Shazam! actor Jack Dylan Grazer recently revealed that he was up for a certain role in HBO’s award-winning series, Euphoria – allowing him an opportunity to star alongside the Marvel actor, Zendaya. Although not surprising considering Grazer himself is an emerging talent in the industry, the fact also goes on to portray the impact that his roles in huge box-office productions went on to have at other big-budget studios.
For casting directors, a young actor with the magnitude of talent that the IT actor holds is an absolute find. But it may simply not be the case the other way around. Spoilt for choices, young actors often find themselves digressing and gravitating toward projects that are more rewarding in the short term. But it seems Grazer already knew where he belonged.
Shazam! Actor Turns Heads With His Big-Budget Hits
Often, Hollywood gets radically generous with certain up-and-coming actors and artists when it comes to headlining their big-budget productions. The fact shouldn’t be surprising since finding an actor via audition is more grueling and time-consuming than seeing an already established artist with an exemplary record to show for themselves. For Jack Dylan Grazer, it was Andy Muschietti’s IT (2017) and David F. Sandberg’s Shazam! (2019) – both immensely successful (commercially and critically) films that located the young talent as a star in the making.
It was only natural then that namedrop studios would want to sweep up the actor for their upcoming creations, including HBO and its groundbreaking coming-of-age drama about addiction and mental health among a group of teenagers who struggle to find love and establish their own identity in a world marred by social media and money. As it so happens, the short-lived yet beloved role of Ashtray that went to Javon Walton was originally meant for Jack Dylan Grazer. However, as difficult as it may seem to envision anyone other than Walton in the role, Grazer was the first to realize that Euphoria was not meant for him.
Jack Dylan Grazer Reveals Why He Turned Down Euphoria
With Shazam! Fury of the Gods coming out soon, and all eyes are on the cast and their last-minute promotional interviews. As such, tidbits the actor reveals why he turned down the offer from HBO.
“I was supposed to be Ashtray in Euphoria. I didn’t do it because I did Shazam [instead], and I’m so glad about that [because Ashtray dies]. Freddy Freeman will never die!”
Jack Dylan Grazer is set to return as Freddy – the titular character’s best friend, in DC’s Shazam 2, alongside lead Zachary Levi, in the David F. Sandberg film. The movie will mark the beginning of the end of the old DCEU regime, and is rumored to be the final film for Levi in the role of the mystic superhero.
Shazam! Fury of the Gods premieres on March 17, 2023. Euphoria is available for streaming on HBO Max.
Source: Zach Sang Show
