Sydney Sweeney‘s R-rated series has set a record, but at a cost.
Sweeney initially had guest roles on series such as Pretty Little Liars and Grey’s Anatomy before landing recurring roles in Netflix’s Everything Sucks! and The Handmaid’s Tale. After Euphoria, the actress was propelled to Hollywood and earned an Emmy nomination for Outstanding Supporting Actress.
Hollywood · Rising Star Dossier How Well Do You Know Sydney Sweeney? From Euphoria to the big screen — test your knowledge
🎡EuphoriaCassie Howard
🏜White LotusOlivia Mossbacher
📸Anyone But YouBea
🎬RealityWinner
⛫ImmaculateSister Cecilia
01
Sydney Sweeney’s breakout role on HBO’s “Euphoria” earned her widespread recognition. What is the name of her character on the show?
✓ Correct! Sydney plays Cassie Howard, the emotionally vulnerable and people-pleasing teen whose turbulent love life becomes a central storyline. Her Season 2 performance — especially the iconic bathroom meltdown scenes — earned her an Emmy nomination.
✗ Not quite! The answer is Cassie Howard. Rue Bennett is Zendaya’s character, Maddy Perez is played by Alexa Demie, and Lexi Howard (Cassie’s sister) is played by Maude Apatow. Sydney’s Cassie became one of Season 2’s most talked-about characters.
02
In the first season of HBO’s “The White Lotus,” Sydney plays a sharp, judgmental college student vacationing in Hawaii. What is her character’s name?
✓ Correct! Sydney plays Olivia Mossbacher, the privileged and intellectually pretentious daughter of the Mossbacher family. Her deadpan delivery and snobbish attitude made Olivia a fan-favorite character in Mike White’s satirical hit.
✗ Not quite! The answer is Olivia Mossbacher. Rachel is Alexandra Daddario’s character, Paula is Brittany O’Grady’s role (Olivia’s best friend), and Quinn is Olivia’s younger brother. Sydney’s Olivia steals every scene with her cutting commentary.
03
Before her major breakout, Sydney appeared in a critically acclaimed Hulu series based on Margaret Atwood’s dystopian novel. Which show was it?
✓ Correct! Sydney played Eden Spencer in Season 2 of “The Handmaid’s Tale,” a devout and obedient young bride in the oppressive Gilead regime. Despite being a recurring role, her performance was emotionally devastating and showed her dramatic range early on.
✗ Not quite! The answer is The Handmaid’s Tale. Sydney played Eden Spencer, a 15-year-old bride in Gilead during Season 2. It was one of her first major prestige TV roles and demonstrated the dramatic talent that would later explode with Euphoria.
04
Sydney starred in the surprise rom-com hit “Anyone But You” (2023). Which actor plays her love interest, Ben, in the film?
✓ Correct! Glen Powell plays Ben opposite Sydney’s Bea in this modern retelling inspired by Shakespeare’s “Much Ado About Nothing.” The film became a sleeper box office hit, earning over $220 million worldwide and reviving the theatrical rom-com genre.
✗ Not quite! The answer is Glen Powell. While Jacob Elordi is Sydney’s Euphoria co-star, it’s Glen Powell who plays her enemies-to-lovers match in “Anyone But You.” The film’s massive success was credited to their electric chemistry.
05
Sydney starred in and produced the 2024 horror film “Immaculate.” Where is the film primarily set?
✓ Correct! “Immaculate” is set in a remote Italian convent where Sydney plays Sister Cecilia, a young American nun who discovers the institution harbors terrifying secrets. Sydney also served as a producer on the film, marking a significant step in her behind-the-camera career.
✗ Not quite! The answer is a remote convent in the Italian countryside. Sydney plays Sister Cecilia, a devout young nun who travels to Italy only to find herself trapped in a nightmare. The film was shot on location in Italy and showcased Sydney’s range as both star and producer.
06
Sydney made Emmy history in 2022 by earning two acting nominations in the same year for two different HBO shows. “Euphoria” was one — what was the other?
✓ Correct! In 2022, Sydney earned a Supporting Actress nomination for “Euphoria” and a Limited Series Supporting Actress nomination for “The White Lotus” — both on HBO. Being double-nominated across two of the network’s biggest shows cemented her as one of the most in-demand young actresses in Hollywood.
✗ Not quite! The answer is The White Lotus. Sydney’s dual nominations for Euphoria and The White Lotus in the same Emmy cycle was a remarkable achievement. Both shows were critical and commercial hits for HBO, and Sydney was central to each.
07
In the 2023 HBO film “Reality,” Sydney plays a real-life person — an NSA whistleblower who leaked classified documents to the press. Who did she portray?
✓ Correct! Sydney portrays Reality Winner, the former Air Force linguist and NSA contractor who was arrested in 2017 for leaking a classified report on Russian election interference. The film recreates her FBI interrogation using actual transcript recordings and was praised for Sydney’s riveting, restrained performance.
✗ Not quite! The answer is Reality Winner. The HBO film is based on the real FBI interrogation of Reality Winner, who leaked classified intelligence documents. Sydney’s intense, dialogue-driven performance was widely praised as some of her finest dramatic work.
08
Beyond acting, Sydney is known for an unusual hobby she’s been passionate about since she was a teenager, even earning a competition-level certification. What is it?
✓ Correct! Sydney is famously a trained MMA fighter and a gearhead who restores classic cars. She’s been passionate about mixed martial arts since high school and has also shared her love of working on vintage automobiles — hobbies that surprised fans who only knew her from her on-screen roles.
✗ Not quite! The answer is MMA training and restoring vintage cars. Sydney trained in MMA as a teenager and still practices. She’s also a self-taught mechanic who restores classic cars in her spare time — she’s shared her work on social media, showing there’s much more to her than meets the eye.
Spotlight · Final Review Your Fan Score
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Superfan or casual viewer?
Despite being an extremely divisive and controversial series, HBO’s Euphoria has managed to set a major streaming record, according to Nielsen. As detailed in the streaming charts, Sweeney’s series had 556 million minutes of watch time on HBO Max from April 13–19, placing it eighth on the overall chart. The top-performing acquired TV show was Bluey on Disney+ at 833 minutes. Nielsen’s ratings only cover TV viewings, not those on computers or mobile devices.
The ranking of Euphoria on Nielsen’s streaming charts is its first-ever appearance following its season 3 premiere. There has been major controversy surrounding the latest season due to Sweeney’s character, Cassie Howard, and how she’s being portrayed in the final season. In season 3, Cassie has been exploring her options in terms of a career and how to make a substantial amount of money, so she decides to become an OnlyFans model.
However, Sweeney was seen posing as a dog with a leash and collar and also dressing as a baby with pigtails. The controversial kinks being highlighted have already caused a major debate online, and even some notable OnlyFans models have spoken out against the portrayal of Cassie’s new career, such as Sydney Leathers, who stated that:
“There’s just a lot that’s ridiculous and cartoonish about it. There’s so much that they have her doing that is not even allowed on OnlyFans, and that alone is infuriating: the age-play stuff where she’s dressed as a baby in a diaper, for example. Credit card processors have very strict rules that you have to abide by, and the rules are getting stricter all the time.”
With recent streaming reports giving Euphoria its record-breaking new heights, it plays into the question whether Sweeney’s role and its controversies are, in fact, helping the series or if it could potentially drive away viewers due to the discomfort of the overall season, which recently featured some traumatizing scenes of a dancer being sexually abused. Creator Sam Levinson has also been called into question about the heightened sexuality and Cassie’s portrayal, and stated that:
“[Cassie] has got her dog house and her little dog ears and the nose, and that has its own humor, but what makes the scene is the fact that her housekeeper is the one filming it.”
Whether it’s humor or being controversial to get views, Euphoria is speeding up the streaming charts, and the last few episodes could even help the series reach the top.
