Bradley Cooper has heaped praise on Zendaya’s acting, comparing the Euphoria star to two of Hollywood’s biggest legends.
Speaking to Euphoria creator Sam Levinson in a new interview with Interview magazine, Cooper reflected on the HBO drama and Zendaya’s performance as Rue Bennett.
“I don't think I've come across an actor that's floored me like that,” Cooper told Levinson.
He then made the major comparison: “It's like Elizabeth Taylor meets Marlon Brando.”
Cooper praised Zendaya’s ability to draw audiences into Rue’s story, particularly as the character battles addiction, trauma and loss throughout the series.
His comments come after Euphoria officially came to an end with its third and final season.
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Cooper, who has previously spoken about his own recovery from addiction, also discussed the way the show portrayed Rue’s struggles.
He defended the series against criticism that it glamorised drug use, arguing that Euphoria showed both the seductive and destructive sides of addiction.
“If you want a warning of the reality of addiction, watch this show with your kids,” he said.
Levinson has previously explained that Rue’s death in the final season was influenced by the real-world fentanyl crisis, as well as the death of actor Angus Cloud, who played Fezco in the series and died in 2023 following an accidental overdose.
Cooper also praised other members of the Euphoria cast, including Hunter Schafer and Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje.
The actor told Levinson that watching Euphoria had even influenced his own creative work while making Maestro, praising the series for its storytelling and saying that “nothing feels arbitrary.”
For Zendaya, the praise adds to an already impressive list of recognition for her work on the series.
She won two Emmys for playing Rue and has become one of the most acclaimed actors of her generation.
