Zendaya Addresses D.A.R.E.'s Criticism That Euphoria Glorifies Teen Drug Use and Abuse

Last month, we told you about the Drug Abuse Resistance Education program (D.A.R.E.) and their critique of the highly popular HBO series, Euphoria.

In a statement from their rep, the program rebuked the teen drama for its decision to “misguidedly glorify and erroneously depict high school student drug use, addiction, anonymous sex, violence, and other destructive behaviors as common and widespread in today’s world” instead of furthering “each parent’s desire to keep their children safe from the potentially horrific consequences of drug abuse and other high-risk behavior.”

Well, the series’ star herself, Emmy-nominated actress Zendaya is speaking on the criticism in a new interview with Entertainment Weekly.

“Our show is in no way a moral tale to teach people how to live their life or what they should be doing,” the Spider-Man: No Way Home star explained. “If anything, the feeling behind Euphoria, or whatever we have always been trying to do with it, is to hopefully help people feel a little bit less alone in their experience and their pain. And maybe feel like they’re not the only one going through or dealing with what they’re dealing with.”

She further added, “My biggest hope is that people are able to connect to it and those who need to heal and grow with Rue hopefully, by the end of this season, feel that hope and feel that change in her. I’ve had a lot of people reach out and find so many parallels from all ages, all walks of life. So many parallels with Rue and her story and Rue means a lot to them in a way that I can understand, but also maybe in a way that I could never understand, and that means the most to all of us.”