Euphoria, the dark teen drama on HBO Max, is not only changing the lives of the viewers, especially when it comes to understanding addiction, but of the actors behind the scenes as well.
Hunter Schafer, the star who plays Jules, says that the bridge episode between season 1 and 2, titled "F**k Anyone Who’s Not A Sea Blob," lifted her out of a depression.
Schafer actually co-wrote the episode that dove into Jules' "mind and her subconscious and her headspace.” In a new interview, the actor said that working on it during the pandemic "became a lifeline."
"I was in a very f**king raw place, you know, it was the summer of 2020," she shared, adding that she was "probably coming out of the worst depression I’ve ever had, and needing somewhere to put all of that energy."
While half of that episode was Jules talking about her turbulent relationship with Rue, "the other half is just a 17-year-old trans girl, still figuring out who she is, and debating queerness within her head – what that means for her as a trans person." It's easy to see how that could be affirming for Schafer, who is transgender herself.
“All of these new parts of herself that she’s still uncovering, all intersect and create one big mess that she’s trying to untangle, or find some sense within.”
She still looks back on the episode fondly. "When I say that episode really became a lifeline, I mean it."
You can watch the episode on HBO Max. The season finale of Euphoria premieres this Sunday.