Sydney Sweeney has taken the opportunity to address long-standing rumors of discord among the Euphoria cast, including alleged tensions with Zendaya.
For years, speculation has swirled about the relationship between the co-stars, with sources suggesting everything from political differences to Sweeney’s supposed interest in Zendaya’s fiancé, Tom Holland, as potential sources of conflict.
As the third and concluding season of Euphoria recently wrapped up, fans noticed that Sweeney and Zendaya’s characters never shared scenes. This fueled further speculation about behind-the-scenes drama, compounded by the significant delay before the season’s release.
When questioned about how she manages the ongoing rumors and reported feuds, Sweeney, 28, appeared to attribute much of the controversy to media exaggerations.
“Well, I mean, we all grew up together on this show, so it’s honestly crazy to watch how much social media and the press spin things,” she explained in an interview with Vanity Fair published on Tuesday.
Sweeney also disclosed that she holds a ‘first position’ contract with HBO, ensuring that her commitments to filming Euphoria take precedence over any other projects she may be involved in.
Sydney Sweeney has finally addressed the rumors of a rift in the cast of Euphoria, including with fellow A-lister Zendaya
There have been persistent whispers for years that the co-stars have not gotten along, with claims ranging from a difference in political beliefs and Sweeney’s alleged interest in Zendaya’s now fiancé, Tom Holland. Above, the actresses at an Emmys party in 2022
The blonde continued: ‘So the moment they say, “Hey, this is the first day of filming,” I’m legally not allowed to do anything else. So my schedule doesn’t affect the show.
‘And so that was funny to watch everybody spin narratives on it. All of us were in first position, so it wasn’t like any of our schedules were holding it up.’
Though she skirted around addressing the rumored feuds, specifically with Zendaya, 29, directly, her recent actions have been eyebrow-raising as she neglected to include images of the fellow A-lister when she shared a gallery of behind-the-scenes snaps from Euphoria last week.
Her Instagram post included images of a number of her Euphoria co-stars, including her on-screen husband Jacob Elordi, Alexa Demie and the late Eric Dane.
But Zendaya was notably absent from the tribute, with fans speculating that she has continued ‘to distance herself from this season’ and claiming it was clear that the two are not friends.
Whispers of a feud between the pair have circulated for years, fueled by online speculation around Sweeney’s alleged interest in Holland.
It was previously reported that Sweeney had liked posts on X calling the Spider-Man actor ‘hot’.
A source also claimed: ‘There were tensions way back. It was an open secret that Sydney had the hots for Tom and was flirty with him when he would come to set.’
The third and final season of Euphoria just aired, with the actresses never interacting directly on screen together. Above, the co-stars in 2019
Sweeney seemed to blame the media for the allegations as she was asked how she deals with the constant noise regarding the feuds and other on-set drama. From left, Hunter Schafer, Alexa Demie, Sweeney and Maude Apatow
Sydney’s well-known political views are said to have also caused a divide, with the star earning the nickname ‘MAGA Barbie’.
The pair also arrived separately at the premiere of the third series, with Zendaya reportedly turning up an hour later than her co-star.
The actress was also seen chatting warmly with Hunter Schafer while ignoring Sweeney, fueling rumors of a feud.
Following the premiere, a wave of additional clips surfaced online, with viewers claiming they showed the stars deliberately avoiding each other.
One observer wrote: ‘Zendaya showed up and immediately got back in her car’, to which a fellow fan replied: ‘So she wasn’t playing about not doing press with Sydney Sweeney lmaoooo’.
Speculation intensified earlier this year when Sydney was notably absent from the latest season’s cast photo, with a source later claiming she was filming a scene at the time it was taken.
Her politics have also added to online divisions following backlash over her public profile and brand campaigns.
Though she skirted around addressing the rumored feuds, specifically with Zendaya directly, her recent actions have been eyebrow-raising as she neglected to include images of the fellow A-lister when she shared a gallery of behind-the-scenes snaps from Euphoria last week
Zendaya is said to have arrived at the Euphoria series three premiere an hour later than Sweeney to keep her distance from her co-star
Sydney’s post included images of a number of her Euphoria co-stars including her on-screen husband Jacob Elordi
In January, she pushed back against attempts to label her politically and pigeonhole her as a ‘MAGA Barbie’, saying she had been unfairly turned into a symbol in a wider culture war.
Sydney said she had never set out to discuss politics publicly, adding that she felt increasingly boxed in by outside interpretations of who she is.
She added: ‘I’ve never been here to talk about politics. I’ve always been here to make art, so this is just not a conversation I want to be at the forefront of.
‘I think because of that, people want to take it even further and use me as their own pawn.’
The actress, above with co-star Alexa Demie, shared a series of behind-the-scenes pictures on Instagram as she bid farewell to her role as Cassie Howard
Sydney also reflected on the difficulty of correcting public narratives, saying there was often ‘no winning’ once perceptions had taken hold.
‘I haven’t figured it out. I’m not a hateful person. If I say: “That’s not true”, they’ll come at me like: “You’re just saying that to look better”. There’s no winning. There’s never any winning.’
She added: ‘I just have to continue being who I am, because I know who I am. I can’t make everyone love me. I know what I stand for.’
Meanwhile, Zendaya has made her stance on Donald Trump clear in the past, sharing a 2020 Instagram post on voting rights captioned: ‘Vote this MF out’.
