Zendaya reflects on Rue’s shocking death in ‘Euphoria’ finale
Zendaya spoke out following the devastating conclusion of HBO’s Euphoria, which ended with the death of her character Rue.
In a behind the scenes segment aired after the May 31 finale, the 29-year-old actress delivered an emotional farewell to the cast and crew.
“I want to say thank you. I’m really grateful for every single one of you,” Zendaya said, noting that many colleagues had “watched [her] grow up” since the show’s 2019 debut.
The finale saw Rue killed by Alamo (Adewale Akinnuoye Agbaje) after he discovered she was working undercover against him.
Given fentanyl laced painkillers, Rue overdosed midway through the episode.
Ali (Colman Domingo) later found her body, with the remainder of the finale following his quest for vengeance and a poignant dinner table tribute to Rue.
Series creator Sam Levinson defended the decision, calling it “an honest ending.”
He explained that Rue’s fate reflected the harsh realities of addiction, “The honest ending is that people like Rue don’t make it.”
Levinson also acknowledged the real-life loss of cast member Angus Cloud, who died of an accidental overdose in July 2025, saying the finale was partly a tribute to him and others who “weren’t granted a second chance.”
