As soon as once more, Sydney Sweeney is defending Sam Levinson.
As I’m positive you understand, Sydney rose to fame after enjoying Cassie Howard in Sam’s hit HBO drama, Euphoria.
Although broadly acclaimed, Euphoria has garnered a number of criticism regarding the quantity of nudity within the collection, which facilities round a troubled group of excessive schoolers.
Amid backlash surrounding the second season in 2022, a number of of the present’s forged members admitted there have been occasions they felt uncomfortable with the quantity of pores and skin they had been required to indicate for sure scenes.
Actually, Sydney was amongst these to talk out, revealing in January 2022 that she as soon as requested Sam if they might reduce on her character’s nudity.
“There are moments the place Cassie was alleged to be shirtless and I might inform Sam, ‘I do not actually suppose that is crucial right here,’” she informed the Impartial. “He was like, ‘OK, we do not want it.’”
In addition to Euphoria, Sam can be one of many co-creators of The Idol, which stirred up a ton of controversy earlier this 12 months after a Rolling Stone report in contrast the present to “sexual torture porn.”
For context, The Idol stars Lily-Rose Depp as a younger pop star named Jocelyn, who, after struggling a nervous breakdown, finds herself embroiled in a poisonous relationship with a cult chief named Tedros, performed by The Weeknd (AKA, Abel Tesfaye).
Much like Euphoria, The Idol confronted a ton of backlash because of its sexual scenes and frequent nudity, prompting Lily–Rose, Abel, and Sam to publicly defend the present’s graphic content material on quite a few events.
And now, in a brand new interview with Selection, Sydney is weighing in on all of the discourse, making it clear that communication was key whereas capturing Euphoria.
“You have got me, you’ve Z, you’ve all of those very sturdy minded, unbiased ladies,” she stated, referring to Zendaya, the present’s lead. “If we didn’t really feel comfy with one thing, or we noticed one thing we didn’t like, we’d all converse up.”
Speaking extra particularly concerning the widespread criticism of Sam, Sydney admitted she discovered it troublesome to see false narratives make headlines.
“It’s laborious to see somebody fully trashed by the general public and the media when nobody’s truly there,” she stated, earlier than emphasizing her love for Euphoria, which is at present set to return for a 3rd season in 2025. “We’re there, and clearly we’re nonetheless engaged on the present, and we’re nonetheless supportive.”
On quite a few events when defending The Idol, Sam, Abel, and Lily-Rose emphasised that the graphic content material was supposed to evoke a powerful response from viewers, for higher or worse.
And whereas speaking to Selection, Sydney appeared to echo this stance, saying that inflicting a stir is the entire level on the subject of Sam’s work.
“The purpose is making folks uncomfortable, and pondering outdoors the field. What else is the purpose of artwork?” she stated. “For me, I really feel so free and assured now. And I’ve discovered that by way of Cassie.”
This isn’t the primary time that Sydney has come to Sam’s protection. After her feedback about asking him to restrict her nudity went viral in 2022, the White Lotus star backtracked on her preliminary assertion and emphasised that the story was a testomony to his “respectful” nature on set.
“It was extra how respectful Sam is and the way unimaginable of a director he’s that he would by no means make me do one thing I didn’t really feel comfy with,” she informed Teen Vogue in March 2022.
“There’s a goal to what that character goes by way of. That’s the character,” she defined. “All of us get bare in actual life. We present this character’s life and what they’re going by way of. Cassie’s physique is a special type of communication for her.”
