‘Euphoria’ Creator Sam Levinson Defends Sydney Sweeney’s Controversial OnlyFans Plot

“Euphoria” creator Sam Levinson is addressing the uproar surrounding Sydney Sweeney’s character, Cassie Howard, and her new OnlyFans storyline that debuted in the Season 3 premiere.

After the episode aired, social media erupted with criticism regarding the “disgusting” costumes Sweeney wore, including a baby outfit and a dog costume. Fans expressed their outrage, questioning the creative choices made for the character.

Levinson explained the rationale behind the scene, stating, “[Cassie] has got her dog house and her little dog ears and the nose, and that has its own humor, but what makes the scene is the fact that her housekeeper is the one filming it.” This approach aimed to add layers of absurdity to the narrative, breaking the fourth wall in a way that challenges viewers’ perceptions.

Marcell Rév, the show’s director of photography, elaborated on their choice of setting. “An obvious choice would’ve been something modern and very plain and fancy, but we ended up choosing this mid-century home, which is a little tacky, but also stuck in the ‘70s,” he noted. This decision was made to enhance the aesthetic contrast between OnlyFans and the show’s overall visual style.

Levinson further described the “gnarly and jarring” lighting used in the scene, intended to reflect the “depressing” nature of Cassie’s new career path. Despite Levinson’s pride in these creative decisions, many viewers were left unsettled by Sweeney’s involvement.

One viewer tweeted, “Why did this girl accept the role? I mean, you’re worth too much — why be a toy for people like that? Why humiliate yourself so much for a [show]?” Another chimed in with, “Disgusting, who could ever look at this?”

The third season of “Euphoria” follows the main cast five years post-high school as they navigate their early twenties. Cassie is currently preparing to marry Jacob Elordi’s character, Nate Jacobs.

The introduction of her OnlyFans career was teased in the first trailer for Season 3, released in January. In it, Sweeney’s character dons a brown corset from her own lingerie line, Syrn, complete with a tail and ears while playfully straddling a doghouse.

New episodes of “Euphoria” stream Sundays at 9 p.m. ET on HBO.