As criticism mounts over Sydney Sweeney’s latest Euphoria scenes, creator Sam Levinson has publicly backed the actor, describing her as “brilliant”.
In season three, Sweeney’s character Cassie steps into the world of OnlyFans — but some viewers have argued the show’s NSFW moments have crossed a line.
The second episode, titled America My Dream, continues Cassie’s adult-content storyline and shows Maddy (Alexa Demie) getting involved to help steer the new venture.
During the episode, Cassie films and poses for explicit content, including a shot where ice cream falls down the actor’s nude chest.
Other moments depict her wearing a sheer US flag, while another scene shows Sweeney in a baby-themed outfit, sucking on a dummy with her legs raised.
Reaction online has been divided. One viewer wrote on X: “Honestly, Euphoria has always pushed boundaries, but it does feel like this season is going a bit too far for shock value. I get that it’s trying to portray dark and uncomfortable themes, but there’s a fine line between storytelling and unnecessary degradation.”
Another added: “I’m glad everyone in Euphoria also thinks Cassie dressing as an adult baby is f**king weird,”
With debate still swirling, Levinson addressed Sweeney’s performance during a Q&A at The Hollywood Reporter’s Directors In Focus event, where he praised her ability to elevate intense material.
“What’s interesting is if you push it a little bit, she becomes brilliant. You just do a few more takes, and she can reach these levels that are very honest emotionally, but also deeply funny,” he said.
“She’s able to anchor the scene with this kind of madness and chaos going on around her.”
Levinson also spoke highly of Zendaya’s screen presence, saying: “What’s so spectacular about Zendaya as an actor is the physicality that she has, and I think it goes back to her Disney training, that she’s able to move with such humour and tell a story.”
Sweeney has previously spoken about how nude scenes are judged differently depending on gender. In 2022, she told Cosmopolitan: “There are hour-long compilations of world-famous male actors with nude scenes who win Oscars and get praised for that work. But the moment a woman does it, it degrades them.”
In 2023, she also said she had been targeted online, with people sharing screenshots from Cassie’s nude scenes.
She told The Sun: “It got to the point where they were tagging my family. My cousins don’t need that. It’s completely disgusting and unfair.
“You have a character that goes through the scrutiny of being a sexualised person at school and then an audience that does the same thing.”