Euphoria famed actor Hunter Schafer has gained a lot of fans because of her mature and relatable performance in the show. The HBO show is popular among the youth for its explicit representation of modern-day problems and scenarios. It has a plethora of mature themes and elements rarely explored in regular Television shows.
Lead actors from the show have gained immense recognition and a large fan-base due to their stellar performance. The problem arises when high-scale popularity leads to actors being recognised for the characters they play and not because of their skill. This creates a problem of being typecast for certain roles in the industry which hampers their career growth.
Schafer on being typecast as the ‘trans actor’
Hunter Schafer has made huge waves as Jules Vaughn in Euphoria, representing the complex dynamics of being a transgender teen. Fans have praised her emotional performance, moving monologues and the tumultuous relationship she shares with other characters on the show, specially with Rue played by Zendaya.
Though grateful for the exposure, Schafer revealed in an interview with Vogue that she is worried about being type-casted as a ‘transgender actor’. The actress has discussed this topic at length in a GQ profile, on how she wants to strike a perfect balance between her work as an actor and her own identity. She wants to create a diverse portfolio, something which gives her the chance to showcase her acting talent beyond her gender identity.
All the time I’m kind of doing the math of when to reel it in and when to lean into it. It’s really tricky,
She went on to explain how she feels the need to reel in her persona so as to play diverse roles. The Cuckoo lead spoke on how she wants to make a difference and establish a proper record in the entertainment industry.
I feel like I need to keep infiltrating to the point where I feel safe enough in this world to do whatever I want, and then kind of lean into it whenever I want.
In doing so she also wants to make sure that she stays true to herself, representing her community with scripts which speak to her. Schafer wants to be recognised as an accomplished actor who happens to be trans.
Schafer’s role in society apart from acting
In addition to her praiseworthy role as Jules Vaughn in the HBO series Euphoria (2019), Schafer has also appeared in other shows and projects. Before stepping into the acting industry, she already made a name for herself as an established model. Having worked with brands like Prada, Dior, and the New York Fashion Week, she can be considered a top model.
Schafer first made headlines in 2016 with her activism and campaigns in support of the LGBTQ+ community. She has been a long-time advocate for raising awareness about the transgender community and for discussions around social justice.
Schafer aims to use her platform to raise awareness about important social issues. The actress is also exploring other opportunities, enjoying DJing and various other upcoming projects.
Watch all episodes of the show Euphoria on HBO Max.
