Fans are still reeling over the controversial series finale of HBO’s Gen-Z drama, Euphoria.
The finale — which aired this past Sunday, May 31 — saw the demise of four characters, including the show’s beloved protagonist Rue Bennett, played by Emmy-winning actor Zendaya. Following the heartbreaking death, which came as a result of Rue taking Percocet, which — unbeknownst to her — was laced with fentanyl, an additional 40 minutes of the episode continued on, without any scenes of a funeral or service.
Some fans were disappointed that the rest of Rue’s peers — including Cassie (Sydney Sweeney), Lexi (Maude Apatow), and Maddy (Alexa Demie) — seemed virtually unaffected by Rue’s death.
On Thursday, June 4, Martha Kelly, who played the terrifying drug supplier Laurie on Euphoria, took to Threads to explain why she believes viewers didn’t see a funeral for Rue on screen.
“This is just speculation on my part,” Kelly said, “but I don’t think the choice to not show Rue’s funeral means she didn’t have one. Maybe they jumped ahead a couple months so the audience’s experience would be more like what loss is like in real life?”
She continued, noting that once grieving as a community ends, grieving alone begins, and it’s even more difficult.
“Because as someone who has lost several people, including both my parents, I can tell you that the most painful part of grief begins after the funeral is over.”
Laurie herself met her demise earlier in the episode after she died by suicide in order to escape legal consequences by the DEA. Later in the episode, Ali (Colman Domingo) avenged Rue’s death by going to Rue’s former place of employment — a strip club called The Silver Slipper — and shooting Alamo Brown (Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje), who supplied Rue with the laced percocet, and his henchman, G (Marshawn Lynch).
All episodes of Euphoria are currently streaming on HBO Max.
