Sydney Sweeney on the Nude Scenes in ‘Euphoria’; ‘I Feel Like Nobody Can Judge Me’
Though Sydney Sweeney has been acting for over a decade, her career has really taken off since she was cast in Euphoria. In the hit HBO drama, Sweeney portrays Cassie Howard, a doe-eyed blonde who struggles with self-love. While Cassie could have been a stereotypical cheerleader, her character arc and Sweeney’s acting elevate the character. And, if The White Lotus actor is to be believed, fans will be surprised to see what’s next for Cassie in Season 2.
Sweeney, like the rest of the Euphoria cast, has been very open about how much she loves filming the show. Sam Levinson, the director and creator of the show, takes great care to make the set very collaborative. The actors are allowed to comment on their characters and even create new dialogue on the fly if something isn’t working. Sweeney has shared that she loves the agency that she has on the show.
Sydney Sweeney nearly turned down a spot in the ‘Euphoria’ cast
Of course, Sweeney almost completely turned down the opportunity to be in the Euphoria cast. When she was first sent the audition for Cassie, she turned it down. She was nervous about the nudity that the role required, so she chose to pass. However, when it was sent to her a second time, she decided to put herself on tape for it. Sweeney’s audition was so strong that she ended up booking the role off of her tape.
But even after Sweeney had booked the role, she still didn’t know if she would take it. She’d received another offer to be series regular on a Netflix series that conflicted with Euphoria. Ultimately, however, she chose to play Cassie after having conversations with Levinson. She liked the vision for the show and she decided that the nudity required for her character was realistic rather than gratuitous.
The nude scenes in ‘Euphoria’ made the actor more confident
The Voyeurs actor may have been nervous to film the nude scenes, but after shooting them she felt more confident and self-assured. “I’ve been a self-conscious person, and after filming those scenes, in some way, I was like, I feel empowered,” Sweeney shared with MTV. “I feel like nobody can judge me. Like, I just, I put myself out there, and I feel the most confident me.”
While nudity may be taboo to some people, Sweeney doesn’t see why it should be. In a separate interview with Teen Vogue, Sweeney got candid about the hypocrisy. “You can watch people brutalize and murder each other on TV, but then the moment someone shows their body it’s ‘Oh my god, horror.’”
Sweeney doesn’t understand why people are outraged by nude scenes
Continuing, the Euphoria actor mentioned the discrepancies between the genders. “I know many successful male actors who, if you put all their films together where they’re either nude or have a sex scene it could be hours’ worth. But then they win Oscars,” Sweeney shared. “The moment a girl says it, it takes away from their acting. Everyone’s like, she just shows her boobs because she can’t act.”
Sweeney certainly has a point about how nude scenes are viewed. But it’s great to hear that playing Cassie made her feel more empowered. We’re sure fans of Euphoria are looking forward to the long-anticipated sophomore season.
