Thread by @Variety

#Euphoria casting director Jennifer Venditti says the role of Rue, which in 2020 made Zendaya the youngest person to win the lead drama actress Emmy, almost went to someone else.

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“There was a young woman who had been street scouted by my team who was a magical person and had a similar trajectory as Rue and had come around to the other side.”

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“But with a TV show, it can be many years [of work]. We all loved her, but when we went through the rigor of the process, we didn’t know if she could handle what it would take in terms of stamina.”

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“It’s so interesting. A polar opposite. Because here’s Zendaya, who has none of the life experiences of Rue, who was able to dig into her toolbox and access it in such a beautiful way.”

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