The Best Movies Starring The Euphoria Cast You Need To See

"Euphoria" is a brutally honest depiction of drug addiction and recovery, with Zendaya earning two Primetime Emmys for her fearless portrayal of its flawed protagonist. In Season 2, Rue tries her hand at dealing and falls even deeper into addiction. This culminates in the most intense episode of the series as Rue's friends and family stage an intervention while she trashes the house looking for her suitcase full of drugs. Filming the upsetting scene left a mark on everyone involved. Zendaya told Entertainment Weekly, "It was so intense and scary to tackle, and obviously something that would be incredibly emotionally taxing, but also physically taxing." The episode is both heartbreaking and terrifying as we watch Rue run through town trying to stave off the pain of withdrawal, recoup money for her dealer, and avoid a return trip to rehab.

Aside from her work on HBO and the Disney channel, Zendaya is perhaps best known for her role as Michelle "M.J." Jones in the newest iteration of the "Spider-Man" saga. Appearing in three films as Peter Parker (Tom Holland)'s love interest, it's the most recent franchise entry that puts her through a similar type of hell. After his identity is revealed to the world, Peter convinces Dr. Strange (Benedict Cumberbatch) to cast a reversal spell causing multiple strands of reality to converge and nearly overtake the world. Like Rue, Peter's survival depends on making the heartbreaking decision to cut ties with the love of his life.

Any other show about teenage drug use would present those who sell illegal substances as the enemy. "Euphoria" takes the opposite approach and depicts drug dealer Fezco (Angus Cloud) as one of the kindest and most compassionate characters in the large ensemble. Fez learned the trade at his grandmother's knee and then inherited the family drug business when she suffered a debilitating stroke. Fez views Rue as family and hates the fact that he had a hand in her addiction. He tries his best to protect her and keep her clean even if it means losing her business and her friendship.

In sharp contrast to the rest of his highly pedigreed co-stars, Angus Cloud never intended to become an actor. The California native was cast in the HBO pilot while walking down a Manhattan street, a chance encounter he likens to "getting hit by a meteor." Cloud's first experience in front of a camera was while filming the "Euphoria" pilot and remembers wondering, "Why did they bring me over here for this? They should have gotten a real actor for this job.'" The newly minted star's first appearance in a feature film is another role that hits close to his skater roots. Cloud plays Walker in Mikey Alfred's coming-of-age skateboard drama "North Hollywood." Already in the industry, Walker tries to guide newbie Michael through the world of professional skateboarding while he chooses between pursuing his dream or quitting the sport and going to college.

Every high school has its alpha-male jock, the golden boy who seems to effortlessly win the attention and adoration of students, teachers, and parents alike. "Euphoria" explores the darker side of this archetype with Nate Jacobs (Jacob Elordi), a tall, dark, and handsome football player whose popularity is matched only by a massive well of anger lurking just below the surface. The son of wealthy housing developer Cal Jacobs (Eric Dane), Nate is dating the most popular girl in school and seems destined to follow in his father's successful footsteps. After discovering Cal's secret sex life at a young age, Nate vows to protect his family's reputation no matter who he has to hurt along the way. Nate is clearly Euphoria's central villain, but director Sam Levinson takes pains to explore Nate's inner world, presenting the angry teen as a complex and damaged kid.

Elordi became famous virtually overnight with the release of the Netflix hit "The Kissing Booth," but it's another film that offers fans the catharsis of seeing the cruel jock finally suffer for his callous actions. In the horror anthology "The Mortuary Collection," Elordi is Jake, a frat boy who tricks women into having unprotected sex. After a one-night stand, Jake finds himself pregnant with a monstrous baby. The results of this conception must be seen to be believed. It's incredibly satisfying to see this toxic manipulator finally experience some of the harm he dishes out to everyone else.

If confidence were a character, it would be Maddy Perez (Alexa Demie). The petit cheerleader has a larger-than-life persona matched only by her flamboyant outfits and elaborate makeup. Maddy's on-again/off-again relationship with Nate is equally fiery but Demie understands the attraction, telling Vogue, "She comes from a home where her parents don't get along and she is seeking attention from men which she doesn't get from her dad." Season 2 pushes the couple's connection to the breaking point. With the discovery that Nate has been sleeping with her best friend Cassie, Maddy becomes fixated on revenge. Determined to outmaneuver her, Nate confronts Maddy and demands she return a disc containing incriminating evidence against his father. The upsetting scene sees Nate hold a gun to Maddy's head and subject her to an intimate game of Russian roulette. Demie remembers the two-day shoot as the toughest scene she's filmed in all 18 episodes.

Demie plays one half of another tumultuous relationship in the 2019 film "Waves." The A24 film follows Tyler (Kelvin Harrison Jr.), a high school student and athlete struggling to balance the responsibilities of impending adulthood. Demie plays his girlfriend Alexis who becomes pregnant and must decide what to do with the rest of her life. The film has an upsetting and violent scene that bears an eerie resemblance to Demie's on-screen relationship in "Euphoria." Though Maddy seems to be finally moving past her romance with Nate, her "Waves" character, Alexis, is not so lucky.

If you or someone you know is dealing with domestic abuse, you can call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1−800−799−7233. You can also find more information, resources, and support through their website.

Teenagers aren't the only ones having scandalous sex on "Euphoria." Still known to older generations as Dr. McSteamy, Eric Dane has his share of steamy scenes on the HBO show. Cal Jacobs is a prominent real estate developer and a respected family man hiding a pattern of illicit sex with young men and trans women. Cal originally seems like a straightforward villain, but Season 2 offers the domineering father a more sympathetic backstory. Episode 3 culminates in a jaw-dropping monologue in which Cal finally unleashes the depths of his unhappiness while peeing on the floor of his foyer. It's a devastating moment for the family, but Dane believes it may ultimately turn out to be a good thing, telling Men's Health, "I thank God for this moment for Cal, because I think it needed to be said, and maybe now that everything is out in the open, he can have a truthful, honest relationship with his children."

Dane plays another villainous developer in Steve Antin's "Burlesque." As Marcus, he attempts to buy out a club owned by former dancer-turned-madam Tess (Cher) while wooing its newest star Ali (Christina Aguilera). Marcus ultimately winds up with neither the club nor the girl, but that's not really the point. "Burlesque" was always meant to be a vehicle for its headlining divas and succeeds in the high camp that has elevated it to "So Bad It's Good" status. As the devious playboy, Dane is merely one more piece of eye candy.

Even healthy relationships don't stand much of a chance on "Euphoria." Season 1 ends with a sweet moment for Ethan Daley (Austin Abrams) in which Kat Hernandez (Barbie Ferreira) finally allows herself to believe his feelings for her are real. Unfortunately, as Season 2 unfolds, Kat finds herself bored with her respectful boyfriend and breaks up with him in a cringey scene that reportedly turned the internet against her. Ethan seems to be thriving in the wake of their breakup and delivers the performance of a lifetime in Lexi's autobiographical play. The shy boy plays multiple roles including Lexi's mother and Nate Jacobs himself, bringing the latter to life with a jaw-dropping musical number in which dancers dressed as football players seductively lift weights and fawn over each other accompanied by Bonnie Tyler's "Holding Out For a Hero." Abrams had a blast with the performance, which was filmed in front of a live audience, telling ET Online, "moving your body and moving your hips, there was something so freeing about it."

The sweet and shy Ethan is miles away from Abrams' depiction of Max in the Netflix original film "Do Revenge." The popular and wealthy high school senior sabotages his girlfriend Drea (Camila Mendes) by leaking a sex tape he convinced her to make, then defends himself with feminist buzzwords and performative allyship to maintain control of the narrative and present himself as the victim. Given Max's disgusting manipulation, it's likely he and Nate Jacobs would get along famously.

If you or anyone you know has been a victim of sexual assault, help is available. Visit the Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network website or contact RAINN's National Helpline at 1-800-656-HOPE (4673).

For a show that largely examines the roles of fathers in the lives of their teenage children, positive male role models are few and far between. Coleman Domingo plays one such mentor as Ali, a former addict who serves as Rue's N.A. sponsor. In addition to guidance for Rue, Ali also provides support for her mother and sister, understanding that addiction is a family disease and its effects are not only limited to the user. Ali might not have been the best father to his own children, but he's attempting to make amends by stepping in as a sort of father figure for Rue. He provides a collective moment of release and relief when he forgives Rue for using his past mistakes against him while high. The simple and unconditional forgiveness he offers the newly sober teen brings tears to her eyes and will likely cause even the most hardened fan to tear up as well.

Domingo plays another adult desperately trying to guide the teenagers under his care in Sam Levinson's breakout film "Assassination Nation." As Principal Turrell of Salem High School, he refuses to quit his job and abandon his students even when the contents of his phone are leaked to the entire town. Intimate moments in his life become fodder for teenagers hoping for a quick laugh and he's branded a pedophile when photos of his own children in the bath are released to the public. It's a harbinger of the horrors to come and we can only hope that Principal Turrell will eventually receive the kind of heartfelt apology Rue delivers to Ali.