Euphoria Star Hunter Schafer Originally Turned Down the Jules Role

Hunter Schafer's Jules is one of the best characters on television at the moment -- but we almost had a different version altogether.

In the first season of the popular HBO original teen drama Euphoria, lead character Rue Bennett (Zendaya) has a burgeoning relationship with Jules, a trans girl she knows from school. Jules also hooked up with married, closeted father Cal Jacobs (Eric Dane), causing even more tension, including with Cal's son, Nate (Jacob Elordi).

Schafer has added a ton to the character, including consulting on the character and co-writing and co-executive producing an episode. She's received huge critical acclaim and is considered to be a huge Emmys snub.

However, according to Euphoria's casting director Jennifer Venditti, Schafer originally turned down the role.

At the time Schafer was a model, not an actress, and didn't know if she was comfortable doing sex scenes.

"I reached out to her agent and they originally passed," Venditti told Variety. "[The actor] had to be open to any kind of sexual situations. So imagine that you were not really thinking of acting, and someone brings an opportunity with possible nudity."

"I was like, 'Can we just meet?' Obviously, I'd respect her decision if that was something that, ultimately, she wasn't comfortable with," she continued. "But I didn't feel comfortable just not having a discussion about it to see what her thoughts were and to explain what it was."

She also explained how once Schafer did the audition, she was a natural.

"She also did something that I think is so beautiful: when it was time for the other young woman to do a scene that was hers, she showed up for her," Venditti said. "She was so present and so natural with these other scenes that weren't hers. You find that with good actors, that's what they do for each other."

Schafer truly is a great talent, and we're lucky to have her on Euphoria and in Hollywood.

Both seasons of Euphoria are streaming on HBO Max.

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