Bradley Cooper Compares Zendaya to Marlon Brando and Elizabeth Taylor

As fans continue to process the shocking ending of Euphoria, a new conversation between creator Sam Levinson and actor Bradley Cooper is drawing attention for its glowing praise of Zendaya. Reflecting on the HBO drama’s conclusion, Cooper compared the Emmy-winning star’s talent to two of Hollywood’s most celebrated screen legends.

“I don’t think I’ve come across an actor that’s floored me like that,” Cooper told Levinson during an extensive conversation with Interview magazine, released after the Euphoria series finale. “It’s like Elizabeth Taylor meets Marlon Brando.” Cooper went on to praise Zendaya’s screen presence, describing her as an actor with a rare ability to connect audiences to even the most difficult moments of Rue Bennett’s journey.

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The comments arrived just days after HBO confirmed that Euphoria officially ended with its third season. The finale, titled In God We Trust, closed the book on several major storylines, including Rue’s death from fentanyl-laced drugs. The episode also featured the deaths of Laurie and Alamo Brown while bringing years of addiction, trauma, and loss to a devastating conclusion.

Cooper, who has spoken publicly about his own recovery journey, spent much of the conversation discussing the show’s depiction of addiction. He praised Levinson’s handling of Rue’s final moments, calling the creative choices “beautiful,” “respectful,” and deeply compassionate toward the character.

He also pushed back against criticisms that the series glamorized drug use, arguing that Euphoria presented addiction as both seductive and destructive. “If you want a warning of the reality of addiction, watch this show with your kids,” Cooper said, adding that the finale’s emotional impact landed because audiences had spent years caring about Rue.

Levinson explained that Rue’s death was influenced in part by the real-world fentanyl crisis and by the loss of Angus Cloud, who died in 2023 following an accidental overdose. According to Levinson, he wanted viewers to experience the same sense of heartbreak families face when addiction claims a loved one.

Earlier interviews surrounding the finale also revealed that Levinson viewed Rue’s death as “the honest ending” for a character whose struggles with addiction never fully disappeared.

The discussion wasn’t limited to Rue. Cooper also singled out the performances of Sydney Sweeney and Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje while praising the show’s casting overall. At one point, he told Levinson that watching Euphoria pushed him creatively while making Maestro, calling the series an example of storytelling where “nothing feels arbitrary.”