It’s no secret that the ensemble cast of Euphoria is a talented one. However, Zendaya has undoubtedly served as the headliner for the wildly popular HBO drama since its inception. The former Disney darling has always been the biggest name attached to the project. And while some people were initially skeptical about whether or not she could pull off such an intense role, she has more than proven herself capable. Over the past few years, both Zendaya and Euphoria have increased in popularity. Thus, it makes complete sense that the actor has negotiated quite the pay raise ahead of season 3.
What was Zendaya getting paid per episode prior to ‘Euphoria’ Season 3?
Recently, there have been reports that Zendaya will be making a whopping $1 million per episode for the upcoming season of Euphoria. Though the Dune actor had an impressive net worth prior to this news, her salary increase will give her a substantial bump. As the show’s lead, Zendaya was already the highest-paid person in the cast. Though there have been no official confirmations, there were rumors that she was making roughly $500,000 per episode for the first two seasons of the show.
The actor’s Emmy wins likely helped her negotiate a salary of $1 million an episode
But what exactly led to Zendaya being able to successfully double her salary for season 3? A lot of factors go into her being able to negotiate such a great pay increase. First, is, of course, the show’s popularity. Unlike a lot of other shows, Euphoria has only gained viewers since it first debuted in 2019. The sophomore season of the show cemented the drama as one of HBO’s most-watched shows of all time. Another thing that like contributes to Zendaya’s pay bump? Her awards. The Spider-Man star has scored Emmy wins for her portrayal of Rue in both seasons. Also contributing to her new salary are her increased responsibilities. In addition to acting, the 26-year-old served as one of the show’s executive producers in season 2 and will likely continue this in season 3.
Zendaya will likely make her directorial debut in ‘Euphoria’ Season 3
It’s no secret that Zendaya takes a very hands-on approach to her work on Euphoria. Even when the actor isn’t filming, she’s often on set soaking up as much knowledge as she can. And fans should expect her to wear yet another hat in season 3. The actor has shared that she has plans to direct an episode for the upcoming season. In fact, she actually had plans to make her directorial debut in season 2.
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“It’s funny I was actually supposed to direct episode 6, but then I had to act in it,” Zendaya explained to Vogue Italia. “I didn’t have enough time so, unfortunately, I wasn’t able to this time around. I wanted to have enough time to do it the right way, so next season, probably.”
What is Zendaya hoping for in the upcoming season of ‘Euphoria’?
Clearly, Zendaya has more than earned her renegotiated salary. But what does she hope for Rue and the gang in Euphoria Season 3? While speaking with The Hollywood Reporter, the multi-hyphenate creator teased a potential time jump. “I think it’ll be exciting to explore the characters out of high school,” she explained. “I want to see what Rue looks like in her sobriety journey, how chaotic that might look. But also with all the characters, in the sense where they’re trying to figure out what to do with their lives when high school is over and what kind of people they want to be.”
But when exactly will Euphoria Season 3 start filming? Sydney Sweeney has teased that it’ll be sooner rather than later. However, given how booked and busy the cast is, it’s hard to say. Still, there have been whispers that the show will resume filming in Summer 2023. But considering how long the show takes to film, fans shouldn’t expect anything new until sometime next year at the very earliest.
