Sydney Sweeney is one of Hollywood’s hottest young stars. The actress rose to fame on HBO’s Euphoria, a show that takes a dark look at a group of teens’ high school experience. However, Sweeney recently shared that her own life is nothing like that of the characters on her show.
Sweeney’s Rise To Stardom
Sweeney started acting in 2009, appearing in small indies and taking bit parts in TV shows. Her career took off when she scored a starring role in Netflix’s Everything Sucks! and a part in Quentin Tarantino’s Once Upon a Time in Hollywood.
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It wasn’t until she was cast in Euphoria, though, that she became a household name. The young cast of the show, led by former Disney star Zendaya, has been praised for their performances and gained huge online followings.
The show is famous for its gritty portrayals of the characters’ lives, from sexual assault to drug addiction. Some might assume that the actors behind the characters are partiers themselves, but Sweeney recently revealed to GQ that that’s not the case for her.
Why Sweeney Doesn’t Drink Or Use Drugs
The actress shared that she didn’t go to parties in high school, partly because she “didn’t feel the need,” and partly because of a “really deep, deep streak of addiction” that runs through her family.
“I come from a family of Cassies [Sweeney’s role in the show] and [recovering drug addict in the show] Rues,” she explained to GQ. “Mostly Rues. I’ve never actually tried any drug, never drank, because I’ve seen my aunts, uncles, cousins, and the effect not just on that person but the community surrounding them. It’s hard to watch someone want to destroy themselves. It’s hard when people judge people they don’t know.”
She Brands ‘Euphoria’ Critics ‘Ridiculous’
Sweeney also discussed her sometimes-controversial role on Euphoria. Her character is frequently seen naked, and some viewers of the show have criticized showrunner Sam Levinson for gratuitous nudity.
“I think it’s ridiculous,” she said of the public outcry. “I’m an artist, I play characters. It makes me want to play characters that piss people off more.”
Sweeney also directly addressed Levinson’s critics, saying, “Those people aren’t on set, they don’t know what’s going on.”
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She continued, “I trust Sam so much with what he does with Cassie. It feels really good as an actor to be able to trust the filmmaker because it just changes the entire experience.”
Sweeney’s performance in Euphoria has connected with viewers around the world—no doubt because of the actress’ own understanding of the subjects the show explores.