By Rivea Ruff ·Updated February 7, 2022
Zendaya is responding to claims that her hit show Euphoria may have a negative influence on teens.
The Emmy-winning actress spoke with Entertainment Weekly to break down Sunday night’s anxiety-inducing episode, “Stand Still Like a Humminbird” which finds her character Rue going through painful withdrawals and on the run after escaping her loved ones’ attempt at getting her back into rehab for her narcotics addiction.
“She’s in the midst of a degenerative disease and it’s taking control of her life,” Zendaya said. “And in many ways, she feels out of control. She doesn’t have the ability to control her emotions, her body.”
That lack of control found Rue lashing out violently and viscerally at those she loves most, in service to quelling the physical pain and mental anguish she was experiencing while in drug withdrawals.
“[Rue has] lost all control of who she is…and you can see there’s a little moment after that where all of it becomes regret. You can see her doing it and then immediately regretting it and wondering why she’s doing it. And then she does it again, like it’s just a really painful cycle to watch her go through,” she added. “And I didn’t particularly enjoy having to watch her deal with that.”
The viewing experience wasn’t particularly a walk in the park for the audience either, many of whom took to social media to express how stressful the episode was. It lends to wonder what program D.A.R.E. representatives were watching when they claimed that the show “misguidedly glorifies” narcotics consumption.
“Rather than further
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