Euphoria creator Sam Levinson has detailed how Zendaya filmed the shocking season 3 scene where her character Rue is buried alive. The scene, which appears in episode 5, shows Rue buried up to her head as a thug named Alamo rides toward her with a polo club.
How Was the Buried Alive Scene Filmed?
In HBO's Inside the Episode featurette, Levinson explained that the sequence was inspired by an old western trope. 'It's sort of an old western trope. You know, we're going to bury you up to your neck. It was a really complicated thing to pull off because we wanted to shoot it practically,' he said. To ensure Zendaya's safety, the crew built a special container with a box that allowed her to duck underground in case of an earthquake.
Stunt coordinator Jeff Barnett confirmed that two stunt safety personnel were in the hole with Zendaya, providing oxygen, water, and any other necessities. Zendaya spent about three days buried up to her neck on a hillside, and Levinson praised her dedication, calling her 'a real trooper.'
Cast Reactions and Details
Marshawn Lynch, who plays a character involved in the scene, revealed that the cast kicked 'clean dirt' onto Zendaya. 'Burying Z, that shit was wild as f---. We had to kick dirt on her and I'm like, 'You cool with this?' She like, 'Oh yeah'. Just like it was another day at the office or something,' he said.
Meanwhile, Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje, who plays Alamo, shared that he learned to ride a horse specifically for the role. 'My focus was trying to not fall off the horse and that was nerve-wracking because I'd never ridden a horse in my life. I trained for six weeks...that was really important in conveying a cowboy,' he explained.
The scene is one of many intense moments in Euphoria season 3, which has also featured drug mule sequences, a wedding gone wrong, and a toe-cutting incident. Fans continue to praise the show's bold storytelling and Zendaya's fearless performance.
