‘Euphoria’: Maude Apatow Auditioned 6 Times Even Though Lexi Was Written for Her
The Euphoria cast certainly has some interesting audition stories. Angus Cloud was actually scouted off the street by a casting director who instinctively knew that he was the right choice to play drug dealer, Fezco. Meanwhile, Sydney Sweeney was told that she shouldn’t bother auditioning for the role of the doe-eyed Cassie Howard. And unlike, Sweeney, who booked her role after just one audition, Maude Apatow had to go through multiple rounds of auditions.
Who does Maude Apatow portray in the ‘Euphoria’ cast?
Apatow, of course, portrays the role of Lexi Howard in the Euphoria cast. Lexi is the (sometimes estranged) childhood best friend of Rue. Her love for Rue seems to be unconditional despite Rue’s addiction to drugs and alcohol. Lexi is also the younger sister of Cassie, with whom she has a complex relationship.
While Apatow didn’t have a huge role in Euphoria Season 1, she definitely had a more visible role in the sophomore season of the show. Season 2 explored Lexi’s possible romance with Fez and her dynamic with her family and friends. It also showcased her creativity and the intense persona that she adapted while directing her high school play.
Sam Levinson wrote Lexi Howard for Apatow after working with her in ‘Assassination Nation’
Apatow has been candid about the fact that the intense way Lexi behaved during her play is loosely based on who she was in high school. However, fans might be surprised to learn that Apatow personally inspired the role of Lexi. In fact, Sam Levinson (writer, creator, director, and showrunner for Euphoria) wrote the role specifically for her.
In an interview with IndieWire, Jessica Kelly of Chrystie Street Casting got candid about the audition and casting process for Euphoria. She revealed that Apatow was always Levinson’s top choice to portray Lexie. “It was always Maude,” Kelly explained. “Sam fell in love with her, she’s so natural, she’s vulnerable and quiet. While writing ‘Euphoria’ she was always in his mind.”
Apatow still had to audition for a spot in the ‘Euphoria’ cast
But despite the role being written for her, Apatow still had to audition for the role of Lexi. In fact, she went through multiple rounds of the audition process. In an interview with W Magazine, the actor and writer explained how she came to join the Euphoria cast.
“I worked with Sam Levinson the writer-director on another movie two years ago called Assassination Nation,” Apatow shared. “We got along really, really well, and Sam had told me he was working on another show. So, I came in and auditioned. I auditioned six times. It was crazy. But it ended up working out.”
Levinson and Apatow still get along very well
To date, Apatow still gets along famously with the Euphoria showrunner. In the aforementioned interview, she praised Levinson’s collaborative spirit. The actor loves infusing her own life experiences into her character.
“It’s weird because Sam is an older man, and he writes teenage girls very well,” Apatow shared. “It’s kind of the best writing for teenagers that I’ve ever seen. He really has nailed it. And, he really cares. He talks to us and asks our opinion. He’s very collaborative, which is really nice.” We’re sure fans are interested to see what Lexi gets up to in Euphoria Season 3.
