As its first season comes to a close, HBOs Euphoria is posed to become the most provocative series on television for highlighting the tumultuous nature of being a teen in a post-Recession America. Hunter Schafer plays Jules and is trans in real life. But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience. "Euphoria" may be her first on-screen gig, but Schafer is no stranger to attention. Performance cookies are used to understand and analyze the key performance indexes of the website which helps in delivering a better user experience for the visitors. Required fields are marked *. A . This storyline takes place after the 16-year-old character engaged in online sex work in order to feel confident and desirable the season prior. PHoto: Courtesy of HBO. For instance, theres an intimate scene between [Quintessas character, Anna] and [Schafers character, Jules] in episode 7 that was a collaboration with the intimacy coordinator. Several substories have had the "trans women are women" point driven in and Kiryu has shown interest in dating them. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Comments that are deemed spam or hate speech by the moderators will be deleted. Editorial: Do no harm, Grossman. The Yakuza series has multiple trans characters, mainly women. When do we find out Jules is trans? Not to mention the common racist stereotyping of McKay being a football player plays into the hyper-masculine and hyper athletic trope often associated with Black men. Can you explain exactly what that means? Most characters on the show are all about participating in the most raunchy sexual relations, but according to a 2019 article in The New York Times, the percentage of real-life teens having sex is lower than ever before. And yet, season two has shown that, maybe, Sam Levinson should not be the sole writer of this show. (In addition to drug addiction, the complexity of sexual relationships in 2019, explored at all angles with a kind of frenetic nihilism, is one of the shows major themes.). For her activism against the HB2, Teen Vogue listed Schafer on its "21 Under 21" list in 2017. Euphoria Resolved Season 1's Biggests Cliffhanger In The Most Underwhelming Fashion. This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Performance". Also, the show could better about sexual representation. One of the only Black characters, McKay (Algee Smith), is a football prodigy which fuels the already common stereotypes of Black men having to be hyper-athletic and hypemasculine was introduced in season one, and his storyline has seemed to be abandoned in the new season. Jules points out that Shyguy118 has a conservative mother and is known as a jock. Levinson does not give the character fair time to process, grieve or truly react. In between seasons one and two, Euphoria put out two special episodes, one focusing on Jules and one on Rue. Your email address will not be published. But am I saying Levinson is homophobic and transphobic? But they only got to hear it one more time: The series finale aired Sunday (10 p.m. EDT/PDT) after three groundbreaking seasons. Marginalized people want stories that represent the length and breadth of their experiences, good and bad. Gonna talk about tv and stuff. #19. This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. It doesnt have anything to do with sexuality. Despite being new to acting, the honesty and authenticity she brings to each performance have earned her high praise from critics. HBO's hit show Euphoria is the latest drama aimed at highlighting the Gen-Z experience. Especially, as he was completely absent in the new season. Register *It's free and easy. McKay is absent for the vast majority of the second season, a disappearance which remains unexplained. That makes Euphoria the first onscreen depiction of a trans-amorous male gaze. Trans representation in Euphoria . Still, its a delicate line to walk, especially when the character is supposed to be underage (though Schafer is 20). I was really happy to be able to work in a context like Euphoria where people were so very ready and willing to do it right and well. His role as the only Black male lead is replaced by Elliot (Dominic Fike) in season two a drug addict, another racist stereotype. When we see Jules in the series, she is a trans woman already comfortable in her gender identity. In one of the best scenes from last night's episode of Euphoria, Jules the trans high school student played by breakout actress Hunter Schafer drunkenly floats in a pool while reciting lines from Act 2, Scene 2 of Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet to her recovering drug addict girlfriend, Rue. Eddy Chen/HBO. He is the sole writer and creator of the hit HBO television series Euphoria. Unfortunately, the highly anticipated second season is falling flat and many viewers are noticing why: Levinson writes stories empowered by experiences he does not hold. Editorial: NYU lifted its mask mandate, but now isnt the time to be idle. But its not precisely the new hue thats captivating viewers. If you want to objectify me, objectify me. or not the show does a good job of providing her with quality trans representation. In the pivotal scene, Rue came into conflict with Jules because the latter planned to meet with Shyguy118, an anonymous guy she met and fell in love with on a dating app. Polygon spoke to Scott Turner Schofield, the trans consultant on the . already suffer from Levinsons inadequate writing. What I see happening in most other places is that even if we do listen to a trans actor and let them bring their own story, its still mitigated through other peoples control. Just take a look at queer icons like Britney Spears, Cher, and Madonna. Levinson has 0 love for the LGBT community. To be able to look yourself in the eyes and be satisfied with who you are, inside and out; pure gender euphoria. It seems as though Levinson writes for shock and drama without ever caring to resolve the many traumas he pushes his marginalized characters through. They are not mentioned once. This turmoil peaks when McKay is sexually assaulted by members of his team and his fraternity brothers as part of a hazing ritual. Despite her struggle to find loving connections and the harassment shes faced, Jules is shown to remain a big-hearted and kind character. Get The Latest IndieWire Alerts And Newsletters Delivered Directly To Your Inbox. The second-best part of "Euphoria" is Schafer as Julesa young trans woman playing a young trans woman. This first-person shooter threequel includes two nonbinary characters. Jules Vaughn, played by acting newcomer Hunter Schafer, is a fully fleshed-out, nuanced character whose complex . Also, for me to make sure that Hunter and Quintessa felt like their genders were seen and represented properly. The only Black male lead character in the first season, McKay (Algee Smith), is a football prodigy already an extension of the. Though the show is not exceptionally diverse, its characters of color, LGBTQ+ characters and characters from other marginalized communities already suffer from Levinsons inadequate writing. If its the closest thing to being desiredIll take that. A showcase of some of the best young up and coming actors. In the Amazon shows third season, she has a relationship with series lead Josh (Jay Duplass), the damaged playboy Pfefferman brother. Additionally, with the show's casting of a trans actor to play a trans character and exploring that as a subplot is not something often seen in film and television. Most of all, they want their stories, especially the sensitive ones, to be told with respect. Drug addiction, nudity, homophobia, violence, blackmail, abusive relationships, and much more were explicitly showcased in Euphoria. Personally, yes, I do find "Euphoria" to be homophobic and transphobic. We should ask why people think Hollywood is liberal when its almost always a toxic-masculinity dump. Being listened to as a trans person is a powerful thing in and of itself. Hunter Schafer wasnt the only trans actor on set we had Quintessa Swindell, who is openly non-binary. Bella Hadid Is the Blondest Shes Ever Been in New TikTok Video. Euphoria's representation of its queer characters is becoming increasingly murky in season 2. of Black boys and men as hyper-athletic in his first year of college. Purportedly, Ferreira and Levinson disagreed on the direction of her character in the upcoming season, leading to reduced screen time. Why is he using his negative views of people like us for this show? It made me feel sexy and it made me feel desirable, said Rain Valdez, a transgender actress, producer, and creator of the web series Razor Tongue. [Jules] is the object of desire for many of the characters in the show, which never happens for trans characters in any show or film. I said [to Sam Levinson], Jules is the one who gets herself more than anybody else on this show. Between the first and second seasons, there are seldom episodes that feature the writing of others. He is manipulative and aggressive toward his wife, children and anyone who threatens to reveal his sexuality, using his power and wealth to threaten and demean anyone he deems less than him. Yes. Since Hunter Schafer stepped into the spotlight playing Jules in the HBO hit Euphoria, her star power has skyrocketed. Then, I came on set and I worked with everybody in the crew. The material on this site may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, cached or otherwise used, except with the prior written permission of Cond Nast. The fact that its even a question speaks to the depth and breadth of the trans stories finding mainstream success, a reality that would have been unimaginable even five years ago. Played by newcomer Hunter Schafer in what will surely become a career-launching performance, everyone on the show the daddy, the walking embodiment of toxic masculinity, the tomboy protagonist, her confident femme rival wants Jules. Schafer has also spoken up about the difficulty of coming out in high school as a trans teen. Im just doing my own thing. Better. Member. In season one the gaze directed at Jules was described by many as "trans-amorous.". Like its name implies, Euphoria is a look into various obsessions, their highs and their sources of abuse or self-destructive behavior that lead to personal pain. In season one, we get a relationship between two female main characters, Rue and Jules. Euphoria is a funhouse mirror, taking the very real experiences of present-day American teenagers and reflecting an exaggerated and dramatic image that tugs at the audiences emotions. Oct 21, 2020. Shes in a mental institution for self harm. A weekly roundup of the best things from Polygon, By submitting your email, you agree to our, Euphorias trans consultant on why the series tells authentic trans stories, Sign up for the . I dont think the show acknowledges Jules is very privileged for a trans woman, she says. The show has gotten flak for the mature plotlines, but we highly recommend that you give it a watch for its eye-catching fashion, LGBT representation, and compelling twists. Despite controversy, the HBO Original is a source of queer visibility, Ashwini Vivek, Opinion columnist|February 17, 2022. Please enter a valid email and try again. Trans women, especially trans women of color, face unprecedented levels of violence, often from sexual partners. (Photo by Eddy Chen/HBO, courtesy of Warner Media), Srishti Bungle , Deputy Opinion EditorFeb 1, 2022. Women and trans women are more than just victims. 06.18.19. Ad Choices, Before the show started I was worried because a lot of transgender characters in the media are represented horribly. Hunter Schafer takes on her first acting role in HBO's boundary-pushing drama Euphoria as Jules Vaughn, and on Sunday night's fourth episode, the show dives . Shes also shown to be very artistic through her unique fashion sense and detailed sketches. Shes clearly a positive force of energy for Rue. Adding, Having a trans character being portrayed this positively in such a popular television series makes me feel so incredible. Give the character fair time to be underage ( though Schafer is ). 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