Sam Levinson Discusses Sydney Sweeney’s OnlyFans Storyline in Euphoria
Euphoria creator Sam Levinson is responding to the significant online criticism regarding Sydney Sweeney’s character, Cassie Howard, and her arc in season 3 involving OnlyFans.
“When you consider OnlyFans, it generates revenue comparable to Hollywood. Essentially, it’s on the same level,” Levinson, 41, stated on the June 19 episode of Real Time With Bill Maher, addressing the storylines and the quick backlash from fans of the popular HBO Max series as well as real-life sex workers.
“It’s not just a niche market; it’s a massive endeavor,” he elaborated. “So, if you’re young, you might think, ‘I don’t want to work a traditional 9-to-5 job. Perhaps I could just start taking pictures of myself?’”
In the third and final season of Euphoria, Sweeney’s character Cassie records multiple naked or semi-naked scenes exploring various sexual fantasies for her online audience, including adult baby play, foot fetishes, dominatrix roles, and more. Numerous scenes featured Sweeney topless or nearly naked, prompting online criticism regarding the portrayal of both her and her character.
“She craves validation from others,” Sweeney, 28, shared with Vanity Fair in a June interview. “She struggles to love herself unless she receives love from someone else. I can see how Sam developed her character to this point in season 3. Her excitement stems from the idea of being loved by these people and being recognized, which helps her feel her world isn’t limited.”
She went on to say, “Even as we wrapped up season 2, he started hinting at concepts for season 3. It echoed the earlier seasons; he would usually call me a few weeks post-wrap to share the entire vision. I knew well before filming season 2 that my character would be married to Nate, living in suburbia, and Cassie would be wilder than ever.”
On Friday, Levinson expressed his interest as a creator in examining the “long-term ramifications” of online sex work like OnlyFans.
“What does it mean when, as a young person, you’re on platforms like Instagram and realize you are the product, the brand, and now at 18, you think, ‘How can I make money?’” he explained. “I found that pursuit of quick cash an intriguing topic to explore.”
Levinson also remarked on the backlash, stating, “We take a critical view of it. It takes a toll on the individual. You are continuously relying on likes and external validation.”
He elaborated on how Sweeney’s character arc intersects with social media and the pervasive influence of online culture on youth.
“If you’re frequently taking self-portraits and marketing yourself online,” he noted, “it signifies a natural progression.”
