It isn’t long before she’s abusing drugs and alcohol—after having tested out her dying father’s prescribed painkillers—endlessly searching for the next high. Does Euphoria deserve the controversy? Zendaya’s first big show-biz break came at the age of 14 when she landed a lead role in the Disney Channel’s dance-driven buddy comedy “Shake It Up.” From 2015 to 2018, she produced and starred as K.C. since. ", Creator Sam Levinson said the show was inspired by his history of drug use, and called "Euphoria" a "deeply, deeply personal story.". Jules and Rue are portrayed brilliantly by the two actresses—Zendaya in particular showcases her natural talent in a raw performance, tasked with skating between Rue’s words of teenage antics and drugged-out exhaustion, between sly observer and active participator. Even when Euphoria is good—and often it is quite good—it’s not exactly enjoyable. (Luckily, there are some silly moments of levity, such as when Rue provides a lecture on proper dick pic etiquette.). "I was repeatedly crushed over and over by the cruel cervix of my mother," she says as a CGI clip of herself as a baby in utero plays onscreen. Addiction is so completely the norm here it almost makes question anyone who isn't addicted to something. Euphoria stars former-Disney star Zendaya as Rue, a biracial teenage drug addict who has just gotten out of rehab but has no intentions of staying clean. "It was really tough for me. Yet, there is certainly something engaging about Euphoria; maybe it’s akin to the idea of watching a car crash as you witness teenagers fall deeper and deeper into danger. FACEBOOK There’s oft-shirtless Nate Jacobs, a jock with an on-again/off-again girlfriend and a dark past that causes him to frequently lash out in the present. That may not sit well with some viewers, as Parents Television Council president Tim Winter argues that the series "appears to be overtly, intentionally marketing extremely graphic adult content — sex, violence, profanity and drug use — to teens and preteens. “But I think it was time for me to do this.”. Still, "It's not sensational to be sensational," says Bloys, noting that the point of the show is to expose an adult audience to the challenges of growing up in 2019, and that many of the scenes come directly from Levinson's life. But Euphoria featured a rare animated scene that was the talk of Twitter for a few days. But advertising revenue helps support our journalism. There was a lot to love about Euphoria Season 1, and a … s a crush) and become almost inseparable. The show will feature lots of nudity and other adult content, even though it focuses on the lives of high schoolers and is described as a teen drama. It also represents a big risk for Zendaya, an Oakland native who is taking a dramatic leap away from the Disney Channel foundation upon which she built her career. Here are the most controversial topics it covers. It's a raw and honest portrait of addiction, anxiety, and the difficulties of navigating life today. Even when. EMAIL ME. SEE ALSO: Can HBO Hold on to the Creators of ‘Game of Thrones’? A post shared by Zendaya (@zendaya) on Jun 13, 2019 at 5:32pm PDTJun 13, 2019 at 5:32pm PDT, Speaking before the Hollywood premiere of "Euphoria" on June 4, Levinson said he was a drug addict who struggled with anxiety and depression. One memorable line form Rue has her comment, "The world's ending, and I'm still supposed to go to high school." ‘Pokemon Go’: November set for two Community Days with Electabuzz and Magmar, Kim Kardashian dragged for ‘disgusting’ birthday vacation amid COVID-19: ‘Kim, there’s people that are dying’, Jon Stewart returning to TV in series for Apple, Bay Area TV Sports: What to watch on Wednesday-Thursday, Zendaya’s first big show-biz break came at the age of 14. (Luckily, there are some silly moments of levity, such as when Rue provides a lecture on proper dick pic etiquette.). But Levinson actually wanted to start with a dolly shot that began on the lights in the hospital room, boomed down behind a doctor and went straight between her mother's legs and into her vagina. These kids aren't just partying and smoking their lives away because they don't care, but because of the time they live in, they realize, that there's no point in doing anything else. Early on in the provocative new HBO drama series “Euphoria,” a teen drug addict played by Zendaya addresses the audience, saying: “I know a lot of you probably hate me right now. Taking a look at the pilot though, just what is it about this show that's sparking all the controversy? Euphoria has its own special brand of teen nihilism. Read more: HBO's upcoming teen drama 'Euphoria' is filled with graphic nudity, including a single scene that shows approximately 30 penises. Read more: How Zendaya went from Disney superstar to blockbuster darling, Levinson told the Hollywood Reporter that HBO executives were squeamish about a couple of scenes in particular on the show, which resulted in them being cut or altered from the final version of "Euphoria.". Toll Free number in Israel only 1-800-574-574
He is one of the worst perpetrators for the atmosphere of toxic masculinity and he is not seen as a sympathetic, loveable (if annoying) jock; he is an infection and he might be quite dangerous. HBO's controversial series Euphoria has wrapped officially wrapped up its freshman season. Undercover.” Her mostly family-friendly resume also includes a stint on “Dancing With the Stars.”, “I don’t think any of my 8-year-old fans know,” she said of her new TV role. How Zendaya went from Disney superstar to blockbuster darling, The 14 new TV shows we're most excited about, All the upcoming new TV shows that were just announced. Their bond is a nice light in this utterly gloomy world where everyone is either miserable or punctuating those moments of misery with coke and molly. The Hollywood Reporter, LLC is a subsidiary of Prometheus Global Media, LLC. thank you @papermagazine for enabling my fantasy of shooting vines (or honestly anything) out of my hands, and for hyping up @euphoria and my beautiful castmates ☄️ big thank you to the image-makers: Photographer: @bryanhuynh 3D Artist: @rodolfo_design Retoucher: @hamzahamin Writer: @jeena11 Stylist: @cc_looo Hair: @mararoszak Makeup: @melaniemakeup Nails: @chelseaqueen, A post shared by Hunter Schafer (@hunterschafer) on Jun 13, 2019 at 9:34am PDTJun 13, 2019 at 9:34am PDT, "Ultimately, Jules is a combination of him and what he wrote for her before I was in the picture," Schafer told Paper. There is both an ease and an interesting tension to their friendship, one where they’re simultaneously candid about trauma but hesitant to express smaller things. ", "Euphoria" recently got the attention of the Parents Television Council, who warned that HBO "appears to be overtly, intentionally, marketing extremely graphic adult content — sex, violence, profanity, and drug use — to teens and preteens.". In the episode "Made You Look," we found out that Kat was quite popular online as a fanfiction writer. The pilot episode doesn't go deep into violence (although it does manage to fit in a character nearly getting stabbed at a party) but it does create an environment where violence appears to be lurking everywhere: bruises on Jules' thighs, darker side to Nate's personality, it's present in sex and in relationships. But for others, the onscreen drama mirrors a life they’re all too familiar with, making for a casual viewing experience or even a cathartic one.
Like what you see here? Amid the #MeToo movement and a re-evaluation of sexual mores and politics in the digital age, HBO is attempting to create buzz among a newer generation when so much of the 500-plus-show universe is lost on young people. Richard Roeper of The Chicago Sun Times calls it” edgy and shocking and sobering and crackling good.” But Hank Stuever of the Washington Post describes the series as a “depressing and occasionally foul attempt to reach a ‘YA’ audience.”. "I've only really done family movies, so everybody sees me a certain way and doesn't assume that I can do [a part like this] — or that I want to.". "If you got a visit from Amanda that day, you knew it was going down," says actress Barbie Ferreira, 22, who had to film a scene in the third episode in which an obese man on a webcam pulls out his micro penis and masturbates to her. For parents, it’s sure to be something of a horror show: traffics in depictions of sex (and I haven’t seen a series so dick-happy since, ), drug trips, sexting (though it’s worth noting that these teens seem bizarrely well-educated on child pornography laws) and putting teens into alarming situations that make you want to close your eyes to avoid what’s sure to come next. ", portrays a sexy, troubling, and bold profile of the teens of the nineties" coupled with the "raging drama going on behind teenagers' closed doors. Sorry, your blog cannot share posts by email. “If they do, I don’t think their parents will let them watch it.”, As for the adult content of “Euphoria,” Zendaya, 22, told the Times she doesn’t find it “that shocking,” but understands that other “people will.”. Singer Zendaya and "A Wrinkle in Time" star Storm Reid are part of the diverse cast of "Euphoria.". Schafer, who is also a trans woman, spoke with Paper magazine about how her experiences informed the arc of her character, Jules — and how she and series creator Sam Levinson worked together to tell Jules' story. It’s a mixed bag of tricks: The series is certainly aesthetically pleasing and well-directed (Levinson directs five of the eight episodes), with smooth camera work that boosts the characters’ interior lives (the fourth episode is especially fun to watch).
