Euphoria star Hunter Schafer initially declined the role of Jules, which she has now received critical-acclaim for.
The hit HBO series was her first acting credit.
However, Schafer did not accept the role straight away.
“I reached out to her agent and they originally passed,” according to casting director Jennifer Venditti.
At the time, Schafer was focused on modelling, not acting, and her team decided to decline the role.
“[The actor] had to be open to any kind of sexual situations. So imagine that you were not really thinking of acting, and someone brings an opportunity with possible nudity,” Vendetti explains.
Although Schafer turned down the role, the casting director didn’t stop there.
“I was like, ‘Can we just meet?’ Obviously, I’d respect her decision if that was something that, ultimately, she wasn’t comfortable with. But I didn’t feel comfortable just not having a discussion about it to see what her thoughts were and to explain what it was.”
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Vendetti praised the 23-year-old for her audition performance: “She also did something that I think is so beautiful: when it was time for the other young woman to do a scene that was hers, she showed up for her. She was so present and so natural with these other scenes that weren’t hers. You find that with good actors, that’s what they do for each other.”
Schafer played Jules Vaughn in both seasons of the Sam Levinson creation.
She’s a trans girl who recently moved to the fictional town of East Highland.
Schafer stars opposite Disney veteran and Spiderman actress Zendaya, who plays Rue.
The pair portrayed Rue and Jules’ relationship as it blossomed.
Over the two seasons, the couple have faced a number of challenges.
From Rue’s drug addiction to Jules’ complicated hookup with Cal Jacobs (Eric Dane), the pair have had a tumultuous story arc so far.
Since Euphoria, Schafer’s has secured roles in horror film Cuckoo and The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes.
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