HBO Execs Doubted Alexa Demie for Maddy Role in ‘Euphoria’, Sam Levinson Reveals

Alexa Demie is opening up about her early days on “Euphoria” and the doubts that surrounded her casting as Maddy Perez. In a new interview with The Hollywood Reporter, shared just ahead of the show’s Season 3 finale, she addressed rumors about her future in acting and reflected on how close she came to not landing the role that made her famous.

The information comes from her interview with The Hollywood Reporter and comments from creator Sam Levinson.

Demie pushed back lightly on talk that she might leave Hollywood after “Euphoria” ends. She didn’t give a firm answer, instead reacting with humor. She said, “Should we just ride with it?” when asked about the retirement rumors.

She also spoke about how difficult it was early in her career to find roles that matched her identity. She explained that she often auditioned for characters where her background was not even considered. Demie said, “I was reading it, and it really hit me — and I kept having that experience. I was sick of going into those rooms… I’m more of the energy of like, ‘No, I’m going to show you I can do it.’”

At one point, she even auditioned for Rue before eventually being cast as Maddy. She recalled feeling discouraged during that time, saying she turned to music to process it. She said, “This is the end of everything, my life’s over.” She added that a friend helped her turn that frustration into recording music, which later led to her being called back for Maddy.

Creator Sam Levinson also spoke about the casting process and the pushback from HBO executives. He said the network originally had a very different image of Maddy. Levinson explained, “But HBO didn’t think she was right for the part, because they had imagined a blond cheerleader.” He added that he had to guide Demie during early casting conversations, knowing she would face bias because of how executives pictured the character.

Demie also talked about her early concerns around sex scenes in the series. She said she felt pressure to accept everything without question when she was younger. She said, “I thought that if I said no to doing them, then I wouldn’t have the part.” Over time, she said she became more comfortable speaking up and was met with support from the production team.

She also reflected on filming emotional and sexual storylines involving Maddy and how her perspective changed once she experienced them on set. Demie said she learned what she was and was not comfortable with and made adjustments moving forward.

On the subject of fame, she made it clear she is not chasing constant attention. She said, “It’s like, did you ever think that I don’t want it? People really take the authority out of your hands.” She added that she values her personal life and does not feel pressure to change it for public expectation.

The interview highlights how Demie’s path to playing Maddy was not straightforward, and how both she and Levinson saw potential that others initially missed.

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