Sydney Sweeney’s Euphoria Nude Scenes Continue To Spark Debate

Sydney Sweeney’s nude scenes in the new season of Euphoria were generating controversy before they’d even aired.

In the latest episodes of the award-winning US drama, Sydney’s character Cassie has turned to modelling on OnlyFans, as a way of paying for the flowers in her upcoming wedding to Nate (played by recent Oscar nominee Jacob Elordi).

Last week’s instalment saw Cassie posing in lingerie and dog accessories, which alarmed some viewers, as did a preview clip that included footage of the character posing in an “adult baby” outfit.

These latter shots were included in the latest episode of Euphoria, as part of a montage that saw Sydney’s character posing nude in a wet, see-through American flag, topless underneath American football gear and eating an ice cream which is dripping down her exposed breasts.

After episode two aired, many critics voiced their discomfort with the scenes, and the portrayal of Cassie in Euphoria’s latest outing.

“In season two, Cassie degraded herself for Nate,” one review in the New York Post said. “The show did seem to take too much pleasure in it. But, there was a larger point, as that story explored how a girl like Cassie can destroy herself for a toxic guy. That’s an experience that many viewers can relate to, or can recall witnessing.

“When Cassie dresses as a baby in season three, Euphoria isn’t saying anything thoughtful about a particular experience. It isn’t asking us to understand her behaviour. It’s making her a sordid punchline, to the point where it feels spiteful.”

Rolling Stone’s critic agreed: “Throughout the episode, it becomes clear that the narrative is mocking Cassie and other influencers-turned OnlyFans models […] But the show also leers at its women.

“There are close-up shots of coke on Angel’s breasts, melted ice cream on Cassie’s, and Katelyn spreading her legs out for the camera. I’m aware that depiction doesn’t equal endorsement. But one wonders what else writer-director Sam Levinson is doing this for, if not for shock value, because he seems confused about what he wants to say about sex work and women.”

Meanwhile, a piece in Slate with the headline “What Happened To Euphoria’s Cassie?” compared the character’s story arc to a “humiliation ritual for Sydney Sweeney”, claiming that the series’ “most pitiful character” has now “become the worst possible version of herself”.

Other outlets also included round-ups from viewers, calling the scenes “degrading” and “horrible”, while accusing the show of “going too far”.

Even the in-show voiceover provided by Zendaya, in character as Rue, describes Cassie as “beautiful, but directionless” and “so desperate for attention, she’s willing to humiliate herself”.

It’s worth stating, though, that not all of the press surrounding Sydney Sweeney and the latest episode of Euphoria has been negative.

A review in Variety described the Emmy nominee’s performance as “complicated and compelling”, while celebrating her “high-wire acting”.

In 2022, Sydney called out the “double standard” around the way male and female actors who have appeared nude on screen are treated.

She lamented to Cosmpopolitan: “I don’t think as many people took me seriously in Euphoria because I took my shirt off. There’s such a double standard. I really hope I can have a little part in changing that.”

Around this time she also told The Independent: “When a guy has a sex scene or shows his body, he still wins awards and gets praise. But the moment a girl does it, it’s completely different.”

During this interview, she also made it clear: “I’ve never felt like Sam [Levinson, Euphoria’s creator] has pushed it on me or was trying to get a nude scene into an HBO show. When I didn’t want to do it, he didn’t make me.”