Surprising Secrets About Euphoria Even Super Fans Don’t Know

Few shows put viewers through it more than the teen drama ‘Euphoria.’ Every episode is a rollercoaster that has people on the edge of their seats, which is why it’s been so successful since its debut. With the series being so popular, there’s been plenty of talk about behind-the-scenes secrets, and this show definitely has a lot that are worth discussing.

Euphoria is adapted from an Israeli teen drama of the same name

A drama where teenagers use illegal substances, drink a lot, and have complicated relationships with one another is hardly groundbreaking. In fact, that’s pretty much the recipe for all teen dramas. However, while some of the show’s elements might not be that new, ‘Euphoria’ has always felt very one-of-a-kind. The way it tells stories is pretty unique and makes the series stand out for all the right reasons.

Despite this, it’s technically less original than other teen dramas out there because it’s actually adapted from another show. Before ‘Euphoria’ was HBO’s biggest new show, it was an Israeli mini-series of the same name. While much has been changed by Sam Levinson to make the American show its own thing, it technically started life as a different series.

Sam Levinson included some of his own experiences when adapting the series

Taking a TV show that already exists and adapting it into something brand new can be tricky. Fortunately, Levinson had a lot of material from his personal life that he could weave into the narrative. When he spoke to Entertainment Weekly, he revealed that he struggled with substance abuse for a long time before coming clean.

Those experiences from his past not only helped Sam to get into the mindset of characters like Rue but also gave him plot points to adapt. The fact that real moments from Levinson’s life made it into the show only makes the series feel more authentic, which has helped it become successful. During that interview, the creator also revealed that he deals with depression and anxiety, experiences that influenced the show as well.

He also utilized the real-life experiences of Hunter Schafer and Barbie Ferreira

Levinson’s experiences weren’t the only ones that influenced the script. One of the greatest things about ‘Euphoria’ is how varied the characters are, with each one offering a perspective that different people can relate to. Unfortunately, trying to accurately tell the stories of such a diverse cast can be tricky for one man to do.

That’s why he actually collaborated with some of the show’s stars to ensure their narratives were authentic to them. According to Entertainment Weekly, Sam singled out Hunter Schafer and Barbie Ferreira specifically because their experiences weren’t something he could personally identify with. He reportedly flew them to LA after they were cast so they could talk about their lives and ensure that the scripts did their characters and their communities justice.

Maude Apatow’s character was created with the actress in mind

Sometimes, after you’ve watched a TV show or movie for so long, it’s hard to imagine the characters being played by anyone else. For Sam Levinson, that’s how he felt about some of the people in ‘Euphoria’ before the series had even started casting. As he put the show together, he imagined certain actors and actresses in the roles, meaning Sam effectively created these characters around them.

It helped make his cast feel more three-dimensional. However, this only worked if the people he had in mind actually agreed to be in the show. Fortunately, things worked out perfectly with Maude Apatow. Sam had worked with her before and apparently valued how she was “natural, vulnerable and quiet.” When asked to be in the series, Maude evidently said yes.

Levinson reportedly made a vision board for Rue, and Zendaya was on it

Maude Apatow wasn’t the only star that Levinson built a character around. Someone else he apparently had his sights on was Zendaya. Before he cast anyone to play Rue, the creator reportedly made a vision board to get an understanding of who she is. Zendaya was allegedly on that vision board, something that the actress couldn’t quite believe.

She told Entertainment Weekly that she couldn’t think of what she’d done in her career that would make Levinson believe she was perfect for the role. Evidently, the man had seen something special in her, and he was right. Since Zendaya started playing Rue, she’s become the youngest person ever to win an Emmy in the lead actress category. She was seemingly born for this role.

Hunter Schafer was new to acting when she was cast in Euphoria

There was seemingly something in Zendaya’s filmography that made Sam believe in her. However, the same can’t be said for everyone else that he cast in ‘Euphoria.’ After all, not all of the show’s stars had any acting experience to their name. That includes Hunter Schafer, who revealed to Build Series that this was the first time she’d properly gotten in front of the camera.

Before the show, she was working as a model. However, she saw the casting call being advertised on social media and decided to give it a go. Apparently, one of the scenes she auditioned with was the motel scene with Eric Dane from the first episode. She obviously impressed Levinson with what she had to showcase, given she got cast.

A casting producer reportedly found Angus Cloud on the street

Hunter wasn’t the only one unaccustomed to acting before ‘Euphoria’ came along. Angus Cloud, one of the biggest stars to come out of the show, was also new to the business. Unlike Schafer, he didn’t audition because he saw a casting call online. Instead, he was apparently approached by a producer on the street who thought he’d be a good fit for the role.

Cloud told GQ that Angus was incredibly confused at that moment and thought he was being scammed. Apparently, he was concerned about giving the woman his phone number, but he ultimately went through with it. Evidently, he made the right decision because he was soon cast in the role of Fezco, which has earned Angus quite the passionate fanbase.

Angus and Zendaya went to the same performing arts school when they were younger

Angus might not have had a professional acting role before, but that doesn’t mean he wasn’t passionate about getting in front of the cameras one day. He graduated from the Oakland School for the Arts, and it seems he’s not the only ‘Euphoria’ cast member that went here. Zendaya also studied here, and it seems the pair may have been at the school around the same time.

That doesn’t mean they knew each other well before the show, though. During an interview with the Wall Street Journal, Cloud admitted that he wasn’t that familiar with Zendaya when they were at school together. However, he did confess that they shared some of the same friends, so it wasn’t like they were complete strangers to one another.

Jacob Elordi was “practically homeless” before he was cast in Euphoria

There’s no denying that ‘Euphoria’ has done great things for much of its cast. Aside from Zendaya, who was already starring in blockbuster movies left, right, and center, most people on the show weren’t that well known. Now that they’re associated with ‘Euphoria,’ though, they’re bound to have bright futures ahead of them.

That’s a significant change of pace for someone like Jacob Elordi, whose situation was reportedly rather dire before he was cast in the series. He told Wonderland that he was low on money when he auditioned for ‘Euphoria’ and didn’t have anyone managing him. Jacob referred to himself as “practically homeless,” so he really needed the gig to get his life together. Thankfully, Levinson believed in him and helped change things for the better.

Barbie auditioned for the show seven times before being told she was cast

Now that ‘Euphoria’ is so big, many people would love to join the cast. Before anyone really knew about the show, though, its appeal wasn’t quite as significant. Well, to most people anyway. There were some cast members who were desperate to be in the series, such as Barbie. She evidently saw the appeal of ‘Euphoria’ because she reportedly auditioned for it seven times.

She was so eager for Levinson to cast her that she told her therapist that she couldn’t sleep. It was a good month before Barbie finally heard back about whether she’d bagged the role. Thankfully it was good news. As it turns out, Ferreira was actually in a therapy session when she heard that she’d be playing Kat.

Alexa Demie had some strange experiences before she was chosen to play Maddy

Some cast members might say it was fate that they scored a role on ‘Euphoria.’ None probably believe this more than Alexa Demie, though, who had a few strange experiences before she was cast. The first of these related to Jacob Elordi, who she apparently saw at his audition. When she set eyes on him, Demie reportedly got the feeling that he was the one who’d go on to play Nate in the show.

Sometime later, Alexa went to a sandwich shop where one of the cheeses was allegedly named ‘Euphoria.’ Finally, while the actress was dreaming one night, she reportedly envisioned her becoming friends with Zendaya. That was before the duo had met, and the women were both selected to be on the series.

Zendaya and Nika King apparently improvised their fight scene

Scripts exist for a reason. They give cast members direction and ensure that everything plays out the way that the writer envisioned. However, it’s not always a good idea to rigidly follow everything in the script. Sometimes, it’s best to just embody the characters and act the way you think they would in a certain moment.

That’s apparently what Zendaya and Nika King did during their powerful fight scene. Levinson was eager for the pair to lean into the moment and really go at it with one another. This resulted in the women producing one of the best scenes in ‘Euphoria.’ However, it also pushed Zendaya so far that she actually had to leave the set after filming because she felt sick.

Jacob finds some of his scenes tough to film because he’s much nicer than his character

Whenever you watch a show like ‘Euphoria,’ it’s always important to remember that the actors and the characters they portray are two different people. Just because someone puts on a very convincing performance, that doesn’t mean they’re anything like the person they play on screen. Jacob Elordi is the perfect example of that.

Nate Jacobs is far from an ideal man, having put his love interests through the wringer. However, away from the cameras, Elordi seems to be a kind soul and much more of a gentleman. As a result, he sometimes struggles with his scenes in ‘Euphoria.’ He once told Collider that he wished Nate and Maddy had more low-key scenes because he hates having to be mean to Alexa when the cameras are rolling.

Sydney Sweeney didn’t particularly enjoy the hot tub scene where she was ill

‘Euphoria’ is quite a hard-hitting show, and as a result, some of the scenes can be difficult to film. Jacob definitely isn’t the only cast member who’s struggled in the past. Sydney Sweeney has also found elements of playing Cassie quite tough, particularly the hot tub scene. In the fourth episode of season two, the character drank far too much and ended up getting sick in the hot tub.

It certainly wasn’t something to watch if you were eating. However, if you thought it was bad as a viewer, it was apparently even worse to film it. Sweeney apparently had a tube in her mouth, which she had to hold without drawing any attention to, before throwing up on everyone. It seems it wasn’t a pleasant experience.

Sweeney experienced real terror while filming the bathtub scene

That hot tub scene might have been tough for Sydney, but it wasn’t nearly as terrifying as the one that came several episodes earlier. In the season two premiere, her character was forced to hide in the bathtub to avoid Maddy catching her getting close with Nate. It was an incredibly tense moment – and that’s saying something for ‘Euphoria’ – which really freaked Sweeney out.

She told Decider that while filming it, she couldn’t help but imagine how she’d feel if this happened in real life. The terror that would plague her if she genuinely had to hide from her best friend like this really got to her. On the plus side, it resulted in Sweeney giving an incredible performance during this unforgettable moment.

Jacob was genuinely hit over the head with a bottle, but the prop was made of sugar

Given his behavior throughout the show, there are probably plenty of viewers who feel that Nate got what he deserved when Fezco smashed a bottle over his head. Even Elordi himself was supportive of this moment, saying that he felt bad but believed “he had to get beat up.”

If you thought the actor brought someone else in to take the hit for him, though, you might be surprised to learn that Jacob did this stunt himself. Of course, it wasn’t a real bottle that Angus hit him with; it was one made of sugar that would break easily and not injure Elordi too much. That doesn’t mean the stunt was painless, though, as Jacob told Thrillist, the bottle “didn’t feel like sugar” when he got hit with it.

Elordi wore prosthetics to show his beaten face and began developing phantom pain

Hair and makeup play an essential role in ‘Euphoria.’ The same can’t be said for prosthetics, but that doesn’t mean they don’t come in helpful from time to time. When the series had to show Nate’s facial injuries, they utilized prosthetics to make the damage more convincing. It apparently took five hours to get the actor ready, although it was time well spent.

Nate definitely looked like he’d seen better days on the show. Using the prosthetics actually meant they could have a nurse put stitches through Jacob’s face without piercing his real skin. The only downside was that the actor reportedly started developing phantom pain from wearing the prosthetics. It seems his brain began to believe that his brain had actually been beaten.

Sydney created a diary of Cassie’s past to connect with the character and be more authentic

‘Euphoria’ wouldn’t be as successful as it is if viewers didn’t find the characters authentic. Seemingly, the fact that Levinson uses real-life experiences in the show has helped with that. However, it’s also the actors themselves that have ensured their characters come across as believable. They’re so dedicated to their roles that they’ve done what they can to make them fully fleshed out people.

Take Sydney, for instance. The actress created a diary for her to help her connect with Cassie and ensure she appears genuine. This diary apparently maps out the character’s life from birth to the beginning of the show. Sweeney told MTV that she does this for everyone she plays because it helps her get into the person’s head.

Sweeney learned to ice skate so she’d look more convincing in that scene

No one can deny Sydney’s dedication to ‘Euphoria.’ Not only did she map out her character’s past in a diary, but she also learned new skills that were needed for the show. In the series, viewers see Cassie put on quite an impressive display on the ice. Her moves were so spectacular that people wondered who exactly had filmed them.

Surely Sweeney hadn’t been sitting on such an amazing talent all this time? As it turns out, Sydney did film the scene, albeit not all of it. The impressive stuff was indeed done by a double who was far more efficient on the ice. However, by learning how to skate beforehand, Sweeney was able to look more convincing in the shots she did feature in.

Minka Kelly was reluctant to bare all on her first day of filming

‘Euphoria’ is a show that isn’t afraid to tell people to take their clothes off. It is on HBO, after all. Over the last two seasons, viewers have gotten an eyeful more times than they probably expected. However, if Levinson had his way, there’d be even more of it in the series. It seems that a couple of stars have pushed back against requests to strip down and show everything on camera.

Minka Kelly, for instance, wasn’t too comfortable with losing her dress during filming. She told Vanity Fair that it was her first day on the series and the thought of jumping straight into that was too much. Sydney has also been reluctant to remove her clothes at times, to which Levinson has always respected her decision.

Eric Dane used a prosthetic for his downstairs but was willing to show the real thing

Full-frontal action is something that people have definitely come to expect from ‘Euphoria.’ Both men and women have shown the cameras what they’re working with, although it’s the former that attracts more questions. That’s because viewers wonder whether what the actor’s packing is genuine or just a prosthetic.

The show was very quick to give everyone an eyeful, with the first episode seeing Eric Dane display downstairs. However, he confessed to Entertainment Weekly that what people saw on TV wasn’t the real deal. He opted for a prosthetic this time around, although that wasn’t because he was against exposing himself. Apparently, Dane was willing to let it all hang out, provided he felt it served a purpose for the story.

Kat’s reaction to her first cam session is genuine because that’s what Barbie wanted

During Kat’s first cam session in episode three, she gets quite the shock when she sees the size of someone’s downstairs on the other end. The fact that it’s so small catches the character by surprise, and it seems her reaction was entirely genuine. That’s because Barbie Ferreira elected to see the image herself during filming.

This wasn’t something the show forced upon her, as it was easy enough to do the scene without her having to see anything explicit. However, Barbie wanted to have an authentic reaction because it made things more exciting. She told Entertainment Weekly that the showrunners did an excellent job of ensuring she felt comfortable during the scene and confessed she went home with an adrenaline rush.

Disagreements with Levinson reportedly led to Kat’s role in season two being largely cut

After the first season aired, Kat was easily one of the show’s most popular characters. People loved that she wasn’t the usual big girl stereotype and loved seeing how she’d blossomed throughout those first eight episodes. Unfortunately, those hoping to see Kat continue to grow in the second season were left disappointed.

The character was notably absent a lot of the time, and when she was around, she wasn’t as lovable as people remembered her. Apparently, Barbie wasn’t happy with the direction that Levinson was taking her character and had several disagreements with him. When she then walked off set, the creator reportedly cut much of her lines. Hopefully, things will improve in the third season so everyone can have the Kat that they love back.

Euphoria has received complaints about long working hours and awful work environment

As compelling a show as it is, ‘Euphoria’ can sometimes be quite tough to watch. Unfortunately, it seems that the series can be just as tough to film as it is to see on television. Several allegations have been made against the show, criticizing the workplace environment and working hours.

In February 2022, the Daily Beast released a report claiming that people were putting in 15-17 hours a day, with the night shoots apparently being awful to film. The publication also revealed complaints from some of the extras, who said they weren’t offered meals on time or allowed to use the restroom. Elordi himself separately told Thrillist that filming the New Year’s Eve party wasn’t a fun experience and revealed that he couldn’t wait to leave.

NikkieTutorials’ cameo in Euphoria was apparently arranged behind her back

It’s not uncommon for celebrities to make cameos in popular shows. Remember when Ed Sheeran popped up in HBO’s other highly successful drama series ‘Game of Thrones?’ In ‘Euphoria,’ one of the stars who briefly appeared in season two was social media influencer NikkieTutorials. The makeup master surprised quite a few people when one of her videos was featured in the show.

However, no one was more taken aback by her appearance than the woman herself. It seems that she was completely unaware that ‘Euphoria’ was going to highlight her like that. Apparently, Nikkie’s manager arranged the whole thing in secret because the influencer is a huge fan of the show. Evidently, she has the right people working for her.

Eric Dane once crashed his car into a fence during filming

Eric Dane’s casting in ‘Euphoria’ was undoubtedly one that delighted many of his co-stars. After all, the man has been in the business for several decades and racked up quite an impressive filmography. Even better, he’s reportedly a joy to film with because he never stops making the rest of the cast laugh.

While he might be the joker of the pack, though, there have been times when Eric’s behavior hasn’t earned him that many laughs. Most notably, there was an incident where the actor drove a car into a fence during filming. According to Dane, this only happened because the driveway was “tight.” He apparently had a choice of hitting the fence or a camera and figured that the former was probably the better option.

Fezco apparently wasn’t supposed to survive past the first season

There aren’t many characters in ‘Euphoria’ quite as beloved as Fezco. He might not be perfect, but he shows off his soft side enough to have viewers constantly in his corner. He’s so popular that the series probably wouldn’t be the same if he weren’t around anymore. As it turns out, he initially wasn’t supposed to be a long-running character.

Angus told GQ that Fezco was meant to be written out, but then they decided to keep him around. He’s not sure why the change of heart or why his character wasn’t destined to make it to season two. However, he did guess that because he was cast off the street, they weren’t looking for someone with the acting prowess to stick around long-term.

Zendaya’s body double filmed the scene where she broke a table and got injured doing so

‘Euphoria’ might not be full of big explosions and wild action sequences, but there are still stunts from time to time. While the actors do elect to do some of these, there are times when it’s far safer to leave it to the professionals. Britta Grant has occasionally acted as Zendaya’s double on the show, particularly in the scene where Rue climbed over a fence and broke a table.

It wasn’t an easy scene to film, with Britta admitting on social media that she had to go over the fence, turn in the air, and land in the perfect spot. The table was reportedly made of tempered glass and left her with an elbow wound. She required six stitches before she left the set that day.

Makeup is used in Euphoria to show an insight into each character’s story

The makeup looks that the characters rock in ‘Euphoria’ are often something worth admiring. However, it appears that there’s more to the eyeshadow and lipstick than meets the eye. Doniella Davy puts a ton of thought into every look she creates, with the makeup artist revealing to Allure that Levinson gives her free reign when it comes to her designs.

This has allowed her to put together looks that tell a story throughout the show. Davy will regularly change makeup styles for each character to reflect what’s going on in their lives. For instance, she toned down Maddy’s gemstones and winged eyeliner after the carnival episode to showcase the pain she was in. It’s subtle, but it adds that extra layer of depth to the characters.

All For Us was played whenever Rue was tempted to use substances again

Anyone who’d listened to ‘Replay’ on repeat before ‘Euphoria’ became a thing likely knew full well that Zendaya could sing. However, while the actress has definitely dipped her toe into music every now and again, she doesn’t do it that often. That’s why it was such a surprise when the first season of ‘Euphoria’ ended with Zendaya performing ‘All For Us’ alongside Labrinth.

It was a big way to end out the season and left fans heartbroken as Rue gave into her substance abuse problems once again. Interestingly enough, this wasn’t the first time that viewers heard the song. Parts of it were played whenever Rue was tempted to give in to her addiction. However, it was only when she started using again that people heard the full song.

The Halloween costumes in season one were intentionally reflective of each character

A Halloween episode is always a great way for teen dramas to up the excitement. If nothing else, it gives viewers a chance to see characters in a new way as they dress up for the special occasion. ‘Euphoria’ definitely didn’t disappoint on this front, with the cast rocking an intriguing mix of outfits. Apparently, a lot of thought went into what each person wore, with each look intended as an insight into the characters.

For instance, Cassie dressed as Alabama Worley from the romantic crime movie ‘True Romance.’ Like the film character, Cassie was also objectified by men and later fell pregnant. Jules, meanwhile, dressed as Juliet from the romantic tragedy ‘Romeo and Juliet.’ It makes sense, given the struggles she faced with loving Rue in season one.

A real rotating set was created for the scene where the hallway moves around Rue

Sam Levinson is definitely a man who likes to push the boundaries of believability. Some of the stuff that happens in ‘Euphoria’ isn’t that realistic, but that’s reflective of how the characters view the world. Plus, it makes for some very compelling television, such as the scene in which Rue walks through a rotating hallway.

You might have thought that this moment was created through digital trickery. However, it seems that Levinson actually had a genuine rotating set made for this scene. Background actors were reportedly strapped down as the room spun around Zendaya. Fortunately, there weren’t any reports of people getting ill as the set defied gravity. However, we expect it was quite a weird experience to be in the room that day.

Filming the carnival was incredibly difficult for several reasons

Some scenes in ‘Euphoria’ are definitely harder to film than others. As Jacob said, the New Year’s Eve party wasn’t that enjoyable because they had to work through the night for a week straight. Something else that proved to be tough was the carnival in the first season’s fourth episode.

Both Levinson and Zendaya admitted to it being difficult to shoot, especially because the entire carnival was packed into 125,000 square feet. When you consider that the crew and all their equipment also had to fit into this space, it’s perhaps no wonder that things got a little cramped. That wasn’t the only issue, though. The set was apparently dusty, forcing Zendaya to rely on an inhaler. What’s more, they had to film across six cold nights.

The second season was shot on a roll of film that’s no longer manufactured

‘Euphoria’ is a show that definitely embraces nostalgia. You only need to look at some of the clothes and makeup to realize that. However, these aren’t the only things that take influence from the past. It seems that the film used to record ‘Euphoria’ was also retro. Apparently, the entire season was shot on Kodak’s Ektachrome, helping to give the episodes more of a dreamlike quality.

It was a smart way to make the show feel a little more unique. However, there was a slight problem with deciding to film on this – Kodak no longer manufactures Ektachrome. It seems they had to convince the company to produce rolls just for them, which they evidently succeeded in. Who knows, maybe Kodak will start manufacturing this film again thanks to ‘Euphoria’?

The party scene in the season two premiere was filmed using a spotlight

With the first season being such a success, ‘Euphoria’ needed to come back with a bang when it returned at the start of 2022. This prompted Levinson and his crew to play around with how they filmed the episodes, such as using that old roll of film. One thing they did in the premier was switch off all the lights for the scenes at the party.

They then turned on a big spotlight and used this to illuminate the characters. In doing this, they made each shot look like it was a photo, making the party seem like one big photo album. Fortunately for the cast, being shot in fluorescent lighting didn’t do them any harm. In fact, it just made them look even more captivating.

It rains a lot when it’s sunny in Euphoria to reflect the characters’ conflicted emotions

It’s not uncommon for films and TV shows to utilize pathetic fallacy to express something without spelling it out. That’s why you’ll often see it raining in a scene when someone’s sad or stormy when they’re angry. There’s plenty of this in ‘Euphoria,’ with some of their choices fairly under-utilized in the industry.

For instance, it seems to rain quite often when it’s sunny outside on this show. While this phenomenon certainly isn’t unheard of in real life, it appears far more predominant in the fictional town of East Highland. Its presence is likely intended to reflect the conflicted emotions that so many characters go through in this series. The contrast of sunshine and rain is an excellent way to showcase how they’re feeling.

The birds in Laurie’s home reflect the girls that she’s entrapped in the past

With Rue giving into her substance abuse at the end of season one, viewers knew to expect some dark moments for Zendaya’s character moving forward. However, they probably didn’t anticipate quite what played out. The fact that Rue was nearly forced to sell herself to repay Laurie’s debts was quite terrifying.

The young addict isn’t the first that Laurie’s tried to entrap, and that’s actually reflected in the set design of her house. All those caged birds she has seem to be a symbolic representation of the other girls who feel trapped by her. The fact that some of the shots showed Rue appearing caged herself only further emphasizes why those birds were brought into the show. After all, everything Levinson does has a firm reason behind it.

Naming Cal’s friend Derek is likely meant as a nod to Grey’s Anatomy

To some viewers, ‘Euphoria’ will be the only place that they know Eric Dane from. However, those who have been into their dramas since the ’00s will likely know him from another show – ‘Grey’s Anatomy.’ He had a main role in the medical drama as Dr. Mark Sloan, although most fans preferred to call him McSteamy.

This was in contrast to Patrick Dempsey’s character Derek Shepherd, who was referred to as McDreamy. The two were initially friends before falling out, with both ending up losing their lives. How is this relevant to ‘Euphoria’? Well, in the teen drama, Cal’s best friend is also named Derek. It’s believed this is a nod to ‘Grey’s Anatomy’ and might be a hint at what’s to come for Dane’s character.

The romantic montage with Rue and Jules was likely created to have several meanings

It likely wouldn’t be a surprise if this reference to ‘Grey’s Anatomy’ was intentional. After all, Levinson loves to make as many references as possible in ‘Euphoria.’ Perhaps one of the most blatant times he did this was in the fourth episode of season two when Rue and Jules share an intimate moment together?

As they enjoy themselves, a montage plays out which sees the characters imitating various works of pop culture and modern art. That includes nods to the romantic drama films ‘Titanic’ and ‘Brokeback Mountain’ along with paintings like ‘The Birth of Venus’ and ‘Self Portrait as a Tehuana.’ All these references aim to show Rue’s genuine love for Jules, as well as presenting an LGBTQ figure like Jules in “imagery traditionally held by cisgender white women.”

Lexi’s play wasn’t that realistic because it wasn’t supposed to be

If you’ve ever watched a school play or performed in one, you’ll likely understand the limitations these productions can have. After all, they don’t tend to have the biggest budgets. However, it seems that money isn’t an issue in ‘Euphoria,’ judging by what Lexi was able to put together in season two.

Plenty of viewers watching her play unfold questioned how she managed to pull the whole thing off, with some moments way too outlandish to be real. Well, if you hadn’t guessed already, what you saw on screen was less about realism and more about how Lexi dreamed it to be. Levinson cares far more about emotional realism than actual realism in ‘Euphoria,’ so suspending your disbelief is essential when watching this play.

Ashtray’s passing at the end of season two is foreshadowed in the first episode

‘Euphoria’ does such a good job of making you fall in love with the characters that it’s hard to see anyone lose their life. Unfortunately, you can’t have a show as hard-hitting as this teen drama and expect everyone to survive. The second season definitely broke hearts when viewers saw Ashtray pass away during a confrontation with the police.

However, some people were less surprised than others, given that his loss was actually foreshadowed in the first episode of season two. Not only did you have Fezco talking about how important the character was to him, but there was also a faint shot of his final moments too. Javon Walton later told Vulture that Fezco was supposed to pass away instead, but the scripts changed at the last minute.

Jacob likes taking silly selfies on his co-stars’ smartphones when they’re not around

It’s not always easy for the stars of ‘Euphoria’ to distance themselves from their characters during filming. The stories are so hard-hitting that they can really mess with their heads, like making Zendaya feel sick after filming that argument with Rue’s mom. Fortunately, some of their co-stars know how to lighten the mood when things take a dark turn.

Jacob’s method for keeping everyone smiling is apparently to take selfies on people’s smartphones when they’re not around. He never actually moves their phones because he feels that would be too invasive. Instead, he just slides up on the screen and takes a few silly pictures. The angle means his co-stars usually come back to find chin pics of Elordi on their camera roll.

Tom Holland allegedly visited the Euphoria set 30 times during the show’s second season

Ever since Tom Holland and Zendaya started playing love interests in the superhero ‘Spider-Man’ films, people have wondered if they’re genuinely together or not. A kiss in Holland’s car in 2021 certainly suggested as much, although neither party has confirmed anything yet. If they’re not dating, though, then they must be really close friends because they spend an awful lot of time together.

Even when Zendaya’s filming ‘Euphoria,’ Tom will apparently show up just to see her. He admitted himself that he probably visited her on set around 30 times and confessed that he’s desperate for a cameo. It hasn’t happened yet – although some viewers think it has – but Tom’s hopeful that Zendaya will be able to pull some strings and make his wish come true.

Drake is one of the executive producers and was fully engaged during a table read

The list of executive producers on ‘Euphoria’ is surprisingly long, and there are some noteworthy names on there. Zendaya is one of them, and she’s the only cast member to have this extra credit. However, even more notable than her name is Drake’s. Yes, the Canadian rapper is an executive producer for one of the biggest shows on television right now.

He reportedly joined the series after it was commissioned for a full season, and he apparently hasn’t been slacking when it comes to the job. Storm Reid told Kelly Clarkson that Drake was present during the table read for season two, and he was very invested throughout it. Reid said you could tell he was paying attention and feeling all the emotions as they went through the script.

Leonardo DiCaprio is a fan of Euphoria, previously referring to it as “amazing”

It seems NikkieTutorials and Tom Holland aren’t the only celebrities that have been caught up in the ‘Euphoria’ hype. Megan Fox, Lizzo, and Charlie Puth have all admitted to being fans to their millions of followers. However, while the cast are definitely grateful for their support, there’s one fan who outshines all of them: Leonardo DiCaprio.

With the actor being one of the biggest names in Hollywood, having his backing is mindblowing. He confessed to enjoying the show on the red carpet in 2019. He was there for his dramedy movie ‘Once Upon a Time in Hollywood,’ and when asked about what shows he’d been watching recently, he named ‘Euphoria.’ Not just that but he called it “amazing,” something that Barbie Ferreira then put on a t-shirt.