On Sunday afternoon (Dec. 18) , Zendaya, Sydney Sweeney, Hunter Schafer and Maude Apatow took half in an awards season Q&A for his or her hit present Euphoria, accompanying a screening of season two’s fifth episode, “Stand Nonetheless Just like the Hummingbird.”
The episode was largely seen because the season’s breakout, as Golden Globe nominee Zendaya’s Rue runs all through the night time to evade police, drug sellers and her mom’s makes an attempt to carry her to rehab — whereas additionally revealing Cassie’s (Sweeney) secret relationship with Nate (Jacob Elordi). Creator Sam Levinson had initially written a wholly completely different model of the season, however Zendaya stated that the plan for this stand-alone episode at all times remained fairly fixed.
“There was a a lot sadder ending to this season, and so we had been considering, ‘We are able to’t go away her right here, she means an excessive amount of to us,’” Zendaya instructed the group contained in the Paramount Theater. “I believe, collectively, as a individuals, all of us wanted a bit little bit of hope. We would have liked one thing to look ahead to, some goodness and a few pleasure, and looking for that in a really painful time,” as they labored on the second season amid the pandemic.
“That felt very related to, I believe, lots of people, but additionally vital to me in relation to Rue. I would like individuals to know that there’s something lovely within her, whether or not she will see it at the moment or not,” the star and government producer continued. “So then, he proceeded to fully change the ending, and it resulted in essentially the most lovely means and essentially the most unimaginable performances that you simply guys delivered to life that blow my thoughts. And actually, the concept [is] that artwork can save lives in some ways. So it went via many iterations, however I’m grateful the place it ended, and I’m grateful for all of the tales that had been then shared with me after that ending.”
The solid additionally mentioned every of their characters’ arcs in that pivotal episode (which initially aired in February) and the logistics of that Rue run (which absolutely performed a component in Zendaya’s second Emmy win in September). With a 3rd season on the horizon, the celebrities had been additionally requested what “euphoria” seems to be like to every of their characters going ahead.
Sweeney stated that for Cassie it could be a household, as “she’s searching for a household in everybody else. She seems to be for it and her mates, she seems to be for it within the guys,” and Apatow stated for Lexi it’s “freedom from your self and your ideas and unfavorable ideas, unfavorable self-talk. As soon as that’s out of the way in which. you possibly can notice your full potential, and I believe that’ll in all probability [be] hers: cease attacking herself.”
“Every of those characters have their very own vice in a means, and I believe the product of Jules’ vice that she’s searching for is closeness with different individuals and feeling affirmed in that closeness with none judgment or actual connection and security in that connection,” Schafer added for her character. “I believe she finds it in not the perfect methods a whole lot of the time, however I believe finish of the day, it’s what she’s searching for — what she is aware of is there with, Rue however there’s stuff in the way in which; what she is aware of is along with her dad, however there’s stuff in the way in which; what she is aware of could possibly be with Elliot, however he’s an addict and the whole lot.”
Lastly, Zendaya stated for Rue, her one want “is actually simply to have the ability to be alive and perhaps get pleasure from it.” She stated Rue looks like she’s at all times drowning and hopes that she will, for a second, simply be capable to breathe and maintain her head above water with “a bit little bit of happiness and a bit little bit of pleasure.”
“And I do know that she will do it as a result of Sam wrote it, and Sam is Rue, and he’s performed it,” Zendaya continued, as her character is famously based mostly off of the creator’s personal struggles with dependancy. “He’s proof that there’s hope for Rue and anybody like Rue, and from the attractive letters and individuals who have reached out — I’m so grateful for these experiences when any person comes as much as me, they usually talk about Rue and the way they’ve linked to her or no matter a part of their therapeutic journey she has been in a position to be part of. To me that’s the biggest, biggest present I can ever ask, it offers me euphoria and goal in what I do.”
“I simply hope for a bit little bit of pleasure and for her simply to have the ability to breathe and love with out the worry of shedding,” she added. “I imply she’s gonna should undergo some issues, sure, however you already know, we’ll get there.”
This text initially appeared on The Hollywood Reporter.
