Celebrate Zendaya’s Emmy Win for ‘Euphoria’ With 8 Great Rue Moments
Euphoria, the turbulent drama that explored modern teen relationships, identities and trauma in its first season, had a big night at the 2020 Emmys.
The show boasted six nominations and three wins, including a Lead Drama Actress win for Zendaya, the show’s most recognizable face. Zendaya is now the youngest winner in this category at only 24 years old, replacing Killing Eve’s Jodie Comer, who won in 2019 at 26 years old.
While Euphoria was renewed for a second season even before the end of its first, COVID-19 stalled production that originally began in early March. While we anxiously await Season 2 of this stylish drama, let’s look back at some Rue moments that prove Zendaya earned every ounce of that Emmy award.
Euphoria, Season 2, TBA, HBO
Rue's "two seconds of nothingness"
In the first half of Euphoria‘s pilot, we learn about the drug problem that landed Rue in rehab. Zendaya’s voice-over haunts as we watch Rue fade into a high. Her unnervingly calm description of the “two seconds of nothingness” she seeks in getting high makes us wonder, perhaps along with Rue herself, if she will come out on the other side of this.
Rue in the wrong place at the wrong time
In episode 2, “Stuntin’ Like My Daddy,” Rue pays a visit to Fez (Angus Cloud) that is interrupted by a visit from his dangerous supplier, Mouse (Meeko). In a tense scene where Mouse force-feeds Rue fentanyl, she makes a desperate plea for her life: “Just please God, I’m begging you, do not let me die tonight.”
Rue breaks down outside of Fez's apartment
After Rue kisses Jules (Hunter Schafer) with no reciprocation, she immediately turns to Fez for a drug fix. Standing outside his apartment in withdrawal, Rue tries everything to get him to sell her drugs. She blames him for her addiction and takes personal jabs at a friend who consistently shows his best interest toward her.
Zendaya, in heartbreaking anger and distress, shows us a character in an earnest struggle with her loyalties.
Rue goes into full mom mode with Gia
On carnival night, Rue’s younger sister Gia (Storm Reid) escapes to smoke with older kids. When Rue confronts her and tells her it’s time to leave, we see the fragile teen inside of Rue give way to something maternal. She weathers insults from Gia’s friends about her stint in rehab with a stern face, eventually pulling her sister away from a situation that seems all too familiar to her.
Rue lightens up!
In Episode 5, “’03 Bonnie and Clyde”, Rue is clean from drugs and doing well. She goes roller-skating with Jules and Lexi (Maude Apatow) in what makes for a fun evening under the disco lights. Rue lets out some big smiles here—maybe her biggest all season—and makes us love seeing her happy!
Rue's mental health reaches a breaking point
In Episode 7, aptly titled “The Trials and Tribulations of Trying to Pee While Depressed,” we see Rue cycling through manic and depressive cycles. Zendaya handles her portrayal of mental illness carefully and believably. In a voiceover describing her depression, she uses the same vacant tone as she does in the pilot—making us truly fearful that we could lose Rue to her battles.
Rue listens to her intuition
In the season finale, Rue backs out of a plan to leave town with Jules. Standing on the train platform, Rue tearfully says goodbye to Jules, who is persistent in convincing her to come along. After a season of Rue going against her best interests for her addictions—whether to drugs or to Jules—it is gratifying to see her finally stand up for herself.
Rue hallucinates an entire musical number
We would be remiss not to mention Rue’s relapse in the finale, leaving us with a musical number in the final few moments of the season. Zendaya performed her song, “All for Us,” with a full ensemble of dancers to close out the season with a powerful symbolic representation of addiction. Zendaya singing, dancing and acting in line with her character in this final scene was Emmy-worthy from its inception.
