Teen-angst drama ‘Euphoria’ receives nomination for Bafta Awards 2020

The British Academy of Film and Television Arts (Bafta) has announced the nominations for 2020.

The ceremony was initially postponed due to coronavirus, but will now be held virtually on 31 July.

HBO’s teen drama Euphoria has been nominated for Best International Series.

The series follows 17-year old Rue (played by Zendaya of Spider-Man: Homecoming and The Greatest Showman), a teen drug addict who returns home from rehab with no plans to stay clean.

Hunter Schafer as Jules in ‘Euphoria’. Picture: HBO

Rue’s circle of friends include:

• Jules, a transgender girl searching for where she belongs;
• Nate, a jock whose anger issues mask sexual insecurities;
• Chris, a football star who is struggling to adjust from high school to college;
• Cassie, who can’t escape her sexual history;
• Kat, a plus-size teen exploring her sexuality.

ALSO READ: HBO’s ‘Euphoria’ paints a realistic picture of teen angst

Euphoria follows the group of high school students as they navigate love and friendships in a world of drugs, sex, trauma, and social media.

‘Euphoria’. Picture: HBO

The controversial hit show has been favourably received and currently holds an 82% critics rating on Rotten Tomatoes.

This is not your average cliched high school teen drama (think Gossip Girl or Dawson’s Creek); the show delves into some graphic and taboo topics such as explicit drug usage, statutory rape, sexual violence and self-harm.

Zendaya actually took to Instagram to issue a warning before the series premiered.

“Euphoria is for mature audiences. It’s a raw and honest portrait of addiction, anxiety and the difficulties of navigating life today. There are scenes that are graphic, hard to watch and can be triggering. Please only watch if you feel you can handle it,” she said.

Jacob Elord as Nate in ‘Euphoria’. Picture: HBO

ALSO READ: Bafta TV Awards 2020: List of main nominations

Zendaya has won two awards for her role: the 2019 People’s Choice Award for Favourite Drama TV Star and the Satellite Award for Best Actress in a Series.

The series has received a 2020 Glaad Media Award nomination for Outstanding Drama Series. Here’s hoping it soon adds a Bafta TV Award to its list of accolades.

Euphoria is available to stream on Showmax.

(Compiled by Yasmeen Sewnarain)

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