Euphoria star Barbie Ferreira slams her critics and body-shamers in a recent interview. The actor best known for her career-defining role as Kat Hernandez on HBO’s hit series became a fan-favorite due to her relatable, Gen Z-tailored storyline. Though Kat has taken a bit of a backseat in season 2, fans are still eagerly anticipating further development for the character and her storyline.
Euphoria, which follows struggling drug addict Rue (Zendaya) and her group of high-school friends and colleagues, has become more popular than ever in season 2 - so popular, in fact, that it was recently renewed by HBO for season 3. The show consistently trends on Twitter, and discussions about it have brought "#Euphoria" to nearly 2 million interactions. Despite some of the unsavory negative reactions to Euphoria creator Sam Levinson and some of the plot twists that have occurred in season 2, no one can deny that the show has struck a chord with audiences.
Not all of the viewer engagement has been healthy appreciation, however, and in an interview with WhoWhatWear, Ferreira speaks out about the “backhanded compliments” she receives for her confidence. Arguing that “wearing a crop top is not radical,” she emphasizes that there is nothing special or extraordinary about simply existing as a plus-size woman, expressing sorrow that bigger bodies are no longer “trendy.” Still, she acknowledges the importance of her character’s self-love storyline while stressing that this goes beyond her size. Check out the full quote here:
It’s not radical for me to be wearing a crop top. [Comments like that] are just backhanded compliments. I’ve been doing this since I was 16, I’m 25… I think bigger bodies are not as “trendy” anymore, which is sad to me. But it’s more of a conversation of the fact that we all struggle with self-love, and I don’t think any young person has really figured it out yet.
Ferreira makes an interesting point about the “toxic positivity” movement, which aims to uplift or bring attention to different, non-conventionally attractive body types - while simultaneously suffocating genuine insecurities. This moment was reflected shrewdly in a recent Euphoria episode, which saw Kat surrounded by women screaming for her to love herself. Ferreira’s comments touch on that need for self-love that many young people have.
A key part of Euphoria’s popularity is its relatability to younger viewers. Ferreira - who will go on to star alongside Keke Palmer, Daniel Kaluuya, and Steven Yeun in Jordan Peele’s Nope - has managed to zero in on this aspect and channel it quite successfully through her character. Here’s hoping that as Euphoria season 2 progresses, Kat’s importance to the storyline deepens, and Ferreira gets another chance to prove her haters wrong.
Source: WhoWhatWear