Following 's series finale on Sunday night, the show's creator is defending himself against fan outrage over the shockingly sexualized direction 's character took.
Showbiz
Sydney Sweeney Demands Nude Scenes Stay in Euphoria
Following Euphoria's series finale on Sunday night, the show's creator is defending himself against fan outrage over the shockingly sexualized direction Sydney ...
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Fans were shocked and outraged to see 28-year-old actress perform nude in numerous scenes after her character Cassie started a new career as an model to make money while her husband Nate () was brutalized by loan sharks.
But according to series creator Sam Levinson, who wrote and directed all eight episodes of the third and final season, it was for her character.
During an appearance on Sunday's episode of the New York Times' Popcast – which was released shortly after the Euphoria finale aired – Levinson said that he had initially considered a version of the season that was more tasteful and minimized nude scenes for Cassie.
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After co-host Joe Coscarelli referenced the shocking intro to this season's fifth episode, which featured a bizarre montage of Sydney performing nude fetish scenes for her fans, Levinson replied, 'Well, it’s funny. When I first wrote it, I thought, "Well, maybe we shoot all of this and we don’t have any nudity." I was talking to her, and you know, [I said] "Maybe there’s ways to shoot around certain things?"'
According to the 41-year-old writer and director – who is the son of iconic filmmaker Barry Levinson – Sweeney put her foot down after he tried to chicken out.
Following Euphoria's series finale on Sunday night, the show's creator is defending himself against fan outrage over the shockingly sexualized direction Sydney Sweeney's character took; Sweeney is pictured on Euphoria
According to series creator Sam Levinson, 41, who wrote and directed all eight episodes of the third and final season, it was Sweeney, 28, who practically forced him to include copious nudity for her character; Sweeney is pictured on Euphoria
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'She looked at me, and she was like, "Are you kidding? It's like, I’m playing an OnlyFans model. You’re telling me you’re going to, like, skirt around it?"
'And I was like, "Yeah, OK, it's a fair point,"' he added. 'So there's always a discussion of what works best for the character.'
Levinson went on to praise Sweeney as a 'totally fearless actor' and said she was 'wonderfully professional' and 'show[ed] up game every day' to set.
During an appearance on Sunday's episode of the New York Times' Popcast, Levinson said he initially proposed to Sweeney a version of the season that was more tasteful and minimized nude scenes for Cassie; Levinson is pictured May 2 in LA
'She looked at me, and she was like, "Are you kidding? It's like, I’m playing an OnlyFans model. You’re telling me you’re going to, like, skirt around it?"' he recalled. 'And I was like, "Yeah, OK, it's a fair point." So there's always a discussion of what works best for the character'; Sweeney is pictured on Euphoria
Levinson said he tried to create a supportive environment to make his actors feel safe enough for extreme scenes. He also praised Sweeney for being game to change scenes at the last moment to make them even 'crazier'; Sweeney is pictured on Euphoria
He also claimed that his 'job' on set is to 'create the most conducive environment for the actor' to play their role.
Levinson added that, because he planned to work with actors for years into the future on TV shows, it was important to 'make sure that people are protected, they're comfortable, and clearly you've built up that trust.'
Ahead of , Sweeney had a sharp retort of her own for critics who have slammed in season three.
The actress took to Instagram on Sunday to share a series of behind-the-scenes photos as she bid farewell to her role as Cassie Howard, whose controversial turn as an OnlyFans star has divided viewers in the show's last season.
One photo showed her with a yellow python draped around her nearly nude body during a strip club scene, while another saw her put her pole skills on full display, hanging upside down in a daring pose.
Sweeney later took to her Instagram Stories to share another snap of her working the stripper pole in a bedazzled two-piece outfit and towering heels while a crowd of men watched her perform.
In the caption, the star seemingly addressed who claimed her racy fetish scenes were 'degrading.'
'It's called… acting,' the blonde bombshell wrote.
Sweeney had a sharp retort for critics who have slammed her raunchy scenes in season three of Euphoria, ahead of the show's finale
The actress took to Instagram on Sunday to share behind-the-scenes photos as she bid farewell to her role as Cassie Howard, whose turn as an OnlyFans star has divided viewers
'It's called… acting,' the blonde bombshell wrote in the caption, seemingly addressing the backlash from critics who claimed her racy fetish scenes were 'degrading'
Another image showed her in a brown bustier and dog ears from a fetish scene where she portrayed a dog. There was also a sizzling snap of her in a gingham bikini.
In yet another image, Sweeney was seen on a bed, with her legs in the air, filming what appeared to be a scene for the character's OnlyFans content.
There was also a snap of her in Cassie's bedroom wearing a sheer white baby doll dress.
The post was accompanied by a number of sizzling snaps
One photo saw her put her pole skills on full display, hanging upside down in a daring pose at a strip club
Another showed her with a yellow python draped around her nearly nude body
There was also a sizzling snap of her in a gingham bikini
Another image showed her in a brown bustier and dog ears from a fetish scene where she portrayed a dog
Fans and critics have been blasting the third season of Sam Levinson's HBO Max series for its 'nasty' scenes
Sweeney also posed in a sizzling cheetah bodysuit
Another snap showed her in Cassie's bedroom wearing a sheer white baby doll dress
There was also a photo of Sweeney on a bed, with her legs in the air, filming what appeared to be a scene for the character's OnlyFans content
Many have questioned why Sweeney's character Cassie continued to be 'degraded' in X-rated fetish segments, two of which saw her go completely topless
She shared a number of photos with her co-stars
Sweeney also added a few snaps with her on-screen husband Jacob Elordi, 28
His character Nate Jacobs was killed off in the last episode
She also shared some sweet snaps of her German Shepherd dog Sully, writing that 'the best thing was watching Sully grow up on set.'
While Zendaya's character was dramatically killed off in the finale, a newly widowed Cassie planned to transform her home into an influencer and OnlyFans house. Towards the end of the episode, she was left looking deeply sad and isolated while preparing to shoot more adult content.
Fans and critics have been blasting the third season of Sam Levinson's HBO Max series for its 'nasty' scenes.
Many have questioned why Sweeney's character Cassie continued to be 'degraded' in X-rated fetish segments, two of which saw her go completely topless.
In the second episode, Cassie was captured posing for a series of provocative photos for her OnlyFans account, including a graphic shot featuring ice cream dripping down her nude cleavage, after the previous episode saw her dressed up as a dog.
In another daring shot, she wore nothing but a backwards baseball cap as she posed in a baseball-themed set, strategically using her arms to cover her chest and lower body. Later on, she portrayed an 'adult baby' with her legs up in the air.
'Somebody save Sydney Sweeney,' one fan wrote, as many others called scenes from the show a 'humiliation ritual.'
Experts have also warned that Sweeney's career could be at risk if she continues shooting racy scenes.
She also shared a selfie in her wedding dress
Among the snaps were candid moments from their infamous wedding, including a shot of her laying on the floor while swigging straight from a champagne bottle
Another image showed Elordi with the late Eric Dane, who played his onscreen father Cal. Dane died on February 19 at age 53 after a battle with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS)
Experts have also warned that Sweeney's career could be at risk if she continues shooting racy scenes
There are concerns within the industry that the Euphoria star could become 'typecast', with sexualized characters becoming 'her entire brand proposition'
Crisis and reputation management expert Dave Quast told Fox News: 'The risk is that when the public conversation focuses more on the sexualized aspects of the role than on the performance'
She also shared some sweet snaps of her German Shepherd dog Sully
Sweeney wrote that 'the best thing was watching sully grow up on set'
There are concerns within the industry that the Euphoria star could become 'typecast', with sexualized characters becoming 'her entire brand proposition.'
Speaking to Fox News, crisis and reputation management expert Dave Quast said: 'Euphoria clearly helped , and that's part of why she broke through.
'The risk is that when the public conversation focuses more on the sexualized aspects of the role than on the performance, the same work that made her seem daring can start to narrow the brand.'
'Sexuality on screen is not inherently unserious. The problem is when it becomes the dominant shorthand for the actor.'
'For Sweeney, the challenge is not that she has played sexualized roles. The challenge is making sure those roles continue to read as character choices, not as the entire brand proposition.'
However, , 44, has no problem with her raunchy scenes, and recently praised her 'incredible performance' in the show.
'I'm catching it,' the father-of-three said about the latest season of Euphoria on an episode of Second Thought with Suzy Weiss and The Free Press. Without naming his girlfriend, he coyly said he's a fan of her 'incredible performance.'
'I'm biased, I like it. I think there's been an incredible performance by a certain actress,' Braun said as he praised her acting chops.
Sweeney's boyfriend Scooter Braun, 44, who previously raved about her Euphoria performance, took to Instagram on Sunday to share a clip with his famous girlfriend
'When you’re in bed at 11pm and your girl says "I've never been to Times Square..."' he captioned the clip
She responded to the clip with a shrug and heart emoji
Braun took Sweeney to Times Square for the very first time, as he shared a video of them biking and later enjoying a burger and posing in front of her American Eagle campaign
The duo held hands in front of an ad showing Sweeney
Sweeney kept incognito at the tourist destination by wearing sunglasses and a hoodie
He also took to Instagram on Sunday to reveal that he took Sweeney to Times Square for the very first time, as he shared a video of them biking and later enjoying a burger and posing in front of her American Eagle campaign.
'When you’re in bed at 11pm and your girl says "I've never been to Times Square..."' he captioned the clip.
Sweeney kept incognito at the tourist destination by wearing sunglasses and a hoodie.
Later on, she was seen dancing in front of her Syd for Short campaign for American Eagle.
She responded to the clip with a shrug and a heart emoji.
The couple was first romantically linked in June 2025 after they were seen together at Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sánchez's Venice wedding.
The businessman divorced Yael Cohen Braun in 2021. He and his ex-wife share Jagger, nine, Levi, seven, and Hart, five.
Meanwhile, Sweeney ended her engagement to fiancé Jonathan Davino in early 2025 after nearly seven years together.
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