Is Euphoria inspired by real events? Show creator makes honest confession
'Euphoria' has taken the world by storm since its debut in 2019. Its portrayal of drug abuse has often raised speculations that the show may be inspired by real-life experiences. Sam Levinson, the polarizing creator of the show, admits that he incorporated many of his personal affairs into the show, according to Variety. Levinson, son of acclaimed filmmaker Barry Levinson, struggled with drug abuse throughout his teens. Eventually, he came out on the other side. The creator supposedly used his tale to craft the trajectory of the central character, Rue, played by Zendaya in the show.
Levinson revealed the emotional tale that shaped the show's narrative before its premiere in 2019. “I spent the majority of my teenage years in hospitals, rehabs, and halfway houses,” he shared. “Sometime around the age of 16, I resigned myself to the idea that eventually drugs would kill me, and there was no reason to fight it. I would let it take me over, and I had made peace with that.” At the age of 19, he had another stint at rehab to move on from opiates and replace them with a more productive drug like crystal meth. He had no intention of removing drugs from his life, and had admitted himself to the rehab because he could not follow his passion for writing, under the influence of opiates.
Fortunately, the rehab succeeded in changing the course of his life. He came across a quote that made him reexamine his existence. The quote read, “In the end, we are nothing more than an amalgamation of our actions, and that’s ultimately what defines us.” The quote pushed him to do better. “It really spooked me in a sense that if I were to die today, who would I be? I’m a thief. I’m an addict. I’ve been sh–ty to almost every person in my life that I love,” he continued. “There was this voice that was clear as day that said, ‘stop f–king doing drugs.’ I’ve been clean for 14 years.”
Zendaya, who took home an Emmy for her turn as Rue, often goes to Levinson whenever she faces issues while portraying an addict, according to Vogue. “My policy is, when in doubt: Ask Sam,” the actress shared. “Obviously, there's not much in my own experience of being a teen that I could draw on, especially when it comes to struggling with addiction ... Sam's gone through all that, and, you know ... basically, he’s Rue.” Levinson also tried to keep the show as "authentic" as possible, even though he understands sometimes that can be “triggering.” “I think people can tell if we’re pulling our punches and not showing the relief that drugs can be. It starts to lose its impact,” he explained in response to the criticism his portrayal has received over the years.
The show is based on an Israeli series of the same name. There are definitely some parallel lines between the two versions. However, the edge given to certain characters, like Rue, seems to be a product of personal experiences. This leads to the question, will Rue also end up like Levinson, enjoying the stable warmth of his family, after the struggles with drug addiction? For that, viewers need to keep an eye on the upcoming episodes airing every Sunday on HBO and HBO Max.
