Chloe Cherry is speaking out in defense of her “Euphoria” co-star Sydney Sweeney amid the constant public sexualization of the actress.
The breakout star said women “born with huge breasts” like Sweeney often get sexualized, whether they want to or not, while weighing in on the larger conversations surrounding body scrutiny and fame.
Cherry, who was previously active in the adult entertainment industry and on OnlyFans, also linked the platform’s mainstream rise to the economy’s decline. She further reflected on what she learned from working with Zendaya and suggested that some of the backlash directed at show creator Sam Levinson may have been misplaced.
Cherry has spoken out about the public sexualization of Sweeney amid the heavy scrutiny surrounding her character’s adult-content storyline in Season 3.
Sweeney, who plays Cassie on the hit HBO series, has been at the center of backlash alongside show creator Levinson over the controversial twist, which sees her character creating explicit content for fans.
Speaking about the hyper-sexualization of women, especially in Sweeney’s case, Cherry told Glamour Magazine that she has observed how women “born with huge breasts” often “tend to be sexualized whether they want to or not,” simply because of how their bodies naturally look.
“Cassie didn’t choose to look how she looks, but everybody treats her in such a specific way because of how she looks,” Cherry continued.
Cherry Says OnlyFans Is A Sign Of The Times
For Cherry, who worked in the adult entertainment industry before transitioning to mainstream acting, the widespread adoption of OnlyFans is not just a sign of where society is headed, but also a reflection of the toll the economy is taking.
In her view, the biggest reason many people turn to the platform to make money, much like Cassie does on the show, is because of “the economy going to the absolute dogs.” She pointed to the many young women who “have no family support at all” but still have to find ways to pay their bills. “So, I just think that a lot of this stuff is just capitalism,” Cherry added. “I definitely would say that the number of people that are on OnlyFans today is 100 million percent a sign of the economy.”
Chloe Cherry Says Zendaya Helped Her Relax On Set
On the show, Cherry plays Faye, a vulnerable drug addict whose relationship with Zendaya’s lead character, Rue, has taken a dark and chaotic turn.
Rather than remaining the distant acquaintances they were while Faye was staying with Fezco, played by the late Angus Cloud, the two characters have become close friends and toxic business partners.
Both actresses have shared more scenes this season, and Cherry said the experience left her with a few notable lessons.
“This sounds really simple, but what I learned from her is that when you’re filming, literally just relax,” she said of working with Zendaya. “Don’t be sitting there obsessing over what your hair looks like. Just relax, and just do the scene, and just listen to the director. And trust me, it’ll turn out good.”
“Zendaya was very good at teaching people to just take a deep breath and just act like there’s not even a camera there,” Cherry added.
Chloe Cherry Defends Sam Levinson Amid Euphoria Backlash
Elsewhere in the interview, Cherry offered a more nuanced defense of Levinson, who has faced heavy backlash and accusations of misogyny, degradation, and using the show to push “humiliation rituals” onto his female actors.
She suggested that Levinson’s focus on the characters’ bodies is not necessarily meant to exploit them, but rather to hold up a mirror to the real world and show where society currently stands.
“I think Sam is using these young women as a vessel to show how society currently sees young women,” Cherry explained. “I don’t believe that he’s trying to say that it’s these young women’s fault that all the world wants from them is for them to just be hot and be sexy and be young.”
“I think Sam’s trying to say, ‘Look where we have got to in society,’” she continued, before pointing to how women are often insulted for having multiple partners, while men are usually treated differently for the same behavior.
Zendaya Hints Euphoria Is Coming To An End
“Euphoria” Season 3 is set to end on Sunday, May 31, with reports suggesting it may be the show’s final installment. Ahead of its April premiere, reports also claimed that some relationships among the show’s lead stars had soured, with several cast members allegedly having issues with Levinson.
During an appearance on “The Drew Barrymore Show,” Zendaya teased that the season could mark the final chapter while reflecting on what the HBO drama has meant to her career, per The Hollywood Reporter.
“I think so, yeah,” she said when Barrymore asked if Season 3 is the end. “Yes, I think so.”
“Euphoria cracked my heart open,” Zendaya continued. “Rue [her character] taught me so much about life … that crew has also seen me grow up. I owe so much to that show. Rue taught me so much about empathy and about redemption. She taught me a lot, and I’m very grateful for all of it.”