Sydney Sweeney is not apologizing for what is happening to Cassie in the new season of Euphoria. The 28-year-old actress posted a series of behind-the-scenes photos from the show over the weekend, some of them especially revealing, alongside a short caption that appeared to answer the criticism head-on: “It’s called... acting.”
The post was widely seen as a response to critics who argued that her character’s storyline in the third season had gone too far. Cassie, one of the show’s central characters, finds herself at the heart of several provocative scenes this season, including a plotline in which she opens an OnlyFans account and begins an affair with a movie star played by Homer Gere, son of Richard Gere.
It is hardly the first time Sweeney’s character has stirred debate. Beyond the campier moments of earlier Euphoria seasons, the actress has also faced backlash over her American Eagle campaign, been accused of holding Republican views and repeatedly found herself at the center of online attempts to manufacture a feud between her and co-star Zendaya.
The current season has again supplied plenty of material for online debate, with many viewers struggling to accept Cassie’s OnlyFans storyline. Apparently, it is easier to be horrified by a scene in a TV series than by the real-life accounts of young women in distress.
One person who does not seem especially bothered is Sweeney’s boyfriend, Scooter Braun. A source close to the couple told Page Six that the 44-year-old music executive "absolutely has no issue” with Sweeney's “provocative” scenes, "he fully understands that it’s part of her job and respects how dedicated she is to her craft.”
The source also said that their relationship is “very secure” with “a strong level of trust between them.”
“Scooter isn’t threatened by her work or try to control what roles she takes on,” the insider told Page Six.
Braun himself recently spoke publicly about both the show and Sweeney for the first time. During an appearance on the Second Thought podcast, he was asked about the new season of Euphoria and replied, “I am catching it. I'm biased, I like it,” before adding, with a wink, that it features "an incredible performance by a certain actress.”
A few days later, the two headed out for a late-night date in New York. Braun documented the outing in an Instagram video, writing: "When you’re in bed at 11 pm and your girl says she’s never been to Times Square…"
The pair rented bikes and rode through Manhattan. Sweeney was later filmed hiding under a blue hoodie and sunglasses while eating a hamburger.
The night ended in front of one of Times Square’s giant electronic billboards, which, naturally, featured Sweeney herself in an American Eagle campaign. From there, she continued dancing to Jay-Z and Alicia Keys’ “Empire State of Mind.”
Braun, who was previously married to Yael Cohen and is a father of three, recently described his relationship with Sweeney as “one of the biggest surprises ever." The two began dating last year and were spotted together at Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sánchez’s wedding, but only recently made their relationship social media official.
