Accusations are flying, and the spotlight is on Sam Levinson, the creator of the hit TV series “Euphoria.” He’s being accused of ripping off the work of renowned photographer and director, Petra Collins. If you’re not familiar with Petra, she’s the creative genius behind some of Olivia Rodrigo’s recent music videos.
This all started with an interview Petra did with Hungarian outlet Punkt back in January. The interview has suddenly resurfaced, and the screenshots are making waves on social media. In the interview, Petra dropped some pretty heavy allegations. She claimed that Sam Levinson had reached out to her in the past, expressing interest in having her direct some episodes of “Euphoria.” What’s even more intriguing is that she stated Sam told her that the HBO series was inspired by her work.
Petra recounted the story, saying, “I moved to L.A. and worked for HBO for about five months. I was like, ‘I am directing the show.’ I created a whole world for it, did the casting, whatever.” But then, in a last-minute twist, HBO decided not to hire her, allegedly because she was deemed too young for the role.
She continued with a sense of frustration, “A year later, I walked out of my apartment and saw this billboard [for Euphoria], and it’s exactly… a copy of my work. I started crying. I was so shocked. I mean, it happens to me so many times in my career but not on a scale like that.” The impact of seeing her style reflected in such a massive production evidently took a toll on her creative spirit.
Petra expressed her feelings about “Euphoria,” saying, “That series was an exorcism to me. I had to change my style because of Euphoria. Lots of people started to take photos in that style, and I haven’t felt any more as mine, and I felt disconnected from that. I need to find myself again because I didn’t resonate with this anymore.”
Now, in a twist to this tale, an insider close to Sam Levinson is refuting Petra’s allegations. According to this source, “It’s very widely known that Euphoria is a remake of an Israeli show.” They are adamant that the series was not directly inspired by Petra’s work.
The insider also revealed that Sam had indeed offered to suggest Petra as a potential director, given his admiration for her work. However, they clarified that nothing was promised, and ultimately, the decision rested with the network. They explained, “That wouldn’t have even been possible for him to do because ultimately it’s the network’s decision.”
So, there you have it, the clash of creative perspectives. Petra Collins believes her work played a significant role in the inspiration behind “Euphoria,” while insiders connected to Sam Levinson insist the show is based on an Israeli series. Whatever the truth may be, it’s clear that both Petra and Sam are passionate about their craft, and their perspectives on this matter are bringing their creative worlds into the spotlight.
