One of the stars of HBO’s Euphoria is responding to rumors about an unsafe working environment on creator Sam Levinson’s set,
Sydney Sweeney told Variety that the allegations didn’t make sense seeing how she and Zendaya are both “strong-minded” women would have spoken up regarding a poor workplace environment.
“You have me, you have [Zendaya], you have all of these very strong-minded, independent women. If we didn’t feel comfortable with something, or we saw something we didn’t like, we’d all speak up,” she said. “It’s hard to see someone completely trashed by the public and the media when no one’s actually there. We are there, and clearly we’re still working on the show, and we’re still supportive.”
She also said how playing her character Cassie has been freeing for her. Adding to her defense of Levinson, she said, “The point [of the series] is making people uncomfortable, and thinking outside the box. What else is the point of art? For me, I feel so free and confident now. And I’ve found that through Cassie.”
Da’Vine Joy Randolph, star of The Idol, another Sam Levinson show that has been the subject of similar rumors, previously talked with Shadow and Act about how she felt the series was femme-centric, also subtly refuting claims against Levinson creating a toxic work environment.
“So this the thing, right? Those who have seen it have only seen two episodes, but starting in episode 3, there’s a major twist. Because Sam Levinson’s a genius, right? There’s no way that what you got in those first two episodes is what [it is], you what I mean? What you see is not what you get with Sam in the best way possible,” she said in June. “And though I’m sure maybe to some people, they’re like, ‘Femme-forward? How’s that femme-forward?’ Without me giving things away, there’s a twist where who you think was in control actually wasn’t in control. And you start to see senses of it with how I speak to [Jocelyn], of motivating her, of how I remind her of who she is.”
“Really, it’s me, my character, empowering her and other female artists in this show [telling her] basically take what’s yours by any means necessary because they [men in the entertainment industry] do it all the time, you know what I mean? And so that, I think to me, that’s more interesting and why I signed on to do this project. That and nothing else. I’m always looking for if there’s a positive message [in a project], I’m going for it.”
