Actress Sydney Sweeney recently addressed criticism surrounding her role as Cassie Howard in the HBO series *Euphoria* and the show's third season.

Ahead of the series finale, Sweeney shared a carousel of photos from her time on the controversial teen drama to her Instagram, accompanied by a succinct three-word caption: “It’s called...

acting.” This direct message from Sweeney comes as the show's final season has drawn significant attention and debate.

The third season of *Euphoria*, created by showrunner Sam Levinson, has been a particular point of contention.

Sweeney's character, Cassie Howard, has been central to much of this discussion, especially concerning her storyline involving sex work.

Among the images Sweeney posted were various costumes worn by Cassie, including her bridal gown from the third season’s third episode and a notable dog outfit.

Cassie's portrayal as an aspiring adult content creator on OnlyFans, including dressing as a dog and a baby, has garnered scrutiny.

Real-life sex workers have voiced concerns, finding the creative choices unrealistic and potentially misrepresentative.

Celina Reboyras, a sex worker and founder of Doxy magazine, told Dazed that it was “very f---ing bizarre” that many main characters in the third season either became sex workers or had sex work-adjacent jobs, noting the disparity with her own high school experience.

OnlyFans creator Sydney Leathers echoed these sentiments in an interview with Variety, highlighting that much of Cassie's on-screen activity would violate the platform's terms and conditions, specifically citing the “age-play stuff where she’s dressed as a baby in a diaper.” Leathers explained that sex workers are often sensitive to Hollywood portrayals, which are frequently seen as “absurd or depressing and rarely ever on point.”

In response to the criticism, Sam Levinson, the show's creator, explained that the absurdity woven into Cassie’s storyline was a deliberate choice.

He stated that the intention was to “break the wall” between the show and its viewers, aiming to introduce a layer of absurdity to prevent the audience from becoming too immersed in Cassie's illusions.

The final episode of *Euphoria*, titled “In God We Trust,” aired on Sunday.