Sydney Sweeney's controversial Euphoria scene sparks backlash as NSFW 'pup play' act explained
Euphoria season three premiered on Monday (13 April), and while only one of the eight episodes of the season has been released, it's clear HBO viewers have found themselves tangled up in a very heated debate about Sydney Sweeney and her character Cassie Howard.
The first episode picks up after a five-year jump with Cassie and Nate Jacobs, played by Jacob Elordi, now engaged, with the former trying out OnlyFans to make a little extra cash for their upcoming wedding.
One scene shows Cassie in a pooch-like get-up, complete with ears, a collar, a lead and a drawn-on nose as she films X-rated content.
She also crawls around on all fours and 'woofs'.
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Some TV fans have likened the on-screen fetish to something known as 'pup play' - but what actually is it?
What is 'pup play'?
LGBTQ+ outlet Them explains that 'pup play' is part of a 'queer subculture'.
According to the outlet, pup play is 'a subsect of BDSM that involves roleplaying as a pup, sometimes in a group of other pups (a pack) or with a handler or trainer'.
"This process is all about tapping into your primal self as a pup and engaging in an authentic type of play," Them notes. "Think rolling around on the ground, playing fetch, and generally releasing the stress of human existence in exchange for the euphoria and full-body experience of being a pup."
Them adds that it may be helpful to think of 'pups' as subs and 'handlers' as doms, but this isn't always the case.
"Of course, play should only happen after a pup and their handler have a thorough conversation and understanding of boundaries, consent, and possible safe words during play," the outlet outlines.
"While not all pup/handler relationships mimic sub/dom relationships, it can be a useful way to understand pup play’s roots in queer BDSM and leather communities."
Criticism of the dog scene
Now, with that said, it's not to say that Sweeney's controversial X-rated scene is an example of this kind of 'pup play' - but it's not stopped HBO viewers from rushing to social media to share their outrage.
One X user slammed: "It’s okay to hate on Euphoria and HBO, but don’t hate on pup play. It’s a lot of fun, whether you’re holding the leash or in it."
"Everyone yelling 'she’s acting' duhh … it’s the fact some scenes were clearly unnecessary, and intended to humiliate her sexually in front of all the men that idolised her sexually... Hollywood is dark," hit out a second.
A third chimed in: "The check must’ve been big cause there’s no way…"
"This is so embarrassing even for Jacob. But how can Sydney Sweeney agree to do something like this? It's like a humiliation ritual," declared a fourth.
"Getting Sydney to do this is diabolical," lamented another.
And a final critic echoed: "I just can’t believe Sydney Sweeney agreed to do half the shit we’re gonna see this season. Role-playing as a dog? Girl STAND UP..."
Elsewhere in the series, Cassie also dresses up as a baby to film adult content, prompting fans to call out the 'vulgar' scene.
Defence of the dog scene
Others, however, couldn't have disagreed more.
"You guys are mad asf!!! She’s just doing her job, she’s playing an OnlyFans creator. Guess what, some people do this type of thing in real life," one wrote.
A second piped up: "Girl, it's called acting. Sydney's playing a messy character on a show that's always been wild and unhinged. If it was too much for her, she wouldn't have signed on. People acting shocked like they haven't seen Euphoria before lol."
"Amen!!!!! I don’t know why Sydney is being blamed for Cassie’s hypersexuality when she did not create the character or the scripts," outlined another. "What do people want her to do? Walk off the set? She would be sued, and her reputation in the industry would be tarnished."
And a final X user echoed: "The criticism of Cassie as a character and the shaming of the character’s actions is 100% valid, but blaming Sydney is absurd. She’s an actress playing a character and a talented one at that. The hate she gets is so unwarranted."
Italian journalist Mario Manca shared his verdict, writing on X: "The hypocrisies of this hyperconnected world that screams about gender equality and then almost always gets lost in utter nonsense drive me insane. It happens that today the first episode of the third season of Euphoria airs on HBO Max and Sky, and it happens that many users on social media get outraged not because almost nothing of the original 'Euphoria' is left but because the character of Cassie, played by Sydney Sweeney, at a certain point decides to get photographed dressed as a little doggy because she wants to scrape together a few bucks on OnlyFans.
"Open the heavens: dishonour on the character of Cassie who wants to put her body up for sale and dishonour on Sydney Sweeney who didn't rebel against the idea of dressing up as a character who commodifies herself.
"Overlooking an important detail, namely that it's right for an adult woman to do whatever she wants with her own body, considering that in the story it's Cassie who gets photographed that way and no one imposes it on her, the accusation against Euphoria of sexualizing a body is downright hilarious considering that three-quarters of the girls who are insulting Sweeney are the same ones who spent months gleefully sexualizing Connor Storrie and Hudson Williams from Heated Rivalry, turning them into two pieces of meat it's okay to fantasize about and write the nastiest smut about.
"I write it often that when it comes to gender equality, this is always a detail that slips past everyone: why do we get indignant if it's a woman being sexualized and swoon if it's a man? We've got pretty muddled ideas about it. And anyway, I mean: okay, sexualize the actors from Heated Rivalry, but at least have the decency not to pile insults on Sweeney because, really, it's already laughable enough as is."
Where can I watch Euphoria season 3 in the UK?
The first episode of Euphoria season 3 landed in the UK on Monday (13 April).
Only the premiere drops on that date, as the rest roll out weekly.
You can stream every episode on HBO Max in the UK.
It will also air on Sky Atlantic and be available via NOW, as with previous seasons.
When will the rest of Euphoria season 3 arrive in the UK?
As an HBO original, season 3 drops one episode at a time.
There are eight episodes in total, with the final instalment due on 1 June.
Here is the full UK release schedule for season 3 of Euphoria:
- Episode 1: Monday, April 13
- Episode 2: Monday, April 20
- Episode 3: Monday, April 27
- Episode 4: Monday, May 4
- Episode 5: Monday, May 11
- Episode 6: Monday, May 18
- Episode 7: Monday, May 25
- Episode 8: Monday, June 1
Topics: Sex and Relationships, Explained, LGBTQ, TV And Film, Euphoria, Sydney Sweeney, Celebrity, Life, HBO
Rhiannon Ingle