Euphoria season 3 is set to debut on Sunday, but it seems the real-life drama among the cast members is more intense than what’s portrayed on screen. From a long-standing rumoured feud between Zendaya and Sydney Sweeney to Natasha Lyonne’s recent comments about her experience on a plane, there are now reports of disparities in pay among the actors, adding to the tension.
According to a report, Sydney Sweeney has a reputation behind the scenes for being ‘difficult’ with some cast and crew members, despite her friendly interactions with Alexa Demie, Hunter Schafer, and Maude Apatow at the Los Angeles premiere this week.
One insider shared: ‘Zendaya was definitely making more money than Sydney. Zendaya was the name that brought the project to life, and that wasn’t easy for Sydney, especially since she’s now a bigger name than she once was.’
The insider revealed that while most of the crew ‘love having Sydney on set and working with her,’ not all of the cast feels the same way.
‘When Sydney is on set, she definitely has a lot of demands as far as what she wants and needs to work, so that can be difficult for some,’ they claimed.
In addition to the alleged tension with Zendaya, there are also reports of a potential rift between Sydney and Alexa Demie. Another source mentioned that even though Sydney and Alexa maintained appearances at the premiere—especially since their Euphoria characters are best friends—they would rather not work together again.
‘If there were any issues with anyone, Alexa Demie and Sydney would avoid each other. And people could tell there was no love lost between them; they definitely don’t like each other,’ they said.
This second suspected feud may have been hinted at during the Chateau Marmont after-party, when Alexa spoke to Vogue about her close bond with her castmates.
Notably absent from her comments was Sydney, as she gushed: ‘I’m always giggly when I get together with Hunter, Maude, and Z. When any of us get together, it’s so special and fun. We have known each other for so long now. We’re family and it’s pure fun to be with them. It’s a relief when we see each other at events. They are like an anchor and make nights like tonight even more fun.’
Elsewhere, the lack of interaction between Zendaya and Sydney at the premiere further fueled speculation. The Drama star was seen briefly greeting Hunter and Euphoria creator Sam Levinson before being rushed off the carpet by her team. She also avoided speaking to the press, unlike at events for her most recent film, The Drama, in which she stars alongside Robert Pattinson.
Rumours of a feud between Zendaya and Sweeney surfaced when a source told Daily Mail that Zendaya was ‘refusing’ to do press calls for the upcoming season of Euphoria with Sydney, and that the actors would not be seen standing next to one another.
Insiders suggested that opposing political views were the cause, rather than anything that happened on set. For example, Sydney’s controversial American Eagle ad campaign, featuring the tagline ‘Sydney Sweeney has great jeans,’ drew significant backlash, with many comparing it to rhetoric around eugenics and white supremacy.
Later, it was revealed that Sydney was a registered Republican.
This contrasts with Zendaya’s political stance, who is known for vocally opposing Trump. After he won the presidency for the first time in 2016, The Drama star expressed her shock and sadness, writing that she was ‘speechless, petrified, heartbroken and weary.’
She said: ‘I don’t know what to say or what to do. I guess I just never knew how many people in this country didn’t love other people in this country.’
It is these perceived opposing political views that are believed to be the reason behind the rumoured clash, according to insiders.
They told the Mail: ‘It’s a difficult position for Zendaya to be in because if she even stands next to Sydney on the red carpet, it can be read as her excusing Sydney’s views on Trump and her refusal to apologise for the racist ad.’
