Sydney Sweeney is saying goodbye to Cassie Howard. The final season of Euphoria just ended on HBO. The show has been a huge part of Sweeney’s life since 2019. She played Cassie, a character who went from a sad high school girl to a married woman running an OnlyFans business. Now, in a new talk with Variety, Sweeney is sharing her true feelings about the criticism, the shocking death of Rue, and why she will never be fully satisfied with how Cassie’s story ended.
People have always had strong opinions about Cassie. The third season had many scenes that made viewers talk. Cassie wore a diaper and a dog costume while making content. She also had a strange scene where she walked through Los Angeles as a giant 50-foot woman. Sweeney knows these scenes got a lot of attention. But she thinks many people missed the point.
Sydney Sweeney Fights Back Against Critics Who Sexualized Her Character
One scene in season three showed Cassie as a giant woman. She walked through a city and her chest hit a building. Some people said the director, Sam Levinson, forced this on Sweeney. The actress said that is not true.
“I thought that it was wild and fun. There’s this aspect of Cassie that feels otherworldly, where she makes grand gestures — you watch a trainwreck, but it’s this beautifully hilarious, emotional trainwreck.” – Sydney Sweeney to Variety
Sweeney explained that the giant woman scene is a metaphor. Cassie wants to be famous so badly that she will destroy everything around her. She wants love and attention. She just looks for it in the wrong places. Sweeney saw the scene as a fun and creative way to show where Cassie’s mind was at that moment.
The actress also spoke about how people treat her in real life. She finds it strange that viewers criticize how men on the show treat Cassie, but then they do the same thing to her.
“I’ve always found it really interesting how people scrutinize how Cassie was treated on the show, and then they do it to me in real life. There’s no awareness that [Cassie’s peers] sexualize Cassie on the show, but we’re going to do this in real life too.” – Sydney Sweeney
She hopes that in a few years, after the social media noise dies down, people will rewatch the show. She wants them to think, “Maybe we all had this very wrong.”
Why Sweeney Cried Watching Rue’s Death in the Season Finale
The final season of Euphoria ended with a major death. Zendaya’s character, Rue, was killed off. Sweeney revealed that the cast knew about this for a long time. But they did not know how or when it would happen.
The actress said the cast only got their own scenes in the script. They did not see the full story. So when Sweeney watched the finale with everyone else, it was the first time she saw Rue actually die.
“When I was watching it with everybody else, it was actually the first time that I even uncovered what was going to happen. It’s crazy, but it was also really neat being able to watch as a viewer and not know what was going to happen. I was crying.” – Sydney Sweeney
The death of Rue was a sad moment for the whole cast. Sweeney had grown up on the show. She started Euphoria when she was 22 years old. The project was the first big, huge project she was ever part of. Going back to set for season three felt like going home.
Cassie’s Ending Left Sweeney Unsatisfied and Wanting More
In the series finale, Cassie ends up alone. Her husband Nate Jacobs (Jacob Elordi) dies in episode seven. A snake bites him while he is trapped in a coffin. Cassie is left in their big house with a lot of debt. She decides to turn the mansion into a shared space for OnlyFans models.
In the last scene, Cassie talks to her sister Lexi. After Lexi leaves, Cassie looks at a photo of herself and Nate. A single tear falls down her face. Sweeney explained what this moment means.
“She’s trapped in her own dollhouse. She got everything she seemingly wanted, but she’s back at the same place she started. And Lexi left her there.” – Sydney Sweeney
Sweeney said she will never be satisfied with where Cassie ended up. She knows there is more to tell of Cassie’s story. The actress still thinks about what Cassie might be doing now. She called Cassie a “challenging role” that stretched her as an actor. She loves being challenged and going to places that other characters may not go to.
The actress also talked about her friendship with Maddy (Alexa Demie) in the show. Cassie and Maddy made peace in the final season. Sweeney was happy about that.
“Of course! Because Cassie needs her Maddy and Maddy needs her Cassie. That is the most real version of love that Cassie has in her life.” – Sydney Sweeney
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Sweeney Responds to Typecasting Fears on Instagram
After the season ended, Sydney Sweeney posted photos on Instagram. The pictures showed her in many of Cassie’s bold outfits from season three. She wrote a simple caption: “it’s called… acting.”
Many people saw this as her response to critics. Some viewers said the show used Sweeney just for her body. Others said she was only playing one type of role. Sweeney told Variety that she has fought hard against playing roles like Cassie.
She listed her other movies between Euphoria seasons. These include Reality, Christy, The Housemaid, Eden, and Anyone But You. She said these are all very different genres and characters. None of them are like Cassie.
Sweeney said it is not fun for her unless she is challenged. She wants to find more “crazy characters” that push her into new levels. She does not want to play Cassie again. But she wants to find a character that makes her scared to go into a scene.
Sam Levinson, the creator of Euphoria, praised Sweeney for her bravery. He said she is a “totally fearless actor.” He shared that he offered to shoot around the nudity, but Sweeney refused. She told him, “Are you kidding? I’m playing an OnlyFans model.” Levinson said she shows up ready to work every day and is very flexible with her performances.
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