Euphoria creator Sam Levinson accused of "ripping off" Petra Collins with the show

14 September 2023, 17:33

Sydney Sweeney gives Euphoria fans a set tour

By Sam Prance

Petra Collins is an artist and music video director most famous for her work with Olivia Rodrigo, Cardi B and Selena Gomez.

Euphoria creator Sam Levinson is coming under fire after Petra Collins has accused him of ripping her off with the hit show.

If you don't know Petra Collins by name, you will know her work. After making a name for herself as a fashion photographer, Petra has since gone on to direct huge music videos by the likes of Olivia Rodrigo, Cardi B and Selena Gomez. Thanks to her signature dreamy, lo-fi, feminine aesthetic, Petra has one of the most recognisable styles in pop culture today.

Now, Petra has revealed that she worked on Euphoria only to be kicked off it with her ideas still being used without credit.

READ MORE: Barbie Ferreira addresses Sam Levinson drama rumours for the first time

In an interview with the Hungarian publication PUNKT this year, Petra explained how she was originally involved in Euphoria. She said: "The reason I moved to LA was because Sam Levinson reached out to my agency and told me: 'I wrote a show based on your photos. Will you direct it?'"

Petra then said that she worked on Euphoria for five months and even did casting for it. However, at the last minute, HBO allegedly told her that she was "too young" and dropped her from the show. As a result, Petra expected that they would scrap her work.

Fast forward to 2019 and Petra found out that her vision was still being used. She said: "A year later, I walked out my apartment, and see this billboard, and it's exactly what I am, a copy of my work. I started crying. I was so shocked."

She ended by saying: "The worst thing was when people would unknowingly say this show looks like your photos."

When Euphoria originally debuted, many fans pointed out the similarities between the show and Petra's aesthetic.

Now, Petra's quotes have gone viral with many fans calling out Sam Levinson and HBO for using Petra's work without giving her credit. One person tweeted: "stole her entire vision and made one of the most popular and most talked about tv shows of the decade… and she got nothing for it…"

Another wrote: "no this petra collins sam levinson news makes me so upset like imagine developing a style for YEARS that’s so intertwined with your means of self expression, only for it to be stolen from you and come back right at you in such a huge scale with someone else’s name on it."

Even Charli XCX waded in by tweeting: "i just wanna say that petra collins has been making everyone gag since the tumblr days. in many instances her casting/aesthetic/artistic vision has been taken and repurposed but no matter what she’ll always be THE GIRL. she is the blueprint."

As it stands, HBO and Sam Levinson are yet to respond to Petra's comments. We shall update you if they do.

Read more Euphoria news here:

• Euphoria season 3: Release date, cast, spoilers and news about the HBO series
• Angus Cloud's "extraordinary" Euphoria audition tape shared by his mother
• Dominic Fike reveals how Hunter Schafer split will affect Euphoria season 3
• Euphoria season 3 may jump five years into the future and fans are confused
• Barbie Ferreira left Euphoria because she didn't want to be the "fat girl best friend"

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