Zendaya’s rumoured rift with Euphoria creator as season 3 hit with ongoing delays

The star’s rumoured beef with the creator of her TV series Euphoria has been exposed, explaining why a new season has been hit with delays.

As fans await Season 3 of Euphoria, more behind-the-scenes drama has seemingly emerged.

A new report from The Hollywood Reporter reveals that series creator Sam Levinson’s dedication to the HBO disaster The Idol caused tension between him and series star Zendaya.

A production source told the outlet that Zendaya and Levinson “were thick as thieves” during Seasons 1 and 2 of Euphoria, noting that the actress “found him to be an inspiring director and she knew she was embodying him” while playing Rue, a character who struggles with her addiction and maintaining sobriety (Levinson went to rehab at age 19 for drug addiction).

However, while Levinson dedicated more time to The Idol — the short-lived series starring The Weeknd and Lily-Rose Depp that was cancelled after one season — than expected, “Zendaya’s frustration grew,” THR reports, as Levinson “had not yet delivered scripts” for Euphoria Season 3.

This allegedly led to her seeking out a meeting with HBO’s CEO Casey Bloys and head of drama Francesca Orsi.

Zendaya’s secret beef with Euphoria creator Sam Levinson has been exposed in a new report. Picture: Clive Brunskill/Getty Images

US director Sam Levinson, Lily-Rose Depp and The Weeknd. Picture: Loic Venance/AFP

Per THR, an explosive Rolling Stone report about The Idol only made things worse last March with claims that the show had become “sexual torture porn.”

Shortly after publication, HBO issued a statement, writing in part that “the team made creative changes they felt were in the best interest of both the production and the cast and crew.”

The Weeknd also shot down the report as “irrelevant.”

Due to Zendaya’s work with Levinson on Euphoria, the two-time Emmy winning actress was “swept up in fan backlash,” per THR, despite not wanting Levinson to get involved with The Idol and not having any involvement in the show herself.

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Zendaya has twice won the Best Actress – Drama Emmy for her work on Euphoria. Picture: Frederic J. Brown / AFP

A meeting with Zendaya and Levinson, Bloys, and Orsi reportedly did not resolve any tensions, as one source explained, “They went from being so close, and they couldn’t fix it.”

Another point of conflict revolved around Levinson’s wife Ashley, whom Zendaya reportedly doesn’t want to be the show’s lone executive producer.

However, one source placed blame on Zendaya for focusing on her own film career and stalling production on Euphoria.

Fans have been waiting on a third season of Euphoria. Picture: Supplied/HBO

Fans have been eagerly waiting on a third season of Euphoria, with season 2 premiering back in February 2022.

HBO announced earlier this month that filming is slated to kick off in January 2025, per Variety.

Decider has reached out to HBO for additional comment, but did not hear back by time of publication.

This story originally appeared on Decider and was reproduced with permission

Originally published as Zendaya’s rumoured rift with Euphoria creator as season 3 hit with ongoing delays