Starring in “Euphoria” has never been an easy job, and Zendaya shared in a cast interview with Entertainment Weekly just how demanding her role as Rue became during Season 2. She reflected on a particularly tough day while the crew was filming episode 5, titled “Stand Still Like the Hummingbird,” during which Rue runs through backyards and climbs over cars. While preparing to shoot the episode in question, Zendaya had to face down the task of playing someone on the run from her family, the police, and her friends, all while going through an excruciating physical withdrawal from substances. “It was so intense and scary to tackle, and obviously something that would be incredibly emotionally taxing, but also physically taxing,” she recalled.
Still, the actress didn’t let dread keep her from giving every scene her all, despite having most of the hour-long episode’s screen time filled with intense sequences where she ran, jumped fences, and narrowly evaded capture. “It was a very tough day … I mean, I beat myself up. I still have some scars on my legs, and got quite a few bruises,” she revealed.
Though her role may have required a more extended physical recuperation, Zendaya’s close relationship with her fellow actors allowed her to recover emotionally between takes. She told Entertainment Weekly, “After every take, we’re hugging each other, we’re talking through it, we’re embracing, checking in, because obviously it’s like a war zone.”
