A Euphoria actress has offered her own take on the long-rumored tension between her costars Sydney Sweeney and Zendaya.
The HBO hit returned for its third season in early April, but while critics were largely underwhelmed by the long-awaited comeback after a four-year hiatus, attention once again shifted to speculation over friction between its leading stars.
Whispers of a feud between Sweeney and Zendaya have circulated for years, fueled by online speculation around Sweeney’s alleged interest in Zendaya’s partner Tom Holland, as well as backlash over her political views, which saw her branded ‘MAGA Barbie’ online.
At the season three premiere, social media erupted with claims the pair had appeared to avoid each other on the red carpet, further intensifying the chatter.
In November, sources even told The Daily Mail that Zendaya was 'refusing to stand next to Sweeney.'
But on Monday, Jessica Blair Herman, who appears in the series as a neighbor of Sweeney and Jacob Elordi’s characters, said that from her experience on set, everyone got along.
Euphoria actress Jessica Blair Herman (left) offered her own take on the long-rumored tension between her costars Sydney Sweeney and Zendaya
Herman, who appears in the series as a neighbor of Sweeney and Jacob Elordi ’s characters, said that from her experience on set, everyone got along
‘They really did,’ she told Good Day New York. ‘And I’m not just saying that.’
Herman stressed there was ‘no drama’, adding, ‘Really, they’ve created this beautiful working relationship and everyone wants to do the work, to come in and do the job.’
She went on to defend both Zendaya and Sweeney, noting that the pair rarely share scenes together.
'To be fair, when I was there, they’re not sharing scenes,' she continued. 'Their storylines are very separate, you’re shooting on different days and stuff.'
Herman’s interview comes after speculation intensified earlier this year when Sweeney was notably absent from the current season’s cast photo, with a source later claiming she was filming a scene at the time it was taken.
It also follows a clip from the Season 3 premiere that circulated online, appearing to show Zendaya warmly chatting with co-star Hunter Schafer while seemingly not engaging with Sweeney.
After the premiere, a wave of additional clips resurfaced online, with viewers claiming they showed the pair deliberately avoiding each other.
One observer wrote: ‘Zendaya showed up and immediately got back in her car’, to which a fellow fan replied: ‘So she wasn’t playing about not doing press with sydney sweeney lmaoooo’.
Herman stressed there was ‘no drama’, adding, ‘Really, they’ve created this beautiful working relationship and everyone wants to do the work, to come in and do the job'
Commenting on another clip, one user added: ‘okay look at this, Zendaya greets Hunter, hugs her, and in the back Sydney who's looking at Hunter but the moment Zendaya turns toward her she nervously looks away in another direction XD’.
Others were quick to weigh in, with one post reading: ‘Zendaya is seen seemingly ignoring Sydney Sweeney in this clip, & the internet is already connecting dots.’
The speculation has long been fueled by persistent rumors of off-screen tension, including claims of flirtation involving Holland.
Sweeney’s politics have also added to online divisions amid backlash over her public profile and brand campaigns.
In January, she pushed back against attempts to label her politically, saying she had been unfairly turned into a symbol in a wider culture war.
She said she had never set out to discuss politics publicly, adding that she felt increasingly boxed in by outside interpretations of who she is.
‘I’ve never been here to talk about politics. I’ve always been here to make art, so this is just not a conversation I want to be at the forefront of...’ she said.
‘I think because of that, people want to take it even further and use me as their own pawn,’ she added.
'To be fair, when I was there, they’re not sharing scenes,' she continued, adding, 'Their storylines are very separate, you’re shooting on different days and stuff;' (Herman pictured with husband Allen Leech in 2019)
Sweeney also reflected on the difficulty of correcting public narratives, saying there was often ‘no winning’ once perceptions had taken hold.
‘I haven’t figured it out. I’m not a hateful person. If I say: “That’s not true,” they’ll come at me like: “You’re just saying that to look better.” There’s no winning. There’s never any winning.’
She added: ‘I just have to continue being who I am, because I know who I am. I can’t make everyone love me. I know what I stand for.’
Meanwhile, Zendaya has made her stance on Donald Trump clear in the past, sharing a 2020 Instagram post on voting rights captioned: ‘Vote this MF out’.