00:18Zendaya gave an emotional goodbye speech to the Euphoria cast and crew in a
00:22behind-the-scenes video posted by HBO following the shocking season 3 finale.
00:30Zendaya's character Rue died in Sunday's show from an accidental overdose.
00:34In a darkly ironic twist, she took painkillers that were intentionally laced with fentanyl
00:40by the drug lord Alamo Brown. Rue's body was found by her mentor played by Coleman Domingo
00:45who later got his revenge. On X, fans tweeted that they were sobbing and shocked by the ending.
00:52Wait, so Rue was already dead from the overdose this whole time?
00:55And her reuniting with her mom was just her imagining one final goodbye before dying?
01:01This ending completely shattered me.
01:03However, some viewers didn't appreciate the tragic twist.
01:06Regardless of how beautifully it was done, the fact remains that Rue died over being laced.
01:11She was sober and she was free to have a good life.
01:14Her dying is such a terrible ending for a show that is meant to give hope for addicts.
01:20Euphoria creator Sam Levinson defended the artistic decision in his post-finale HBO interview,
01:26calling it an honest ending because people like Rue don't make it.
01:30He added that it was a tribute to late cast member Angus Cloud, who died in July 2023 at 25.
01:39I wanted to tell this story for Angus and for people who weren't granted a second chance.
01:46Rue wasn't the only major character killed off in season three either.
01:50In last week's episode, Nate Jacobs, played by Jacob Elordi, was found dead by Cassie and Maddie,
01:56played by Sydney Sweeney and Alexa Demme.
01:59Nate met his fate after being buried alive in a coffin and then bit by a rattlesnake.
02:15For the real life Elordi, his career is alive and well, as are those of his A-list co-stars,
02:21Sydney Sweeney and Zendaya.
02:23Zee won two Emmys for her role in the hard-hitting HBO drama
02:26and shared these powerful words in her 2020 acceptance speech.
02:30She was just 24.
02:33My greatest wish for Euphoria was that it could help heal people.
02:38And I just want to say thank you to everyone who has shared their story with me.
02:41I want you to know that anyone who has loved a Rue or feels like they are a Rue,
02:47I want you to know that I'm so grateful for your stories and I carry them with me
02:51and I carry them with her.
02:52So thank you so much.
02:55To be continued...
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