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Zendaya had “a very affectional reaction” to learning her “Euphoria” character, Rue Bennett, would die successful nan Season 3 finale.
Creator Sam Levinson shared connected Variety’s “Half Hour With” series Wednesday that he and Zendaya had a “tough” speech erstwhile he sounded her nan ending to Rue’s story.
“We emotion nan characteristic Rue,” Levinson said, praising nan two-time Emmy Award victor for doing “such an unthinkable occupation bringing this characteristic to life.”
He called Zendaya, 29, “a talented actor” and said Rue “wouldn’t beryllium arsenic charming and lovable and humorous” if she was played by personification else.
“So it was a reliable discussion,” nan showrunner recalled. “Even done shooting, it benignant of weighed connected some of us. At nan extremity of nan day, she understood what I was doing.”
During nan Season 3 finale, Rue suffered an accidental overdose after she took fentanyl-laced pills fixed to her by crime lord Alamo Brown (Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje).
Levinson confirmed nan mode of Rue’s death was to grant precocious co-star Angus Cloud, who died from an accidental fentanyl overdose in July 2023 astatine nan property of 25.
Cloud, Levinson said, “was personification whom we loved dearly and really rooted for and saw nan champion in.”
The TV shaper besides shouted retired Colman Domingo’s capacity arsenic Rue’s mentor, Ali Muhammad, who finds her dormant body.
“When erstwhile it came clip to sprout nan scene, we besides had Colman Domingo there, who’s been 1 of my closest collaborators for complete a decade and a grounding unit successful Zendaya’s life arsenic well,” Levinson explained.
“That benignant of camaraderie really helped this series consciousness authentic and meaningful,” he continued. “We’ve been doing this for eight, 9 years together, truthful it was a beautiful mates of days arsenic we were shooting those scenes, because I deliberation we knew really audiences would respond to it.”
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Levinson antecedently defended nan determination to termination disconnected Rue, which shocked and angered immoderate of nan HBO show’s audience.
“People for illustration Rue don’t make it,” he said successful a post-finale HBO interview.
“People relapse. They f–k up. They’re not fresh to get clean,” he continued. “There’s nary logic to sugarcoat it. I wanted to show this communicative for Angus and for group who weren’t granted a 2nd chance.”
Zendaya has not publically reacted to Rue’s death.
But her mom, Claire Stoermer, weighed successful connected nan show’s ending nan time aft nan finale pinch a cryptic station connected Instagram.
“Lots of messages successful my DM’s from group astir past night’s episode,” she began her message. “I’m gonna support my thoughts to myself.”
Stoermer added, “Definitely made maine sad….and different emotions arsenic well. But conscionable gonna time off it correct there…”
The HBO bid besides killed disconnected Jacob Elordi’s character, Nate Jacobs, which likewise upset fans.
In 1 of his post-finale interviews, Levinson confirmed Season 3 is nan show’s last.
“In position of nan communicative that we group retired to tell, which is nan communicative astir addiction and its consequences,” he stated, “this feels for illustration nan extremity to me.”
