Petra Collins Accuses Sam Levinson of Plagiarizing Her Aesthetic for Euphoria, Rosalía Collaboration Reopens Controversy

Petra Collins, a director and photographer, has accused Sam Levinson, the creator of HBO's Euphoria, of appropriating her visual style without giving her credit. In 2019, Levinson approached Collins about directing a series inspired by her photographs, which led to a five-month collaboration with HBO that ended due to her being considered too young. Subsequently, she noticed a billboard for Euphoria that featured visuals reminiscent of her 2016 series, Coming of Age. Although anonymous sources associated with Levinson have refuted her allegations, notable visual parallels have been observed. The issue gained attention again with the third season of Euphoria, which included Rosalía, whose music video directed by Collins mirrored Euphoria's style. Euphoria, starring Zendaya, has been criticized for straying from its original aesthetic. Collins has collaborated with brands like Gucci and has directed music videos for artists such as Olivia Rodrigo and Cardi B.