Zendaya opens up about emotional toll of playing Rue in 'Euphoria'

Zendaya isn’t sugarcoating the toll of portraying Rue Bennett in HBO’s Euphoria.

In a recent interview with Variety’s Actors on Actors, the Emmy-winning actress opened up about the physical and emotional scars she carries from embodying the troubled, drug-addicted teen.

“I still have my Rue scars,” Zendaya, 28, admitted, revealing the intensity of fully immersing herself in the role. “You get so used to a character. It feels like a skin that you just slip on…Rue just falls into me.”

She even shared how her body often doesn’t “know that it’s fake” during particularly grueling scenes, which is why she makes sure to compartmentalise.

“I do know that I like to have fun on my job. I don’t want to be miserable just because the character’s miserable,” the Challengers star said, describing how she navigates tough shooting days with humour and self-care: “I’m like, ‘OK, gotta go cry and knock down a door real quick,’ and then I’ll come back like, ‘Hey, Cheesecake Factory? What are we getting for lunch?’”

With Euphoria gearing up for its third season, the Spider-Man alum reflected on the grueling nature of the show’s production. “I’ve only done two, but it feels like five. One season of Euphoria is like, ‘Phew!’” she joked.

With all said and done, though, Zendaya remains proud of the work, saying “While it was emotionally and physically draining, it was so rewarding. I was so proud of it. It connected with people.”