Ragesh Dipu
HBO has renewed the hit teen drama series ‘Euphoria’ for a second season. Loosely based on its Israeli forerunner, the series features Zendaya in the lead role of Rue Bennett. The first season garnered critical acclaim and audience praise for the raw depiction of contemporary teen life without any filters. ‘Euphoria,’ which is created by Sam Levinson, is billed as HBO’s first exclusive teen-centered series.
“Euphoria creator Sam Levinson has built an incredible world with an extraordinary cast led by the supremely talented Zendaya,” Francesca Orsi, executive vice president of HBO Programming is quoted as saying by Variety. “We are so grateful that he chose HBO as the home for this groundbreaking series. We look forward to following these complex characters as their journeys continue through the challenging world they inhabit.”
Debuted on June 16, 2019, the series follows 17-year-old teen girl Rue Bennett (Zendaya), a drug addict who struggles to find her place in the world around after spending a term in rehab. Rue’s hazed existence takes a turn on its head when she crosses paths with Jules Vaughn (Hunter Schafer), a similarly lost teen soul who recently landed in town after a painstaking separation of her parents. Together, they start a quest to realize where they belong in a rapidly transforming, virtual and volatile world of their times.
Apart from Zendaya and Schafer, ‘Euphoria’ also stars Maude Apatow, Angus Cloud, Eric Dane, Alexa Demie, Jacob Elordi, Barbie Ferreira, Nika King, Storm Reid, Algee Smith, and Sydney Sweeney.
Creator Sam Levinson wrote the series and executive produces along with Ravi Nandan, Kevin Turen, Drake, Future the Prince, Hadas Mozes Lichtenstein, Ron Leshem, Daphna Levin, Tmira Yardeni, Mirit Toovi, Yoram Mokady, Gary Lennon, and Jim Kleverweis. Scott Turner Schofield serves as the transgender consultant in the series along with Jeremy O. Harris who also serves as a consultant.
Levinson reportedly drew inspiration from his own battles with drug addiction and anxiety in the past for the series.
“I just feel like there is such a disconnect between what young people are going through and what everyone else thinks they’re going through,” he told THR. “We didn’t want to pull any punches. We didn’t want to make it feel like we were holding anything back or that we are hiding anything.”
According to HBO, the series is the youngest-skewing drama with an average of 5.5 million viewers per episode from linear replays, delayed viewing and streaming on all its digital platforms. ‘Euphoria’ is produced in partnership with A24.
Cover Image Courtesy: HBO.
