Euphoria creator Sam Levinson accused of plagiarizing the aesthetics of the HBO show

Summary

• Sam Levinson, the creator of Euphoria, is accused of plagiarizing the show’s aesthetic after director Petra F. Collins said she approached her about directing based on her photographs.
• Collins claims that he was cast and helped build the world of the show, but HBO ultimately rejected his application due to his age and then used their version of the show.
• A source close to Levinson responded to Collins’ allegations.

Sam Levinson, the creator of Euphoria, was accused of plagiarizing the show’s aesthetic. Having become one of HBO’s biggest hits, Euphoria stands out thanks to the performances of its talented cast, led by Zendaya. But the teen drama has also become a topic of much discussion due to its colorful presentation, which gives a heightened reality to the story. Euphoria Season 3 does not have an official release date yet, but is expected to release in 2025.

But in comments that recently went viral, director Petra F. Collins says Euphoria stole her aesthetic. Collins, a model and artist, has worked with Cardi B, Olivia Rodrigo, Selena Gomez and Euphoria actress Alexa Demie. In an interview this year, Collins told Hungarian publication Punkt that Levinson approached her about directing the HBO teen drama before directing much of the series himself. Collins also claimed that Levinson told her that Euphoria was inspired by his photographs. Below is his comment:

Collins: I’ll tell you a truth about this show that’s never been told. I’ve never said this publicly because it’s crazy, but essentially the reason I moved to Los Angeles is because Sam Levinson, the director of the show, contacted my agency and said, “I wrote show based on your photos. Would you install it? So I moved to Los Angeles and worked at HBO for about 5 months. I was thinking about doing a TV series. I created a whole world for it, did the casting and everything, and at the last minute HBO said, “We’re not hiring you because you’re too young.” And I said, “Okay, thank you very much.” Obviously they wouldn’t accept my version of the show – I was so naive – they would do another one. So it’s okay, I learned a lot, it was interesting… And a year later I leave the apartment and see this billboard, and this is exactly what I am, a copy of my work. I started crying, I was in such shock. I mean, this has happened to me many times in my career, but not on this scale. It was very difficult for me because this is the aesthetic that I have been building all my life, and now I have to change it because it has become mainstream and it has been taken away from me. The worst thing is when people unknowingly say that this show looks like your photos.

Neither HBO nor Levinson responded to requests for comment, but The Daily Beast received a response from a source close to Levinson. Source comment below:

It is well known that Euphoria is a remake of an Israeli series. As a fan, he hoped that he would get a chance to work together. But under no circumstances did she promise anything. It wouldn’t have the ability to do that because ultimately it’s the network’s decision.

This resurfaced interview adds to the disturbing story about Levinson.

In an interview, Collins said that “the truth about this show… has never been told.” Regarding “Euphoria,” she explained that she moved to Los Angeles because Levinson contacted Collins’ agency and asked, according to Collins: “I wrote a show based on your photographs. Would you install it? She says she auditioned and helped build the world of the show. Then, at the last minute, HBO told her they wouldn’t hire her because she was too young. Collins says he made that decision, but later found out they were using his version of the show.

This latest Euphoria news comes on the heels of troubling reporting on The Idol, where Levinson was the backstage boss. Amy Seimetz, director of the indie horror She Dies Tomorrow, was originally signed on to direct the HBO series but pulled out in April 2022 due to significant additional filming. There were rumors that Seimetz was fired from The Idol, who changed his point of view and presentation after Levinson took over, and several social media users noted this in light of Collins’ statements.

HBO, along with the “Idol” stars, issued statements denying the rumors and showing support for Levinson. The show, which starred The Weeknd and Lily-Rose Depp, was met with negative reviews and was canceled after just one season. Levinson’s work at HBO helped make Euphoria a big success, although he continues to make headlines for alleged off-screen conflicts.

Source: Punkt, The Daily Beast.