MAUDE APATOW Photography by KURT ISWARIENKO Fashion by LEITH CLARK Maude Apatow is the acting powerhouse who’s just getting started on her Hollywood domination. All clothing and accessories by CHANEL Spring Summer 2020 All clothing and accessories by CHANEL Spring Summer 2020 Words by HANNAH HOLWAY a wealth of research to the job, while encouraging the and awe over the ease with which Cassie attracts male cast to share their own suggestions about which direc- attention. “I think it’s important to show a character tions they could see their characters going. “He’s very who’s a little more shy in that way, because I think a lot of Last Summer, HBO’s Euphoria premiere sparked some- collaborative”, Apatow confirms. “I think that’s why we people are really shy”, Apatow explains. “But I think you thing of a cultural reset, obliterating the mould of previ- all love working with so much. He really does listen and can find parts of yourself in all the characters… you feel ous teen-centred television shows and instantly claiming is open to hearing your thoughts”. In comparison to her seen and heard when you watch the show”. its space within a gap in the market that desperately older sister Cassie (Sydney Sweeney), who revels in the Indeed, part of the monumental success of Euphoria needed to be filled. Executive produced by Drake, led attention she gains from men, or her self-destructive is surely due to the multitudes that lie within the diverse by former Disney star Zendaya and soundtracked mostly childhood best friend Rue, Apatow’s Lexi is less sure of cast of teenagers. In the archetypal characters we think by Labrinth’s haunting score, Euphoria brought with it a her place in the world; shy but fiercely loyal, fun but sen- we know so well by now, there are endless complexi- tidal wave of industry buzz and a borderline-obsessive sible. While her friends’ Halloween costumes consist of ties. The seemingly perfect relationship between the jock fandom. For some members of the young cast, such Claire Danes’ angelic Juliet and Patricia Arquette as True and the head cheerleader is toxic and abusive. The fan- as Angus Cloud (Fez) and Hunter Schafer (Jules), their Romance’s Alabama Worley, Lexi dresses up as iconic fic-writing nerd begins capitalising on her sexuality and breakout turns in the series also served as their first ever PBS painter Bob Ross, before being told by her mum discovers a newfound confidence in her body. And the acting roles. But for 21-year-old Californian Maude Ap- that “The whole point of Halloween is to look attractive”. town’s drug dealer is arguably the most morally sound atow, who met Euphoria showrunner Sam Levinson on In a cast full of characters who, while relatable, consis- of them all. While relationships between the characters the set of his stylised, satirical 2018 film Assassination tently do questionable things, Lexi is the friend everyone are often fraught, Instagram posts would suggest that Nation, the character of Lexi Howard was written specif- wishes they had. the cast IRL are genuinely the best of friends - another ically with her in mind. It’s easy to see how the role was written for Apatow, appeal to the series. “I think you just have a vibe right Far from glamourising drugs or toxic behaviours, who, when we speak on the phone, is just as likeable; away”, Apatow recalls of the first time she met with the Euphoria uses trippy cinematography, a contempo- she self-deprecatingly squeals “don’t write that” when- co-stars that include Jacob Elordi, Algee Smith and Al- rary soundtrack and oft-mumbled dialogue to carve a ever she feels she hasn’t expressed herself properly, exa Demie. “Everyone was really excited to be there, and succinct, specific portrayal of the messiness of teen- and laughs often in between her distinctive Californian really open to becoming friends. And obviously shooting agehood, which striking a chord in the Gen-Z viewers inflection. While Euphoria has been criticised by some the show at times, you feel stressed or overwhelmed, who saw ourselves reflected on our screens. Based for its graphic depictions of sex and nudity – including and we had a really good support system. It just felt like partly on his own experiences as a recovering addict one scene that features no less than 30 penises – Lexi a very safe, supportive set”. like Zendaya’s protagonist Rue, Levinson also brought doesn’t have a romantic interest, expressing confusion “Stressed or overwhelmed” seems like an understate- ment for the range of emotions involved in portraying comparison] to be an issue”, she assures me. “I under- way”, she laughs. “Getting to watch my parents and their such raw, honest depictions of the most taboo subjects stand why people would compare it, but also they’re very work ethic was really important and vital for me, to be young people deal with today. Often hailed as having different”. able to come into my own. I feel very lucky”. one of the most realistic on-screen depictions of anxi- Though she’s keen to keep storylines under wraps for Aside from the obvious inspirations within her own ety, Euphoria features scenes of heartbreaking tangibility. the second season of the show, Apatow promises that family, Apatow cites Lena Dunham – whose era-defining “What drew me to the show, specifically, is the way that she has “a good season coming up”. “I definitely came Girls, executive produced by Judd Apatow, she had a Sam writes about anxiety”, Apatow reflects. “And it is so into this knowing that Season Two was where the bulk recurring role in throughout its fourth season – and Flea- personal to him, but I’ve never seen that… that anxiety of my material was gonna be”, the actress excitedly con- bag creator Phoebe Waller-Bridge as “two really inspiring be portrayed in such an honest way. I just thought it was firms. While it would be easy for her to ride the wave of people”. While it’s clear that she has her sights set on amazing”. While it’s Rue who suffers the most with her similarly viral-worthy roles that are sure to come flooding joining the host of female actors-turned-directors who mental illnesses – putting it perfectly when she narrates to the Euphoria cast now, the 21-year-old is eager to have been making waves in the industry of late, from “Until every second of every day, you find yourself trying explore all aspects of production in her future projects, Greta Gerwig to Olivia Wilde, Apatow has a few upcom- to outrun your anxiety, and quite frankly, I’m just fucking from writing to directing. Hard work, creative control ing roles that are likely to propel her towards household exhausted” – each character struggles with the mounting and unlimited enthusiasm for her work are clearly traits name status; including another collaboration with her pressures of adolescence, made undeniably worse by passed down from her parents, who ensured she was father in his upcoming The King of Staten Island, where generation-specific issues like revenge porn, catfishing a part of their own creative process from an extreme- she’ll play SNL regular Pete Davidson’s little sister. In a and unsolicited dick pics. “I feel like [social media] hasn’t ly young age. And yes, if you haven’t worked it out by meta, Honey Boy-esque retelling of Davidson’s mid-20s, been portrayed in this way, how it affects young people, now, Apatow’s parents are undoubtedly two of the most also starring Marisa Tomei and Bel Powley, Apatow ex- because it’s so new”, Apatow tells me. “[Sam] did a really hilarious industry figures of the past 20 years. Her fa- plains that while she’s playing a real-life character, she great job describing it, and the anxiety that comes with it. ther, Judd, helms the production company responsible wanted to be sure she was “doing my own thing”. And in ‘Cause it’s no joke”. for comedies such as Freaks and Geeks, Superbad and May, the actress will join the Ryan Murphy universe – as It’s undeniable that social media has shaken our lives Knocked Up, while her mother, Leslie Mann, often stars a “musical theatre kid” once obsessed with Glee, she’s in ways our parents and grandparents could’ve never in her husband’s films, alongside other comedic turns in auditioned for a few of the legendary director’s shows in imagined, but before Euphoria, the phenomenon has films likeThe Bling Ring and Blockers. A pre-teen Maude the past – in Netflix’sHollywood , a love letter to cinema’s never truly been explored with this much veracity. That’s and her younger sister, Iris, can be seen in a few of her Golden Age that explores what might have happened if not to say that we haven’t watched scenes of pill-pop- dad’s films, such as Knocked Up and later This Is 40, the unjust power dynamics of the time were shattered. ping 16-18 year-olds set to the tune of current rap and though she tells me she “wasn’t allowed to watch them Despite growing up in a house where hanging out with hip-hop ingenues before – only back then it was Azealia when [they] came out”. Far from dissuading their children comedy legends such as Paul Rudd and Seth Rogen Banks’ “212”, and the kids in question were a group from pursuing the industry, Apatow’s parents allowed her was the norm, Apatow can barely suppress her excite- of (mostly) unknown actors in the Bristol-based drama to witness first-hand the dedication it takes to carve out ment and awe when she gushes about the “amazing Skins.