In the new HBO series ‘I Love L.A.’, protagonist Maia, played by creator Rachel Sennott, experiences a relatable social media moment: she discovers a former friend, Tallulah (Odessa A’zion), thriving with a lavish fashion campaign post, earning thousands. Tallulah soon bursts into Maia’s world as an irresponsible yet captivating force.
Tallulah’s character quickly emerges as a prominent figure in the narrative, offering one of television’s most significant and layered portrayals of a social media influencer.
While the term ‘influencer’ was only officially recognized in dictionaries in 2019, TV has featured internet-famous personalities for years. Often, these characters have been shallow and derided. However, ‘I Love L.A.’ marks a turning point, providing a nuanced and multifaceted depiction that reflects our changing perceptions of internet culture and its impact.
Early Days of Online Fame: The Proto-Influencer
Image: Jennette McCurdy and Miranda Cosgrove in ‘iCarly’, a show that presented a wholesome view of internet fame. (Credit: Lisa Rose/Nickelodeon)
The Nickelodeon series ‘iCarly,’ which debuted in 2007, introduced Carly Shay as an unwitting online sensation. Fans sought her autograph, and despite initial hesitation, Carly found online fame agreeable, especially when a charming boy noticed her. This era predated Instagram, when internet celebrity was still novel and perceived as a space for pure creativity, largely free from its darker aspects. Even the 2021 reboot largely maintained this wholesome image.
When Influencers Were Misunderstood: The Social Misfit Trope
Image: Karen Gillan as a social media star in ‘Selfie,’ a modern ‘Pygmalion’ adaptation focused on image repair. (Credit: Eric McCandless/ABC)
By 2014, social media obsession was undeniable, prompting ABC to launch the sitcom ‘Selfie.’ This modern ‘Pygmalion’ reimagined Eliza Doolittle as Eliza Dooley (Karen Gillan), an ‘Insta-famous’ pharma rep. After an unflattering viral moment, she enlists colleague Henry Higgs (John Cho) to refine her image. The show presented being an influencer as akin to being unpolished, with Eliza’s vocal fry and push-up bras serving as contemporary equivalents to a cockney accent. While romance eventually bloomed, the series itself was short-lived.
The Dark Side of Influence: Cautionary Tales
Image: Aubrey Plaza and Elizabeth Olsen in ‘Ingrid Goes West,’ which explored the toxic obsession with social media stars. (Credit: Neon)
Most films and series featuring influencers often follow a similar narrative: outwardly perfect lives that, behind the filters, are anything but. ‘Ingrid Goes West’ (2017) perfectly illustrates this, with Aubrey Plaza playing a disturbed young woman obsessed with social media star Taylor (Elizabeth Olsen). As Ingrid gets closer, she uncovers Taylor’s fragmented reality, leading to her own mental breakdown. In this portrayal, online obsession yields no positive outcomes.
The hollowness of an influencer’s existence also features in the first season of the stalker drama ‘You,’ where intellectual serial killer Joe Goldberg (Penn Badgley) critiques a ‘body positive Insta-celeb,’ Annika (Kathryn Gallagher). Her ‘shameless’ success crumbles after a video of her drunkenly spouting racist comments goes viral. In Season 3, Joe encounters Sherry (Shalita Grant), a ‘momfluencer’ he scathingly describes as ‘humble-bragging and superiority fronting as hard-earned wisdom.’ While Joe is a homicidal character, his distaste for influencer phoniness is presented as one of his few relatable traits.
From Followers to Disciples: The Influencer as Cult Leader
Image: Alia Shawkat’s character, Dory, in ‘Search Party,’ leading a group of influencers as her cult followers. (Credit: HBO)
Influencers are frequently parodied as narcissistic jokes. For instance, a 2019 episode of the showbiz satire ‘The Other Two’ featured ‘Insta-gays’ – vapid, half-naked men who travel in a pack. However, perhaps the most brutal portrayal comes from the dark comedy ‘Search Party.’ In its fifth and final season (2022), Dory (Alia Shawkat), a Brooklyn hipster-turned-murderer, partners with a tech guru (Jeff Goldblum) to become a cult leader. She preaches enlightenment through a pill and recruits a diverse group of influencers as her disciples: a roller skater (Angela Trimbur), a face painter (Grace Kuhlenschmidt), a rudimentary scientist (Larry Owens), and a socialite (Greta Titelman). These characters are depicted as empty, easily manipulated individuals, implicitly suggesting influencers are already akin to zombies, ultimately falling prey to Dory’s scheme of turning people into actual zombies.
The Business of Influence: More Than Just a Marketing Hook
Image: Lily Collins as Emily Cooper, an accidental influencer in ‘Emily in Paris.’ (Credit: Stephanie Branchu/Netflix, via Associated Press)
‘Emily in Paris,’ which premiered on Netflix in 2020, offers one of TV’s most earnest takes on an influencer. Emily Cooper (Lily Collins), a cheerful Chicago native, unintentionally achieves social media fame by sharing charming snapshots of her Parisian life with uninspired hashtags. While she embraces her unexpected clout as a marketing expert, she isn’t actively chasing attention. The show consistently contrasts Emily with other influencers, depicting them as fame-hungry ‘mean girls’ at events.
A New Depth: The Influencer as Complicated Heroine
Image: Odessa A’zion in ‘I Love L.A.’, showcasing the intricate and challenging realities of the influencing profession. (Credit: HBO)
‘I Love L.A.’ introduces Tallulah, arguably television’s most nuanced influencer character to date. A ‘chaos agent,’ Tallulah disrupts Maia’s life in Los Angeles. Initially frustrated, Maia soon sees Tallulah as a strategic career move, aiming to manage her and impress her own boss. The show subtly reveals Tallulah to be more genuine than the other self-interested social climbers around her, having stumbled into influencing rather than meticulously planning her ascent. ‘I Love L.A.’ focuses on her volatile personality, her wild impulses, and her deep-seated need for approval, which often leads her into trouble. This series acknowledges influencing as a demanding, competitive, and potentially profitable profession, one that relies on managers, stylists, and a broader ecosystem. Despite her success, Tallulah isn’t wealthy, and Maia’s duties involve not only securing brand deals but also managing public perception against rivals spreading rumors. ‘I Love L.A.’ effectively highlights that influencing transcends self-gratification; it’s fundamentally an economic pursuit.