The unexpected guest appearance in I Love LA Episode 2 turned out to be a delightful surprise for viewers and a practical choice for Rachel Sennott.

**Spoiler Alert for Episode 2 of I Love LA, currently available on HBO Max**

Fans were taken aback when Ayo Edebiri graced the screen as Mimi Rush, a British pop star who briefly employs Charlie, played by Jordan Firstman. Mimi ultimately dismisses Charlie after he attempts to dig up information on Zendaya, whom Mimi had humorously noted was suggested to portray her mother in an upcoming music video.

This cameo came together thanks to Sennott, who co-starred with Edebiri in the 2023 comedy Bottoms, which Sennott also co-wrote. They needed someone to embody the quirky pop star with a complicated history with Charlie, and Edebiri was the perfect fit.

“I reached out to Ayo because we realized that to spend time together, we had to work together,” Sennott revealed to DECIDER about how Edebiri’s involvement came about. “I asked if she wanted to join us for two days on the show, and she came with all these creative ideas. She wanted a mullet, a bedazzled vape, and a British accent. I said, ‘Yes to everything.'”

Hilariously, the series uses Edebiri to play the “kooky, fun” starlet, and it worked out on numerous levels. Sennott said that many of Firstman and Edebiri’s parts in the episode were improvised, which she described as “so fun and wild” to see, especially because she didn’t get to share the screen with them.

For his own part, Firstman said that he knew via the scripts before he signed on that the show would have someone to come in and play a singer-songwriter, but that he didn’t know it would be her until they locked her in. After that, he said he couldn’t have been more excited to find out he’d be working with someone he’s been able to call a friend for years. 

Since writing together on Big Mouth and starring with Sennott in Bottoms, Edebiri has been diversifying her acting portfolio, most recently starring in the Luca Guadagnino-directed After the Hunt with Julia Roberts and Andrew Garfield.

“I’ve known Ayo for a decade, we wrote on Big Mouth together and obviously, it’s been amazing to see her rise to stardom. But it’s also fun to see her like really get back to her comedy roots and like plays something really outlandish and over-the-top,” he said. 

Apart from seeing Edebiri’s foray into more dramatic roles, Firstman was just glad to finally get to share the screen with the actress who has been dubbed “the people’s princess of Ireland.” If you know, you know. 

“We’ve never even gotten to act together. So it was really those days were so fun and exciting. And she’s very intimidating as Mimi Rush,” Firstman added. 

I Love LA airs Sundays on HBO at 10:30 p.m. ET and streams on HBO Max at the same time.

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