Last Summer, HBO’s Euphoria premiere sparked something of a cultural reset, obliterating the mould of previous teen-centred television shows and instantly claiming its space within a gap in the market that desperately needed to be filled. Executive produced by Drake and led by former Disney star Zendaya, Euphoria brought with it a tidal wave of industry buzz and a borderline-obsessive fandom. The show propelled a young cast to the forefront of Hollywood, including 21-year-old Maude Apatow. The daughter of Judd Apatow and actress Leslie Mann, it’s a world she was already acclimatised to — but after director Sam Levinson wrote character Lexi with her in mind after they met on the set of Assassination Nation, Euphoria marks the time she claimed her own space within it.
In our SS20 issue, Apatow unpacks the cultural impact of the show and what we can expect from season two, as well as her upcoming role in The King of Staten Island, where she plays SNL regular Pete Davidson’s little sister in a film based on his life. Reflecting on her firm position as one of the industry’s most influential young voices, the actor reflects on her own influences including Lena Dunham, Phoebe Waller-Bridge and her parents, the pressure that comes with her platform, and the power of hard work.