Alexa Demie is sharing some rare thoughts about Euphoria, her fame, and rumors about her retiring.
The actress, who plays Maddy in the series, spoke out in an interview with THR just ahead of the show’s Season 3 finale.
During the conversation, she addressed rumblings on the Internet that she’s going to leave the industry behind after her hit HBO show wraps, reading for roles not written for Latinas, not being “right” for Maddy, sex scenes and saying no, and what she thinks about getting more recognition.
See what she had to say…
On rumors of her leaving the industry after Euphoria wraps:
“Should we just ride with it?” she suggests with a grin.
On reading for a lead role that had a list of acceptable ethnicities, with all Hispanic backgrounds omitted:
“I was reading it, and it really hit me — and I kept having that experience. I was sick of going into those rooms, and this was during that time when you’re young and every few months you’re just like, ‘I’m quitting, I’m quitting.’ But knowing me, I never would have quit. I’m more of the energy of like, ‘No, I’m going to show you I can do it.’”
On reading for the Rue part first, feeling dejected and leaving to work on music with a friend:
“I was being so dramatic, like, ‘This is the end of everything, my life’s over.’ He was like, ‘Let’s let that out [on the track].’ We started recording, and halfway through I got a call saying, ‘They want you back for Maddy.’”
Sam Levinson, on knowing he wanted her for Maddy but HBO thinking she was wrong for the part:
“But HBO didn’t think she was right for the part, because they had imagined a blond cheerleader. I remember pulling her aside and giving her some tips. I think she was wearing something red, and I knew that the execs would immediately think, ‘Oh, she’s too Latin.’ So I told her, ‘Don’t wear anything red,’ to soften up what I knew would be their initial perception.”
On sex scenes:
“I thought that if I said no to doing them, then I wouldn’t have the part. Not because anyone ever said that to me, but because I was so young and I didn’t know.”
On filming a montage of Maddy cheating on Nate:
“I’m not saying I don’t love sex, and I think it can be portrayed beautifully and I know the show is portraying the life of teenage girls. But once I did it, I realized, ‘OK, I don’t love how this feels.’ So I said something, and everyone was empathetic, and I never did that again.”
On hot takes about why she doesn’t want more fame:
“It’s like, did you ever think that I don’t want it? People really take the authority out of your hands. What happened to my ability to choose? I like my life like this, and I wouldn’t change it.”
For more from Alexa Demie, head to THR.com.
She also appeared in co-star Sydney Sweeney‘s recent photo dump of behind-the-scenes content from filming the show.
Posted To:Alexa Demie Euphoria HBO Sam Levinson
