Euphoria: HBO defends hit series against toxic production claims

When you have a hit series like Euphoria, there are bound to be claims of some discord on set. Season one appeared to escape this unscathed but season two was hit with many rumors and speculation about tensions during production. Things got so bad that there were reports that the show violated SAG-AFTRA stipulations. According to a statement released to Variety, HBO is defending the show against those claims and they are stating that no formal complaints were ever raised.

HBO stressed in the statement that, “the well-being of cast and crew on our productions is always a top priority.” It went on to state that Euphoria season 2 was produced in “full compliance with all safety guidelines and guild protocols.” You can read the full statement below!

“The well-being of cast and crew on our productions is always a top priority. The production was in full compliance with all safety guidelines and guild protocols. It’s not uncommon for drama series to have complex shoots, and COVID protocols add an additional layer. We maintain an open line of communication with all the guilds, including SAG-AFTRA. There were never any formal inquiries raised.”

All of this mostly stems from a report published by The Daily Beast in which background actors on the show claimed there were “multiple complaints made to SAG-AFTRA over the production failing to provide them meals on time and refusing to let people use the bathroom.” The report also says that the set “didn’t have a proper holding area for extras” and that “there were so many complaints called into SAG-AFTRA that a union rep turned up on set.” HBO has said no formal complaints were ever raised, as off this writing.

A lot of the alleged toxic environment rumors played out on social media and became just as popular as the show itself. Creator Sam Levinson and series regular Barbie Ferreira, who plays Kat Hernandez, reportedly had a falling out over the story direction of her character which led to the actress storming off set and Levinson cutting back Kat’s role in season 2. Levinson’s decision to also not film with a shot list also reportedly led to more issues on set, as it led to long hours for the cast and crew. HBO does mention in their statement that “it’s not uncommon for drama series to have complex shoots.”

After the season two finale aired, star Jacob Elordi, who plays Nate, defended the series’ long filming hours. Elordi said, “We’re making movies, you know what I mean? I mean that in the broad sense, like this is filmmaking. And whilst you shouldn’t suffer, to me there’s great value in working hard. And for every hour that I’ve personally put in on that set, I can see it when I watch the show, and I can feel it when I’m walking on the street and people love the show. For me, working long hours is like the greatest joy. And they take care of us. That’s my family. If I’m working long hours, Sam’s working twice as long, Zendaya’s working three times as long. We’re all in it together.”

What are YOUR thoughts on the claims of a toxic work environment on the set of Euphoria?