Entertainment

Cue The Tears — Zendaya Came Up With The Backstory Of Rue's Hoodie On 'Euphoria'

Zendaya Rue 'Euphoria' Hoodie
Eddy Chen/HBO

There were a lot of heartbreaking moments in Season 1 of Euphoria, but fans were absolutely crushed when the true significance of Rue's trademark maroon hoodie was finally unveiled during the Season 1 finale. And now, we know who came up with that truly emotional detail. In a new interview with Allure, Zendaya revealed that Rue's hoodie on Euphoria was her idea, and her inspiration came from a very personal but sentimental experience.

As fans will recall, Euphoria's Season 1 finale revealed that Rue's hoodie actually belonged to her father, who died of cancer. In a haunting scene, Rue picks up the hoodie from her dad's deathbed, inhales his scent, and takes it with her. She's had the hoodie ever since, and the revelation completely devastated fans in the best way possible.

In a new interview, Zendaya explained to Allure that Rue's hoodie was originally written into the show to serve as an emotional crutch for the troubled character. "It was written in the script that Rue had this big hoodie," she said. "You can tell when she's having a good day or feels good because her hoodie is not covering her entirely, and then when she's not feeling it, she's basically hiding in this giant hoodie."

However, it was the actor herself who came up with the idea that Rue's hoodie was actually her dad's. "When I was 11, my grandfather passed, and we had all his old clothes," Zendaya explained of her inspiration. "I thought it would be cool if we made [it clear that] the hoodie was Rue's [late] dad's hoodie. [I wanted to capture] that attachment that you have to inanimate objects when somebody passes."

Courtesy of HBO

Zendaya herself has a deeply personal connection to Rue's hoodie. She held on to it after she finished filming Season 1, something she revealed on Twitter to celebrate the airing of the finale. "Wore Rue’s hoody today, haven’t worn or washed it since we wrapped. Safe to say I’m deep in my feels lol," she wrote on Twitter on Aug. 4, after posting a selfie of herself in the now-iconic garment.

In fact, the hoodie has become so meaningful to Euphoria fans that HBO is now selling it in their official online shop. Of course, it's only a replica, but it's the closest fans will get to the real thing.