Playing one of the most troubled characters on television hasn’t been easy on Zendaya emotionally. Before she took on the role of recovering drug user Rue Bennett in Euphoria, Zendaya was known for cheerier roles on Disney Channel shows. She recently opened up about how difficult it has been for her to handle the intense emotions on the Euphoria set.
“I still have my Rue scars,” the actor said in a Dec. 13 Variety interview. She went on to describe how she’s learned to cope with the particularly heavy scenes. “I do know that I like to have fun on my job. I don’t want to be miserable just because the character’s miserable. On Euphoria, we’d have really, really tough days. I’m like, ‘OK, gotta go cry and knock down a door real quick,’ and then I’ll come back like, ‘Hey, Cheesecake Factory? What are we getting for lunch?’ I try my best to leave them at work and go home and live my life and be a person.”
Though some days on set were tough, Zendaya emphasized that she also took away very positive experiences. “While it was emotionally and physically draining, it was so rewarding,” she said. “I was so proud of it. It connected with people.”
The remarks come as Euphoria is about to begin filming for Season 3, something that has infamously been long delayed. Since it’s been over two years since Season 2 aired in early 2022, fans have grown antsy, and even begun to spread rumors that the series may have been canceled. But HBO boss Casey Bloys recently confirmed that Season 3 will enter production in January.
Zendaya also brought up the show’s future in her interview, saying that it feels to her like Euphoria has been going on for much longer than just two seasons. “We’re supposed to do another season,” the actor said. “I’ve only done two, but it feels like five. One season of Euphoria is like, ‘Phew!’”
There’s no release date set for Season 3 just yet, but hopefully it’ll arrive before the end of 2025.
