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40 Truly Wild ‘Euphoria’ Facts Even The Biggest Fans Don't Know

Zendaya went to high school with one of her costars??

Headshot of Janaya WeckerBy Janaya Wecker
preview for Everything to Know About “Euphoria” Season 2

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Thank the TV gods for Zendaya blessing our screens once again with season 2 of HBO's Euphoria. And phew, she's come a LONG way from dancing down high school hallways in a truly absurd amount of sequins. (Am I the only one who remembers her from Disney's Shake It Up? Yes? Cool cool cool. Anywaysssss.) Our resident fashion ~icon~ and her equally talented cast continues to bring the drama every week, making us gasp, cry, and scream way too loudly at Nate Jacobs through our screens. Brace yourselves, because this roundup of behind-the-scenes facts will leave you feeling...euphoric. Had to.

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1

Hunter Schafer was a complete newbie to acting before the show.

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HBO Max

Not like you'd ever know! Her amazing portrayal of Jules has us shook (and also jealous of her outfits, but that's besides the point) every episode. True story: Hunter was a model in NYC, had never acted before, and found out about the audition through the 'gram.

2

Zendaya was the only choice to play Rue.

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HBO Max

Show creator Sam Levinson literally mapped out his goals for the project, with a big picture of the actress front and center. "Sam told me that I was on his vision board for Rue, which I thought was crazy. I was like, 'I don't believe you. What in my career have I done to prove that I can do this?'" she revealed to Entertainment Weekly. I, too, have Zendaya on my vision board.

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3

Jacob Elordi was "practically homeless" before being cast.

euphoria
HBO Max

As Nate Jacobs, Jacob plays the hot guy villain we all love to hate. His role also sparked a world of memes I'm not sure he'll ever escape from, so there's that. But before the show, life was very different. "I auditioned — this was at a point where the movies that I'd made hadn't come out. I had no money, I didn't have anything, I was practically homeless in LA — and I went to the casting and I forgot my lines," he told Wonderland Magazine in 2019.

4

One of the most emotional scenes in season 1 was improvised.

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HBO Max

Zendaya's the youngest woman to win an Emmy for Best Actress in a Drama Series for 👏 a 👏 reason 👏. 'Member that intense fight scene where Rue holds a piece of glass up to her mother? The entire thing was made up on the spot. It was so emotionally difficult for Zendaya, she told Refinery29 she felt physically sick.

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5

Angus Cloud was randomly discovered on a NYC street.

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HBO Max

Why has no Hollywood casting producer ever walked up to me on a random street and made me a star? Angus Cloud can't relate. "I was confused and didn't want to give her my phone number. I thought it was a scam," he told GQ.

6

Drake is an executive producer—and a good one.

"euphoria" premiere
Jeff Kravitz//Getty Images

Maybe I'm just super out of the loop here, but Drake is an executive producer you guys??? And apparently he's super committed. "He doesn't really have to pay attention in the table read, and he did," Storm Reid told Kelly Clarkson. "I was kind of like looking at him to see if he was actually paying attention and turning his pages, and you could tell he was feeling all the emotion. I was like, 'OK, Drake.'"

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7

Yes, that rotating room was really spinning.

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HBO Max

Writer and executive producer Sam Levinson mapped out a special set that involved a breakaway bathroom, spinning walls, and background actors literally strapped to the ground.

8

Tom Holland visits the set a lot.

'spiderman homecoming' madrid photocall
Fotonoticias//Getty Images

Like the adorable boyfriend he is, Mr. Spider-Man visited the set "at least 30 times" during the filming of season 2 and vows to make a cameo one day, even if it means lurking in the background of a scene. Ugh, my heart. Did we decide on a celeb couple name yet? Tomaya? Zendom? I'm open.

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9

Sydney Sweeney thought filming that famous bathroom scene was "terrifying."

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HBO Max

I'm sorry, is this Euphoria or Scream? Because I don't know about you, but my heart literally dropped into my stomach watching this scene. Alexa Demie's performance was so realistic, it even scared her costar. "Alexa was on the other side of the door banging the entire time and I was just like, 'Oh my god, if I was actually in this situation, I would be freaking out,'" Sydney Sweeney told Decider.

10

The makeup looks have secret meanings.

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HBO Max

The show's makeup designer, Doniella Davy, revealed to Allure that the makeup in each scene is carefully chosen to show the emotions of the characters. Maddy's gems and wings represent confidence and fierceness, while Rue's tear-shaped gems symbolize sadness. True artwork!

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11

Season 2 was shot on a type of film that is no longer being made.

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HBO Max

Euphoria—the show that's bringing back '90s clothes, makeup, and...technology? To make the show feel more dream-like, season 2 was shot on Kodak's Ektachrome. The only problem? That type of film stopped being manufactured awhile ago. "We convinced Kodak to manufacture a couple thousand rolls for us," cinematographer Marcell Rév told The Wrap.

12

Jacob Elordi feels really guilty after filming certain scenes with Alexa Demie.

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HBO Max

Nate might not have a conscience or literally any sense of morals at all, but the actor who plays him does. "It was also incredibly difficult to hurt [Alexa] with words. It's difficult to hurt each other, when you care so much about each other," Jacob told Collider.

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13

A spotlight was used to film the season 2 party scene.

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HBO Max

While filming the season 2 premiere, the crew killed all the lights and flashed a huge spotlight on the actors. "It's almost as if you're going back and looking at photos," creator Sam Levinson explained. This cast even looks 🔥🔥🔥 in fluorescent lighting—it's not fair!!

14

It also took an entire week of all-nighters to shoot.

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HBO Max

"We shot [the New Year's Eve party scene] all night, so we would start at 6pm and go until whenever the sun would rise—5am—and we were so tired!" Maude Apatow told Thrillist. Who needs sleep anyway?

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15

Getting cast was a "spiritual" experience for Alexa Demie.

alexa demie
Matthew Simmons//Getty Images

Alexa Demie had not one, not two, but three crazy things happen before landing the role of Maddy. 1) She saw Jacob Elordi walking down the street and "instantly" knew he would be Nate. 2) She later went to a sandwich shop that had a cheese called Euphoria. And 3) She had a dream about being friends with Zendaya before ever meeting her. Brb, manifesting being friends with Zendaya too.

16

Sydney Sweeney created a diary for Cassie.

"euphoria" season 2 photo call
Jeff Kravitz//Getty Images

For every character she plays, Sydney Sweeney fills out a journal "from the day she's born until the first page of the script" to get into character. If you've ever wondered what Cassie's diary looks like, it's "dramatic artsy" and filled with moody song lyrics and black and white photos.

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17

The show has one incredibly famous fan.

26th annual screen actors guild awards
Kevork Djansezian//Getty Images

Legends supporting legends—you love to see it. In 2019, Leonardo DiCaprio gave season 1 his stamp of approval. "I just saw Euphoria, which is amazing. That show's amazing," he said. Then Barbie Ferreira made T-shirts for the cast with his quote. Ummm, hey Barbie, where can I order one??

18

The carnival scene was "a nightmare" that took six days to shoot.

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HBO Max

It was so dusty and cold that Zendaya needed an inhaler. Oh, and add in the fact that all of the rides and camera equipment were packed into just 125,000 square feet.

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19

There were no doubles in the Fezco vs. Nate fight.

We love an actor who does his own stunts! When Fezco smashed a bottle over Nate's head in season 2, fake bottles made of sugar were used. "They didn't taste like sugar," Angus Cloud joked to Thrillist. "They didn't really feel like sugar, either," Jacob Elordi added. LOL.

20

Jacob Elordi felt "phantom pain" from his post-fight scenes.

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HBO Max

One face cast and 5 hours of prosthetics later, Jacob made his debut as an injured Nate. His look also came with pretty gnarly-looking eye contacts, and realistic skin that the nurse could put *real* stitches through. I could have chosen a MUCH nastier image, so you're welcome!!!

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