Colman Domingo Says ‘Euphoria’ and ‘The Idol’ Creator Sam Levinson Is ‘Misunderstood’: ‘People Want to Villainize Him’
Samantha Bergeson
Colman Domingo is standing by “Euphoria” showrunner Sam Levinson.
The Oscar-nominated actor told GQ that despite Levinson’s rumored reputation for demanding long days on set and improvising “Euphoria” scenes, plus allegations of misogyny and PA lawsuits during “The Idol” production, Domingo knows Levinson best for his “kindness and his generosity.”
“I know Sam very well, and I know his heart. I know his kindness and his generosity,” Domingo said. “People want to villainize him, for whatever reason, which I also think is very interesting, that people want to villainize someone who has been so open and honest about their own struggles with addiction and chooses to write about it so we can heal our hearts and ourselves.”
According to Domingo, while Levinson has been “misunderstood” by critics, he could not offer any details on the long-gestating Season 3 of Euphoria.
“Sam’s my friend. I haven’t talked to him about this because I know that it seems that there’s a lot of different stories swirling around,” Domingo said. “I have no idea. I like to mind my business. Until it’s something that affects me, I mind my business.”
Domingo portrayed Rue’s (Zendaya) NA sponsor on the HBO series. There is no word yet when Season 3 will go into production, but cast member Sydney Sweeney confirmed she will reprise her role as Cassie. Jacob Elordi, Hunter Schafer, Maude Apatow, and more actors were advised by HBO to “pursue other opportunities” in the interim.
In January 2024, HBO’s Casey Bloys said Levinson was writing Season 3. At the time, production was expected to begin in Summer 2024 and slated to air in 2025. However, a new statement from the network announced that production has been delayed.
“HBO and Sam Levinson remain committed to making an exceptional third season,” a representative for HBO told IndieWire earlier this year. “In the interim, we are allowing our in-demand cast to pursue other opportunities.”
HBO and Max content chief Casey Bloys recently told Variety that Season 3 will feature “the same core cast” of actors.
“[Creator and writer] Sam [Levinson] is working on it. There’s been a lot of back and forth,” Bloys said. “One of the issues I think that Sam is thinking about is that he doesn’t want to have it in high school anymore. That’s where it was set and what made sense then. So when you take it out of that, there’s a lot of back and forth about where to set it and how far in the future to set it and all that stuff. But I think he’s got a take that he’s excited about, and he’s busy writing.”
A time jump, rumored to be set five years after the events of Season 2, will frame the third installment.
Levinson previously shared with Elle that the third season will be “film noir” style centered on Zendaya’s Rue as she “explores what it means to be an individual with principles in a corrupt world.”
