Euphoria took an enormous risk killing off a major character within the season 3 finale — and now Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje is speaking out about possible backlash.
Akinnuoye-Agbaje, 58, addressed his character Alamo being involved in Rue’s (Zendaya) death, exclusively telling Us Weekly on the MPTF NextGen Summer Party, which was presented by Delta Air Lines and Waymo, “Look, it’s a voracious fan base. It’s really their show. It preceded me. I’ve done my part. Whatever they are saying and do is their part in order that’s where I leave it.”
On the Sunday, May 31, episode of the show, Alamo offered Rue some pain pills that turned out to be laced with fentanyl. This confirmed that Alamo intentionally gave Rue drugs that he knew she would relapse on — and that he planned to kill her after he previously discovered she was working with the DEA to bring him down.
“The attractive thing about Euphoria is — initially — this incredible performance that Zendaya has done. She narrates the show and we’ve seen it largely through her perspective,” the actor told Us on the annual fundraiser, which toasts Hollywood while rallying money for the Motion Picture & Television Fund in support of working and retired entertainment professionals.
Akinnuoye-Agbaje noted that Euphoria has a powerful ensemble solid, adding, “Considered one of the attractive things is that it opens it as much as the angle of so most of the other characters. Whether or not they’re inside Rue’s group and vicinity, you’ve gotten Laurie’s gang and you’ve gotten Alamo’s gang and you’ve gotten Rue’s friends. There’s room to explore those backstories, those relationships and people adventures that they’d have.”
He continued: “That is TV. There’s at all times a world by which it could — in the event that they desired to — [they could explore the world more.] Whether or not they need to or not … I don’t know.”
Despite the devastating ending for Rue, Akinnuoye-Agbaje praised creator Sam Levinson on his vision.
“This season has been heavily influenced with religious themes about God and belief,” he noted. “All of that got here to bear in the ultimate episode. It sums up the results of everyone’s selections so you will note a reckoning. It’s poetic and it’s poignant. It’s responsible as well in his artistry within the message that it’s sending out.”
Akinnuoye-Agbaje went on to handle how Rue’s death arrange Ali’s (Colman Domingo) story of looking for revenge in her honor. This allowed for a Western-inspired sequence that left Alamo dead — but not before an epic standoff.
“Sam’s vision for this was heavily influenced by Western iconography. He was going to make this a Western style but with a contemporary take,” he noted to Us. “It was incredible how he interwove that with the narrative of the show and people characters that grew up constructing that narrative.”
Looking ahead, Akinnuoye-Agbaje showed support for more Alamo — perhaps in spinoff form.
“I could be up for it. It’s such a wealthy character and we saw such a lovely back story,” he shared. “It will be great to see how he got to that house on the hill. We’re going to put it out within the ethos.”
Euphoria is currently streaming on HBO Max.