Actress Zendaya is one of the most sought-after stars working today. She has made a mark on both the big screen and TV with incredible performances. The actress has been in blockbusters such as the MCU’s Spider-Man trilogy and Dennis Villeneavue’s Dune series. She has also fared quite well in the dramatic territory with films such as Malcolm & Marie and the upcoming Challengers.
The actress is mostly known for her role as the recovering drug addict Rue in Sam Levinson’s high-school drama Euphoria. She has won the Primetime Emmy twice for Euphoria and has received many more accolades. However, despite being an executive producer on the show, she was not the first choice for the role of Rue.
Who Was Supposed To Play Zendaya’s Rue?
While the show revolves around an ensemble cast of characters, the protagonist of Euphoria is Zendaya’s Rue. At the beginning of the series, Rue has just returned from a rehabilitation facility after overdosing on drugs. The show follows the character’s arc in dealing with her mental illness as well as her father’s death due to cancer, and her substance abuse issues.
While it is impossible now to see anyone else playing the nonchalant yet extremely emotional Rue, Zendaya was not the initial choice. Casting director Jennifer Venditti mentioned that they were actually considering a first-time actor who had life events that were similar to that of Rue.
Talking to Variety about the decision, Venditti said,
“There was a young woman who had been street scouted by my team who was a magical person and had a similar trajectory as Rue and had come around to the other side…but with a TV show, it can be many years [of work]. We all loved her, but when we went through the rigor of the process, we didn’t know if she could handle what it would take in terms of stamina.”
Street scouting had already gotten great results for the team as later actor Angus Cloud, who plays the role of Fezco, was also found in a similar way. Cloud was Zendaya’s classmate at the Oakland School for the Arts and was working at a restaurant when Jennifer Venditti discovered him.
Zendaya’s Emmy Award-Winning Performance As Rue
Despite the new actor having similar experiences to that of Rue and her working with an acting coach, casting director Jennifer Venditti and creator Sam Levinson decided that she was not ready for the role. They decided to go with Zendaya, a better-known actor. Talking about the casting, Venditti said,
“It’s so interesting. A polar opposite. Because here’s Zendaya, who has none of the life experiences of Rue, who was able to dig into her toolbox and access it in such a beautiful way.”
The decision paid off well as her performance as Rue was unanimously appreciated by critics and audiences alike. She won the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series twice, once in 2019, and then in 2022. The actress is also the youngest recipient of the award. She also won the Golden Globe for Best Actress – Television Series Drama for Euphoria.
Source: Variety
