Sydney Sweeney “Won’t Stop” Doing Nude Scenes: “People Forget I’m Playing a Character”

With two Emmy nominations under her belt, it appears Sydney Sweeney has “never, ever been happier.” The in-demand actress, who was nominated for best supporting actress in a limited series for her role in The White Lotus and for best supporting actress in a drama for her role in Euphoria, spoke to The Hollywood Reporter about the latter series — and why she “won’t stop” getting naked onscreen.

Euphoria, which aired its gritty second season earlier this year, showed Sweeney’s character Cassie, a popular girl with daddy issues that lead her into the arms of many boys, slowly breaking down as she starts secretly hooking up with her best friend Maddy’s (Alexa Demie) ex-boyfriend Nate (Jacob Elordi).

“I feel really bad for Cassie; she’s losing herself so much,” Sweeney said. “But I thrive doing that shit. People talk about how heavy this season is, but I love it.”

Regarding Cassie and Nate’s first bang — in a bathroom at a New Year’s Eve party — Sweeney described the first time she heard about the scene from the show’s creator, director, and writer Sam Levinson.

“He read me that first scene where Cassie and Nate go into the bathroom,” she said. “And I was like, ‘Oh my God, Sam, you’re a madman.'”

Despite the show being known for its focus on hardcore drugs and graphic sex scenes, there have been reports that Levinson is receptive to changes regarding how much actors are willing to bare. Minka Kelly, who starred in Season 2, told Vanity Fair that she didn’t want to appear naked on her first day of filming despite it being scripted that her dress would fall to the ground. Sweeney noted a similar occurrence in a January interview with The Independent, where she said Cassie was supposed to have more nude scenes in the second season, but when she felt it wasn’t necessary, Levinson never pushed her to do them.

“I fully trust in the filmmakers that I work with, and I’m always so excited for whatever Sam writes,” she told THR.

But in the end, Sweeney said she has no problem filming nude scenes, and will continue to do them.

“People forget that I’m playing a character, they think, ‘Oh, she gets naked onscreen, she’s a sex symbol,'” she said. “And I can’t get past that. I have no problems with those scenes, and I won’t stop doing them, but I wish there was an easier way to have an open conversation about what we’re assuming about actors in the industry.”

Euphoria Season 2 is currently streaming on HBO Max.