It's no secret that triple-threat singer, dancer, and actor Zendaya is in the midst of a career high. Her resume has nearly tripled in size just within the last few years, and she already has a few upcoming projects lined up — which may lead fans to wonder if Zendaya will be in Euphoria Season 2. She could be too busy with other work to continue, or worse, her character Rue Bennett may not survive Sunday night's Season 1 finale.
According to IMDb, Zendaya is next starring in Dune, a film adaptation of the Frank Herbert sci-fi novel that's set to release in 2019. She's also leading a crime thriller alongside Jake Gyllenhaal and Ansel Elgort called Finest Kind, out in 2020, as well as a bio-pic called A White Lie which doesn't yet have a release date.
Aside from Zendaya's packed schedule, Euphoria fans are also worried her character will be written out of the story. The show is loosely based off of an Israeli mini-series by the same name, and many viewers have chosen to base their theories on that. Some speculate that Rue, who struggles with a substance abuse disorder, ends up relapsing and dying. She narrates the entire first season in past tense and has an omniscient knowledge of the other characters' lives, which fans have come to believe is because she is already dead and is recounting her life.
Fans have also noticed that a gun — being loaded and then pointed offscreen — is pictured in the finale trailer, which is a good indication that someone is on the other end of it. It could be Rue or her friend Jules. "Her or Jules will be dead at the end of the season," one Reddit user speculated. "Either she's dead or Jules dies and she goes back to rehab and is retelling the story to somebody."
In an effort to warn viewers of potential triggers, Zendaya tweeted about the show's traumatic content before it premiered in June. "Euphoria is for mature audiences," she wrote. "It's a raw and honest portrait of addiction, anxiety and the difficulties of navigating life today. There are scenes that are graphic, hard to watch, and can be triggering. Please only watch if you feel you can handle it." Will her character's death be one of those events?
There's still hope that Rue will return for Season 2. Soon after HBO announced the series' renewal on July 11, Zendaya shared the news on Twitter. "Literally just got the call," she wrote. "Can't say thank you enough for the support we've seen, wow..." She didn't explicitly state that she would be back, but if she weren't returning, she wouldn't exactly need to get a call about it, right?
According to IndieWire, Euphoria creator Sam Levinson based Rue's characterization on his own experiences with anxiety and substance abuse, so some fans are hoping his potential attachment to her and her titular role in the show will keep her alive. Fingers crossed.
If you or someone you know is seeking help for substance use, call the SAMHSA National Helpline at 1-800-662-HELP(4357).
