*Warning: This article contains spoilers*
HBO's teen drama Euphoria season two dropped earlier this year and we've been mourning the loss of it in our lives ever since.
The first season of the gritty drama, which premiered in June 2019, follows a group of teenagers as they experiment with sex, get wrapped up in the world of social media and struggle with mental health.
Following the release of season one, HBO's executive vice president of programming, Francesca Orsi, said the show 'has built an incredible world with an extraordinary cast led by the supremely talented Zendaya', as reported by Deadline.
Since season one aired Zendaya has received high praise for her portrayal of protagonist Rue Bennett, who suffers with drug addition and her mental health, in the series.
The actor even won the award for ‘Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series’ at the 72nd Emmy Awards in 2020, making her the youngest ever actor to win such an accolade.
'I just want to say there is hope in the young people out there - I know that our TV show doesn't always feel like a great example of that - but there is hope in our young people and I just want to say to all my peers out there doing the work in the streets, "I see you, I admire you, I thank you",' she said on receiving the award.
Zendaya's ex-boyfriend Jacob Elordi who plays villain Nate Jacobs, also stars in the series.
Here’s everything you need to know about Euphoria season two:
When will Euphoria season two be released?
After plans for season two were delayed due to the pandemic, the show aired two special episodes ahead of its release, which showed Bennett in the wake of a relapse.
Season two officially dropped on January 9, 2022.
What’s the Euphoria season two plot?
Episode eight ('And Salt the Earth Behind You') of season one ended upsettingly with Bennett’s overdose, after the person she loves – Jules Vaughn (Hunter Schafer) – left her on a train platform.
Season two picks up from Bennett's relapse. She had previously been sober for three months.
During the series Bennett encounters more upsetting moments and violent altercations, while her co-stars' characters are forced to contend with cheating, betrayal and death.
The subject matters dealt with in season two sound to have become a cause for concern from one superhero in particular.
In a conversation with Zendaya for Variety's recent Actors on Actors series, Spiderman's Andrew Garfield expressed both his respect and concern for the actor due to the difficult topics explored in one of the season two's episodes.
'I think it was episode five. It's one of the most relentless episodes of television I've ever seen,' explained Garfield. 'I'm starting to get to know you better but to have access to that kind of awfulness and the damage and pain, and to make it so human. I was like, 'Are you OK?' How did you make sure you were OK while you were doing that?'
The episode featured Zendaya's character Rue being confronted by her mother Leslie (Nika King), Jules (Hunter Schafer) and Elliot (Dominic Fike) after finding out she had relapsed. After Leslie attempts to take Rue to rehab, she jumps out of the car and escapes, and Rue later begins to feel the effects of withdrawal on her own. After another attempted intervention, Rue is caught burglarising a house and manages to evade police, eventually finding her way back home.
The silver screen superhero also praised Zendaya's performance in the clip, calling it 'one of the most remarkable things I've seen an actor do in recent memory'.
Who stars in season two of Euphoria?
Alongside Zendaya, last season’s characters including Bennett’s best friend Lexi Howard (Maude Apatow), confident self-charged Maddy Perez (Alexa Demie) and Jules Vaughn (Hunter Schafer), star.
New cast members include Friday Night Lights star Minka Kelly, who portrays a drug-addicted housewife, along with Indie singer Dominic Fike and rapper Lil Meech.
However, it sounds like Zendaya's rumoured boyfriend Tom Holland has been vying for a role for quite some time.
During the promo tour for their new film Spider-Man: No Way Home the actor was asked by a fan in an IMDb video whether he would consider a Euphoria cameo.
'Listen, I have been petitioning for this for a long time and it has not happened yet,' he said in December 2022, 'and I'm very disappointed'.
He added that he 'must have come to visit Euphoria at least 30 times this season'. Zendaya told Holland that the creators of the show 'should have tried to, like, Easter egg, put you in there'.
'I want to be in Euphoria!' Holland added, before Zendaya replied: 'Okay. Let me talk to some people. HBO…let's get them on the phone'
Weeks later, in February 2022, fans became convinced that Holland was an extra in season two, episode seven (which was released on NOW TV on February 21). The episode sees Lexi putting on the debut performance of her play, which fans think was watched on by Holland. One of the play's audience members does look a lot like the British star.
'Damn, Lexi even got Tom Holland at her play?? [sic]' wrote one Twitter user after the show aired. 'What's spiderman doin there [sic]' added another.
Many fans naturally looked to Zendaya for Holland's apparent appearance in the episode.
'Not Zendaya getting Tom Holland a job, [sic]' wrote one fan on Twitter. 'Zendaya really did some calls, [sic]' wrote another.
Is there a Euphoria season two trailer?
Yes and you can watch a teaser for the season here:
What has Zendaya said about season two?
The Spider-Man actor has said the new season was ‘challenging’ to film in a recent interview with Teen Vogue.
'It's a difficult season, I'm kinda in the middle of it,' she said. 'I had like a 2.30am wrap time last night, we're in the thick of it. But, you know, the show was intense.
'And it's very personal to, not only ourselves and all the people who work on it, but also, to other people who have been able to relate so deeply to the characters or see their experiences being reflected through Rue.'
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