Rachel Sennott and Charli XCX Enter Hot Girl Mode

Following the out-of-nowhere success of the 2020 comedy Shiva Baby, Rachel Sennott has been on the Hollywood fastrack, with upcoming roles in HBO’s insanely anticipated pop nightmare The Idol, and Bottoms, which has been described as high school Fight Club and reunites the 27-year-old Connecticut native with her Shiva Baby director Emma Seligman. But it’s her role as Alice in this year’s zoomer whodunit Bodies, Bodies, Bodies that showed off Sennott’s knack for embodying the chaos and humor of the internet in a single performance. Another person who’s pretty good at that is Charli XCX, who was tapped to record the Bodies, Bodies, Bodies theme song and came up with “Hot Girl,” a perfect encapsulation of the movie’s nihilistic energy. To mark the movie’s VOD release, the two of them hooked up via text to talk about TikTok, tiny bags, and the power of saying no.

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CHARLI XCX: Hiii. It’s Charli. I think we’re supposed to be sexting each other for this Interview magazine interview. Do u know about this?!

RACHEL SENNOTT: Omg no, they didn’t tell me. But obviously, I love it. Ready to sext.

CHARLI XCX: Hot. I’m in Tokyo rn. Not sure what time you’re on but let’s just try it and see what happens. Bodies Bodies Bodies is out and it’s iconic and whilst everyone is totally amazing in it, you’re amazing.

SENNOTT: It’s so special having the movie come out and seeing everyone’s reactions to it. I especially love seeing little memes and TikToks about it. I loved playing Alice. I honestly relate to her and feel like we have similar insecurities but, I think, at the end of the day she just wants everyone to have fun. A party girl! It’s fun to play a party girl when the party turns bad because you can keep trying.

CHARLI XCX:  Haha, yes I relate. I always begin a party feeling overtly concerned that everyone else is having fun but then I just kinda forget about that after I have more than two cocktails.

SENNOTT: Do u like to host parties or just go? My favorite kind of party is being the birthday girl. 

CHARLI XCX: I won’t lie I’m a killer party host. I’m actually due for a birthday party. I turned 30 in Indianapolis which is like totally fine but not ideal, (no shade). So l saw Marcel the Shell with Shoes On and vowed to throw a party when I’m back in L.A. (Probs October if you’re around).

SENNOTT: Wait what is ur sign?? Ru Leo?

CHARLI XCX: Yes, I’m a Leo. Are you Leo too?

SENNOTT: An intimate birthday in Indianapolis….Omg yes, I’m there. I’m a Virgo, but I love Leos. Have many in my life.

CHARLI XCX: Cute! So back to Bodies, Bodies, Bodies real quick, how’s the cast dynamic? I’ve seen you guys on the press tour and you all look like you’re having so much fun. Do you hang in real life? Will you keep in touch with all the girls? Also I wanna know—do you watch your own movies / work back or are you a bit emo about it like Adam Driver, and does Pete [Davidson] really have BDE in real life ???? (We can cut that if u want lol).

SENNOTT: I watched it at the premiere because I like to hear everyone reacting to the movie and see how it plays. I have to be in a good place mentally or I will be like “Why is my face doing that……and why I am running weird?”

CHARLI XCX:  Makes sense. I mean obviously, it’s all in your head. You’re very effortless on-screen But I get that there’s always gonna be a weird voice in your head saying something to try and derail you.

SENNOTT: Hahaha I will say Pete is very talented and super nice!! There was a night we were in the freezing rain and I felt like we really bonded.

CHARLI XCX: Cute. Love that.

SENNOTT: And I was like, “Wow we’re all together getting pneumonia, UTIs, etc.” Wait can I ask u q’s? 

CHARLI XCX: Yes go for it!

SENNOTT: I want to know about ur process writing the song “Hot Girl.” I need to find this TikTok of someone looking sad at the end of the movie and then ur song starts playing and they’re like “Why am I the only one popping my pussy?” Did you write it from a perspective of a certain character? Or was it more the world?

CHARLI XCX: The process for this song was really easy actually. Halina [Reijn, the movie director] hit me up coz she had wanted me to be involved somehow musically and she kind of was just like, “I want you to write a song that feels really bratty and bitchy.” I feel like those are the kind of songs I write when I really just want to let loose and have fun. Like “Vroom Vroom” is a song of mine that’s like that, and a song called “I got it”—they’re both just very braggy, bratty songs. This movie was kind of dripping in that braggy, bratty bitchy-trashy thing that I just love—totally in a good way. Like drugs in a mansion with neon glow sticks and hot girls, it’s kind of perfect fodder for inspiration for me. So yeah the song kind of rolled off the tongue pretty easily and I won’t lie I was definitely thinking about if Alice was screaming a song at the top of her lungs whilst holding a glass of champagne dancing on top of a table – what would it be? I kind of think it would be something like “Hot Girl.”

SENNOTT: Oh, absolutely.

CHARLI XCX: I made it with my boyfriend in like half an hour it was honestly so easy and fun coz I loved the movie so much so I was just like INSPIRED.

SENNOTT: It’s soooo good and fun it really puts you in the “I’m a hot bitch” mode. We had to do this long day of crazy press with like thing after thing and we kept playing the song in the van in between interviews to keep us up.

CHARLI XCX: Eeeee thank u! Lol, I saw the TikToks, they were iconic.

SENNOTT: I’m getting really into TikTok recently.

CHARLI XCX: Same! It’s addictive. You’re really good at it btw.

SENNOTT: It’s soooo addictive. Every time I make one I’m like “ok that’s a short film…” Urs are a work of art, obviously.

CHARLI XCX: Can I ask you some things about your future ???

SENNOTT: Yes!!

CHARLI XCX: Ok so, I know there’s a few things acting-wise that are lined up / in the works for you and amongst those things is the new Sam Levinson and The Weeknd show: The Idol. I’m sure there’s a lot of things you can’t say about this project coz it’s about to be the most hype-y thing in the world I’m sure, so l imagine it’s very top secret…but basically I’m asking—if you can give me any scoop what is it and give it to me and if you can’t give me a scoop just answer this: Are you gonna change when you become super duper famous after this show blows up (plz say no you’re so refreshing and fabulous) and also what’s one thing you want to buy that’s quite extravagant with your Idol bag 💵 ?

SENNOTT: I’ve had sooo much fun working on it, everyone working on it is really talented and amazing. I HOPE I don’t change!! I think not. My little sisters will always keep me humble.

CHARLI XCX: That’s sweet. I don’t think you will. You’re too legendary.

SENNOTT: Whenever I’m feeling a little too good they send me a tweet that’s like “SENNOTT is annoying” and they’re like “SO true.” But also if ppl are hating me online then they are the first to back me up…my #1 gorls.

CHARLI XCX: Pahahaha wow love that. When I need humbling my best friends make me read Daily Mail comments—so brutal.

SENNOTT: I really want to buy a briefcase.

CHARLI XCX: Ok…

SENNOTT: I feel like I see people carrying them and I’m too afraid to be like “Where is that from?” Maybe Thom Browne or Goyard.

CHARLI XCX: Ahhh yes, I was just googling Goyard. I think that’s what you want. Just checking if it was like a classic kinda Guy Ritchie movie-type briefcase.

SENNOTT: Do u have a briefcase?

CHARLI XCX: Alas, no.

SENNOTT: We should both get them and go to business brunch in New York.

CHARLI XCX: I’m more of a tiny bag kinda girl.

SENNOTT: Ooo, yes. Love a tiny bag.

CHARLI XCX: I bet there’s a tiny briefcase out there. Best of both worlds?

SENNOTT: If there’s not they will make one for u!!

CHARLI XCX: THEY WILL. Shall we talk about the past now that we did the future?

SENNOTT: Love the past.

CHARLI XCX: This is a self-indulgent question, but how did you first hear about me? Coz I know how I first heard about you lol (Sounds ominous, it isn’t).

SENNOTT: Hahahahaha. My first time hearing your music was a spiritual experience.

CHARLI XCX: Go on.

SENNOTT: I basically had never felt lower in my life lol. I was on birth control and it was destroying my mind, no one wanted to date me (Incel vibes) and I just hated myself. Not to be a downer…I was really into Girls on HBO and there’s an ep where they play ur song.

CHARLI XCX: I’m sorry. I think that’s very relatable though. Everyone hates themselves at some point in their life unless they’re like complete psychopaths.

SENNOTT: I was like “This is what I want my life in New York to be like.” (I was a freshman at NYU). I would listen to it and pump myself up. I had ANOTHER experience with “Need Ur Luv.”  A couple of years later, I’m sad AGAIN (wow rough couple of years lol). Right out of college and I’m in one of those classic on-and-off relationship things, begging an old guy to date me, etc.

CHARLI XCX: Oh wow I’m the first that keeps on giving (I’ve been here). The GIFT **

SENNOTT:  “Need Ur Luv” came on shuffle when I was walking home and was like “Ok I’m justified in seeing this through. sometimes u have to be heartbroken for two years.”

CHARLI XCX: Awww that’s special <3

SENNOTT: I feel like each of your songs reminds me of a specific time in my life. Do you feel like ur songs are good markers of where you were in life when you made them??

CHARLI XCX: Some are and some aren’t. But mostly yes. Some are sort of fictionalized—or I flip the perspective. I hate to be this girl but I’ve never really been super duper heartbroken. I’m sort of always the one causing chaos and so sometimes I flip the perspective of my songs just so people don’t think I’m a total bitch all the time. Some songs are kind of reflections of feelings like maybe I’ll write them about something that happened years ago once I’ve realized my true feelings or understood my chaotic behavior.

SENNOTT: Omg, yeah it’s so crazy how feelings/experiences change with perspective. Everything that felt like the end of the world three or four years ago is so charming now. I love that. Someone has to cause chaos!!

CHARLI XCX: Haha yeah. I remember the first time I discovered you was when I was searching my own name on Twitter and a tweet came up that you had written—it was something like “I need to find CHARLI XCX and tell her about this experience I had in the back of a taxi whilst one of her songs was playing.” I think I DM’d you, but before that, I watched Shiva Baby and I was totally obsessed with that film. I was blown away by the entire thing. I sort of asked around about you coz I was like “Wow this girl is so cool and fascinating and smart and funny and I want to know her but also I feel like I’m being a bit weird ??” We had some mutual friends who confirmed what I suspected, that we would get on v well. I suppose we kind of DM’d a bit and the rest is history.

https://twitter.com/rachel_sennott/status/1421360021015732225?s=46&t=u2Yvpx7yl9hzRrRjb32Mmw

 

CHARLI XCX: This is the infamous tweet !! Although we don’t have MUCH history yet, we need more.

SENNOTT: How do u stay sane while traveling so much?

CHARLI XCX: It comes in waves tbh. I know that I need some alone time to be happy. I can’t constantly be hanging out and giving. I need rest and I need to be able to go at my own pace, and as I’ve gotten older I’ve really appreciated exercise to clear my head a bit. Also, I appreciate the power of the word no. The power of understanding that I’m CHARLI XCX and I can do what I want when I’m running the show!

SENNOTT: Hell yes. SO important to say no!! I feel like I’m still learning that but the first time I said no to something I didn’t want to do and then didn’t have to do it was life-changing.

CHARLI XCX: Totally! It’s an important lesson! How are you finding the travel? Are you in back-to-back shoots in different countries?

SENNOTT: I’m soooo bloated.

CHARLI XCX: Hot.

SENNOTT: Every time I go into an airport my body crumbles.

CHARLI XCX: I’ve found that not eating on the plane helps with that, just eating like before and then when u land. But also who doesn’t love snacks?

SENNOTT: I think ur right, the plane food is ultimately plastic. I’m liking getting to go to different places!! There’s something so weird about being in a random place shooting something for two months and you find ur little coffee shop there and ur walking or running path and then u leave and u never see it again.

CHARLI XCX: Right.

SENNOTT: So bizarre.

CHARLI XCX: Can I ask what you’re shooting at the moment? Or is it top secret?

SENNOTT: I can’t say what it’s about but it’s called  Finalmente l’alba. I’m trying to learn Italian while I’m here.

CHARLI XCX: Ok and how’s that going?

SENNOTT:  So far I know posso avere un latte con latte de avena. Can I have a coffee with oat milk. And a bunch of swear words.

CHARLI XCX: I mean what more do you need?

SENNOTT: Hahaha, exactly.

CHARLI XCX: I’m not sure what time it is in Rome but I just ordered a 7 p.m. cosmo here in Tokyo.

SENNOTT: Love it.

CHARLI XCX: I feel like we gave Interview some good goss. I’ll leave you to get your latte con latte de avena.

SENNOTT: Yes!! Enjoy ur cosmo.

CHARLI XCX: Enjoy Italia!!