Sam Levinson Commends Sydney Sweeney Following the Euphoria Finale
Sydney Sweeney was determined not to “skirt around” the topic of nudity in her Euphoria season 3 storyline, as revealed by the show’s creator, Sam Levinson.
“Initially, I thought, ‘Well, maybe we’ll shoot this without any nudity,’” Levinson, 41, shared during the Monday, June 1 episode of The New York Times’ “Popcast” podcast. “When I discussed potential alternatives with her, she looked at me and said, ‘Are you kidding? I’m portraying an OnlyFans model.’”
He emphasized that he always engages in discussions with actors about “what fits the character best.” Sweeney, 28, was open to taking risks.
“She’s an utterly fearless actor. Not only that, but she’s remarkably professional and arrives ready to perform every day,” he continued. “I love collaborating with her because there’s a great deal of flexibility in her performance.”
Levinson mentioned that there’s “a significant level of trust” between him and Sweeney.
“I can propose, ‘Why don’t we try this scene a bit crazier, with a touch more humor?’ and suddenly, a whole new version unfolds thanks to her performance,” he added. “We’re delving into the world of OnlyFans, where women earn money for whispering into ear-shaped microphones and licking them. There’s an inherent absurdity to it that is just delightful.”
While other storylines reached a more conclusive ending during the Sunday, May 31 season finale, Sweeney’s narrative remained open-ended with her final scene featuring Maude Apatow. Cassie (Sweeney) was seen washing her sex toys while her sister, Lexi (Apatow), became emotional over Rue’s (Zendaya) death.
Before Sunday’s episode, Sweeney shared several behind-the-scenes shots from the show’s final season on Instagram.
“It’s called… acting,” she captioned one post featuring a nearly nude photo. (Sweeney’s topless scenes faced significant backlash throughout the season.)
Levinson had previously addressed fan reactions to Sweeney’s NSFW storyline during an interview with The Hollywood Reporter in April.
“[Cassie] has her dog house and the little dog ears and nose, which adds humor,” he noted at the time. “But what truly drives the scene is that her housekeeper is the one filming it.”
He added, “Our goal was to always uncover another layer of absurdity, ensuring we don’t get too lost in her fantasy or illusion. The punchline is to break the fourth wall.”
