The HBO hit show may take longer to come back to our screens as the show’s star and showrunner drift apart.
HBO’s hit show “Euphoria” has been experiencing some delays in churning out its third season due to various reasons, one being the rumored rift between its lead actress and showrunner.
Sam Levinson, the lead writer and producer of the show, has been experiencing troubles with the lead actress, Zendaya. The actress has allegedly pulled away from the filmmaker, which led Levinson to resent her. Zendaya’s frustrations with Levinson grew when he began to spend more time on “The Idol,” another HBO show that starred Abel Tesfaye — popularly known as The Weeknd.
Levinson wasn’t meant to spend too much time with “The Idol” as he was meant to only write a spec script for the project — other writers and producers were supposed to do the heavy lifting. It pan out that way as Levinson began spending more time than expected with the project, leading to the breakdown of he and Zendaya’s relationship.
Sources close to the situation tell The Hollywood Reporter that Zendaya grew unhappy when Rolling Stone published a scathing article about Levinson and “The Idol.” The article claimed that production of “The Idol '' had gone off the rails due to toxicity within the environment as well as being chaotic and over budget.
Zendaya was swept up in the fan backlash of the show even though she had nothing to do with it nor did she want Levinson to have much to do with it either. An executive who worked with the actress notes that her “image is pristine” and that fans are urging her to cut ties with Levinson.
In a meeting at HBO months after the fiasco of “The Idol,” meant to discuss creative issues, executives hoped the duo could iron things out. Executives left the meeting disappointed as the duo could not fix the issues at hand, according to a source involved with the show.
Zendaya told HBO executives that she didn’t want Ashley Levinson, Sam’s wife, to be an executive producer on season three. Ashley had taken the spot of Kevin Turen, who had helped Sam with “Euphoria.” Sam and Turen were friends as well as partners in their Little Lamb Production company.
Their relationship turned sour when Sam cut ties with Turen earlier this year — the reason for such a move remains unknown. When their professional relationship ended, Turen ultimately lost his lucrative deal with HBO. A knowledgeable source notes that Levinson was able to get him a decent settlement.
During his time working with Levinson, Turen often worked nonstop and neglected his health. The breakup only made things worse as he suffered from additional stress for several months. When Turen died from a cardiac arrest, Turen’s family made it known that they did not want either Sam or his wife at the funeral.
When Ashley Levinson replaced Turen as executive producer on “Euphoria,” people noted that she was “more sharp-elbowed than conciliatory and, above all, fiercely protective of her husband,” according to The Hollywood Reporter.
A talent rep for a client in the show told the publication that Levinson needs someone other than his wife — a voice of reason.
“He needs boundaries, he needs deadlines,” an insider adds. “It’s hard for a spouse to set limits. You’re setting yourself up for failure.”
A source close to Levinson blamed Zendaya for the woes of “Euphoria,” claiming that she was dragging her feet due to her blossoming film career. Another source said that everyone wanted to point the fingers at Levinson when in reality, it was Zendaya causing the tension.
Not only has the death of Turen and the rumored rift between Zendaya and Levinson contributed to the show’s delay, Angus Cloud’s death has not helped either.
Cloud, who played Fezco, died of an accidental overdose last year. His death was caused by the combined effects of methamphetamine, cocaine, fentanyl and benzodiazepines. Cloud’s family announced the news in July 2023, saying:
“Angus was special to us in so many ways. Last week he buried his father and intensely struggled with the loss. The only comfort we have is knowing Angus is now reunited with his dad, who was his best friend.”
As the third season of “Euphoria” hangs in the balance, at least one star of the show is eager to return. Sydney Sweeney, who plays Cassie Howard, not only looks forward to coming back, she feels strongly about Levinson and his work.
HBO previously announced on July 12 that key cast members had signed on for the upcoming season. As they aim for a January start date, fans continue to wait for the third season as the last episode of season two aired in February 2022.
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