Louis Tomlinson Speaks Out on ‘Euphoria’ Sex Scene With Harry Styles: ‘I Didn’t Approve It’
Zack Sharf
HBO’s new series “Euphoria” has stirred up another big controversy after airing an animated sex scene featuring former One Direction band members Louis Tomlinson and Harry Styles. The sequence aired during the show’s third episode, “Made You Look,” and was an animated visualization of fan fiction written by the character Kat (Barbie Ferreira).
Styles has yet to say anything about the sequence, but Tomlinson briefly addressed the matter on social media. Replying to a fan wondering if the musicians approved of their likeness being used for a sex scene, Tomlinson replied: “I can categorically say that I was not contacted nor did I approve it.”
The scene in question was set backstage at a One Direction concert. An animated Tomlinson was waiting to go on stage and perform when Harry snuck up behind him and seduced him. Styles begins performing oral sex on Tomlinson as the scene becomes surreal and the two are seen floating in the stars in a sexual embrace. The scene only lasts a minute but was provocative enough to draw ire from One Direction fans.
“I just don’t understand why this ‘Euphoria’ show had to use [Harry and Louis’] real names and show One Direction images?” one fan asked on social media. “They could have made it clear who they were referencing without using names.”
In an interview with the Los Angeles Times, “Euphoria” showrunner Sam Levinson explained his intention with the scene was to show the subjective perspective of how Kat feels when writing such fan fiction.
“The idea behind it was a mixture of slightly rough animation and the surrealistic beauty of something like ‘Belladonna of Sadness,’ where you have animated images exploding into other things and there’s an element of surrealism to it,” Levinson added. “Personally, I find animation to be extremely difficult. I’d never worked with animation before. It’s just, the possibilities are endless. Which at times can be tricky. It’s like, ‘So, where do we want to take this next?’ And there’s a million thoughts that start to move through my head. It doesn’t have the same kind of confines as filmmaking, so it can be a bit daunting.”
“Euphoria” airs Sundays at 9pm ET on HBO.
I can categorically say that I was not contacted nor did I approve it.
— Louis Tomlinson (@Louis_Tomlinson) July 1, 2019
