Euphoria Was ‘Transformative’ for Priscilla Delgado

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Amidst the dramatic storylines of Euphoria, Rue’s character feels surprisingly relatable. The second episode of the third season shows Rue finding peace through faith and starting a new job with Alamo, the owner of a strip club. Her tasks begin with menial labor, like cleaning, and quickly escalate to covering up an overdose. As Rue rises in responsibility, dealing drugs at the club, she meets Angel, a dancer who doesn’t know what happened to her friend, Tish. Spending time with the dancers, including a casual encounter with Angel, Rue overhears Angel becoming increasingly worried about Tish’s disappearance, much to Alamo’s annoyance. The tension culminates in Angel having a breakdown at the club, prompting Rue to reveal the truth about Tish’s overdose, which tragically leads Angel down a path of addiction.

Angel’s short appearance on Euphoria actually makes Rue look relatively stable. We see Rue taking on a responsible role for once, bringing Angel to a questionable rehab center. During their goodbye, Rue tries to encourage Angel, saying life is valuable, but Angel sadly replies that she isn’t convinced, pointing out that California has a high number of missing persons. The final scenes with Delgado are deeply unsettling. Her character’s weary acceptance of her limited options creates a feeling of foreboding about what’s to come.

For 24-year-old Delgado, truly understanding her role meant having honest and in-depth conversations with friends who’ve personally dealt with substance abuse. She explains that these conversations gave her a much greater understanding of why people turn to drugs and the impact it has on their lives. It was a profoundly moving experience, shaping her not just as an actress, but as a person.

Joining Euphoria during such a hyped season was definitely a bit nerve-wracking. I knew the show was huge, so I really focused on understanding the material and honoring the story. I just wanted to do my best work. I honestly didn’t know what to expect on set, and I braced myself for a potentially tense atmosphere. But Sam and Ashley Levinson were incredibly welcoming and supportive, which was a huge relief. They really appreciated my contributions and gave me the space to be creative.

When I auditioned, I’d only seen the first episode when it originally aired. I was pretty young at the time and found it a bit overwhelming, so I decided to revisit it later. When the audition came up, I stuck with that plan. I intentionally avoided watching much of the show because I didn’t want any expectations going in. Instead, I watched a few popular clips on TikTok to get a feel for the show’s vibe and energy.

When I first read the complete script for Angel, my initial impression was that she was a tough, street-smart fighter. I immediately recognized what a fantastic character she was and how much potential she had, even with limited screen time. I was determined to portray her with respect, understanding, and a believable perspective.

I loved the idea of portraying her as a street fighter, and her costumes really highlighted that tough side. The outfits were amazing – I had a vision for the character, but Natasha Newman-Thomas completely exceeded my expectations. When I saw what she’d designed, it took the character to a whole new level, and I felt honored to wear those unique pieces that still felt connected to the world we were building. Even the small details, like the flip-flops at the end, were perfect. It felt complete – like we’d truly brought a real person to life.

I did a lot of research to prepare for the role. The character’s lifestyle – working as a stripper and being around drugs – was completely new to me, so I focused on understanding her motivations, what made her strong, and what her vulnerabilities were, considering her past. I was really impressed by Mikey Madison’s performance in a similar role as Anora during the audition process, and I used that as inspiration. I also watched a lot of videos online and even visited strip clubs in L.A. to get a feel for the atmosphere and how things worked. Since I had no experience with pole dancing, I spent a lot of time practicing movement to capture the physicality of the character, including her posture and how she carried herself. I even worked on her specific way of speaking, including her grammar and accent.

Everyone noticed the strong connection between us on the show. We didn’t really need to talk much about how our characters would interact beforehand – I did a lot of preparation on my own. Zendaya is incredibly busy, but she really took me under her wing on set. I was pretty nervous at first, but things quickly fell into place. She helped me relax and reminded me not to overthink things, even though the scenes were complex. I’m so thankful for her kindness and generosity. It was effortless to respond to her performance and just focus on being in the moment with her.

In episode two, my character had to throw shoes at Zendaya. It was surprisingly difficult! I was hesitant to yell at her, and I couldn’t bring myself to do it at first. She was really supportive and told me it was okay to just go for it. Sam, the director, even gave me permission to fully commit, even if that meant making physical contact. I think the final version of the scene used the very last take we did.

I enjoyed the moment when Angel throws the shoe again, especially in the parking lot scene. The wide shot makes her look so small, and the shoe travels a long distance. What makes this season so compelling is the way it emphasizes how small and vulnerable the characters are against the backdrop of such vast and impressive landscapes.

I really focused on understanding Angel’s world and the serious circumstances she faced. To portray her accurately, I needed to get inside her head and figure out what led her to such intense and wild situations. A key part of my process was being present on set, truly listening to the director, Sam, and his vision. He offered great guidance, but the script and the character itself were already so well-defined. Angel had a strong sense of self, and it felt like she was revealing herself through me, rather than the other way around.

This episode features a difficult storyline about Angel’s battle with addiction, which begins when she learns a friend has overdosed. To accurately portray this, I spoke extensively with friends who have personal experience with addiction. These conversations helped me understand the underlying reasons people turn to drugs – what they’re hoping to find or escape – and the impact addiction has on their lives. It was a profoundly moving experience that changed my perspective both as an actor and as a person.

I was asked how I prepared to film that emotional scene. To be honest, I didn’t allow myself much happiness while filming, because my character rarely experiences joyful moments. I really concentrated on understanding her life – imagining the incredibly difficult things she’s been through, and the loss of a major source of love and support. I kept thinking about how devastating it would be to lose someone so important. In a way, a part of her – Angel – dies in that moment. As an actor, you often build up to a big scene like this, preparing for it for a long time, and finally getting to film it feels like a huge weight lifted.

The atmosphere on set that day was very respectful, even though we had a smaller crew. Everyone understood that the scene was going to be emotionally intense. I remember being very upset, and Ashley mentioned that some people actually had to step away because the moment was so powerful. It was a truly special and exhausting experience – we filmed several takes, and I appreciated the opportunity to try different approaches. Thankfully, we filmed in order, which was a huge help. It would have been incredibly difficult to switch back to a lighter emotional state after being so immersed in sadness.

Someone asked me if my character, Angel, didn’t have many joyful moments, and it got me thinking about my own experience on set. Honestly, I really cherished the beginning of the shoot. Those early scenes, like when I was dancing for Mr. Rolex, were a blast! The crew was amazing – they were so supportive, letting me pick the music and giving me everything I needed to just let loose and have fun. It was a really playful time, and I’ll always remember it fondly.

That scene in the episode has some really spooky choral music, doesn’t it? I was curious what you were dancing to! It turns out it was Hans Zimmer’s music, which was a cool surprise. I was actually listening to reggaeton while filming.

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2026-04-23 00:02