'Euphoria' star Storm Reid says filming season 2 was so emotional that she'd have to 'get myself together' after leaving set

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'Euphoria' star Storm Reid says filming season 2 was so emotional that she'd have to 'get myself together' after leaving set
Storm Reid and Zendaya on season one of "Euphoria."Eddy Chen/HBO
  • Storm Reid, who plays Zendaya's sister named Gia on "Euphoria," spoke to Insider about season two.
  • "I will say that season two has stuck with me," Reid told said of reprising her role as Gia Bennett.
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"Euphoria" star Storm Reid opened up about how the new, darker season of the critically acclaimed HBO series has stayed with her, long after filming wrapped in late 2021.

"I haven't really been affected for a long period of time when it comes to doing emotional things," Reid, 18, who stars as Gia Bennett, told Insider.

"I've been a part of projects that are very dark and very deep," Reid said. "And once work is done, I don't really think about it until I come to work again."

Reid made her theatrical film debut in Steve McQueen's 2013 film "12 Years a Slave." Since then, the rising actress has guest-starred on several shows and starred in projects that deal with heavy subject matter, like the drama "Don't Let Go" and the horror film titled "The Invisible Man." In summer 2021, Reid played Idris Elba's on-screen daughter in James Gunn's "The Suicide Squad."

'Euphoria' star Storm Reid says filming season 2 was so emotional that she'd have to 'get myself together' after leaving set
Storm Reid as Gia Bennett on season one, episode seven of "Euphoria."HBO

"Euphoria" (created, written, and directed by Sam Levinson) premiered in summer 2019 centering on Zendaya's Rue Bennett's struggle with addiction. The teen series garnered attention for its aesthetics and gritty portrayal of teens navigating drugs, alcohol, trauma, and relationships.

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The first season featured emotional and intense moments as Rue often succumbed to her addiction. Some of these scenes involved verbal and physical fights between Rue and her mom, Leslie Bennett (Nika King), as Gia stood by helplessly witnessing her older sister's downward spiral.

Season two of "Euphoria" premiered on HBO on Sunday night.

Trailers released for season two further tease more hardships to come for Rue following her relapse at the end of season one. Rue is seen trashing her mom and yelling about how she wishes she were different. In another scene, Gia, in a car with her mom, screams as she watches Rue stumble through traffic on a street.

Zendaya herself posted a message on social media, warning fans that the new season is "deeply emotional and deals with subject matter that can be triggering and difficult to watch."

'Euphoria' star Storm Reid says filming season 2 was so emotional that she'd have to 'get myself together' after leaving set
Zendaya as Rue Bennett on season two, episode one of "Euphoria."Eddy Chen/HBO

Reid credited her mom with creating a "beautiful environment" in which "work is work and home is home. You let go of work when work is done."

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But in the case of filming season two of "Euphoria," detaching from the material was more difficult than the actress anticipated.

"I will say that season two has stuck with me, where I would leave set and I was like, 'Oh wow,'" Reid said. "I'd have to get myself together, and that's a very new experience for me because I'm able to usually shake it off. But there's something about this season that I still haven't been able to shake off."

"Euphoria" airs on Sunday nights at 9 p.m. ET on HBO.

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