Zendaya complained to HBO over Euphoria creator Sam Levinson’s work on The Idol

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https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/tv...ma-1235953050/

According to The Hollywood Reporter's Kim Masters, Zendaya and the Euphoria creator, once “thick as thieves,” became alienated from each other. She was upset with Levinson turning his attention away from Euphoria to focus on The Idol. Meanwhile, "a source close to Levinson blamed Zendaya for dragging her feet with an eye toward a burgeoning film career...," reports Masters. "Eventually, as Levinson wound up spending far more time on The Idol than anticipated, Zendaya’s frustration grew," reports Masters. "Levinson had not yet delivered scripts for Euphoria‘s third season — scripts that are still a work in progress more than two years after viewers watched the last episode of season two. Zendaya was so perturbed that she asked for a meeting with HBO’s (Casey) Bloys and (Francesca) Orsi, demanding to know why the network allowed Levinson to turn his attention to another show — an HBO show, no less — with Euphoria hanging in the balance. Zendaya had nothing to do with The Idol but was swept up in fan backlash for a project she hadn’t wanted Levinson to take on in the first place. Sources note that she was already a seasoned actress when she appeared in Euphoria at 22, and she closely tracks the mood on social media. 'Her image is pristine,' says an executive who has dealt with her. 'And fans were turning against Sam,' urging Zendaya to distance herself. Months later, with the relationship having curdled, there was another meeting at HBO with Zendaya, Levinson, Bloys and Orsi, ostensibly to discuss creative issues. But HBO execs who hoped the gathering would help bring about a reconciliation between director and star wound up disappointed. 'They went from being so close, and they couldn’t fix it,' says a source involved with the show." Masters adds: "Levinson’s first crack at an idea for the new season, in which Zendaya was to be a private detective, was rejected by both HBO and Zendaya. Zendaya’s idea that she could play a surrogate mother also was a nonstarter. But HBO sources say that there is finally the beginning of a thaw between writer-director and star, and an inkling of an idea that will work. 'Good luck to us,' says one person closely involved in the show. 'Who knows what the hell will happen.'" ALSO: Season 3 delays have caused Sydney Sweeney to lose out on big paydays.