Icon Zendaya Coleman has spoken out in defence of our new favourite show, Euphoria, after a group from the United States accused it of glorifying teen drug use.
WATCH BELOW: Euphoria | Season 2 Official Trailer
D.A.R.E., which stands for Drug Abuse Resistance Education, recently condemned the show, saying that substance use – and abuse – among teenagers is being glamourised on screen.
“Rather than further each parent’s desire to keep their children safe from the potentially horrific consequences of drug abuse and other high-risk behavior, HBO’s television drama, Euphoria, chooses to misguidedly glorify and erroneously depict high school student drug use, addiction, anonymous sex, violence, and other destructive behaviors as common and widespread in today’s world,” their statement read.
However, Zendaya was quick to quell any backlash, giving her thoughts on the intention behind the HBO hit.
“Our show is in no way a moral tale to teach people how to live their life or what they should be doing,” Zendaya said in an interview with Entertainment Weekly.
“If anything, the feeling behind Euphoria, or whatever we have always been trying to do with it, is to hopefully help people feel a little bit less alone in their experience and their pain,” she continued.
“And maybe feel like they’re not the only one going through or dealing with what they’re dealing with.”
Following the lives of a bunch of high schoolers as they navigate relationships, sex, and a fair bit of drug use as well, there are moments where Euphoria can even be quite confronting.
Zendaya is no stranger to this interpretation of her show, especially given her character, Rue, a 17-year-old who is constantly struggling with drug addiction.
“I’ve had a lot of people reach out and find so many parallels from all ages, all walks of life,” Zendaya said of the response to the show.
“So many parallels with Rue and her story and Rue means a lot to them in a way that I can understand, but also maybe in a way that I could never understand, and that means that means the most to all of us.”
Zendaya also recently took to Instagram to write about what Rue meant to her.
“I think in this show, and this season more specifically, she hits rock bottom. It’s my hope for the people watching that they still see her as a person worthy of their love,” she penned.
“If you can love her, then you can love someone that is struggling with the same thing, and maybe have a greater understanding of the pain they’re facing, that is often out of their control.
“For me, that is the most important thing.”
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