.”

What It Means for the Series

Rachel Sennott’s comments highlight HBO’s continued emphasis on respectful and deliberate intimacy coordination. By ensuring every scene contributes to character development, I Love LA reinforces HBO’s commitment to storytelling over shock value. Critics have noted that this approach gives the series a refreshing authenticity and comedic edge, setting it apart from other romantic comedies currently streaming.

What’s Next for Rachel Sennott

New episodes of I Love LA air Sundays at 10:30 p.m. on HBO Max. Sennott continues to promote the series through press appearances and is expected to join major talk shows later this month. Fans can also expect behind-the-scenes interviews exploring her dual role as actor and showrunner.

Sources

• TheWrap (Original report)

• Conan O’Brien Needs A Friend (Team Coco / YouTube)

• HBO Official Schedule