This year, Zendaya, 26, received her second Emmy for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series for her moving performance as Rue in the HBO hit series, Euphoria. It's another historic win as she's the first Black woman to ever win the category twice.It's no surprise to her fans who've seen the Spider-Man star improvise intense scenes in the show, including a devastating fight between Rue and her mom Leslie, played by Nika King. Here's a closer look at that award-winning moment.
Zendaya And Nika King Improvised This Huge Fight In 'Euphoria'
Zendaya and King were immediately put to the test in the first-ever episode of Euphoria. As it turned out, their huge fight scene in the pilot was improvised.
"There was this specific situation where there was a fight scene between [Rue and Rue's mom Leslie] that wasn't scripted," Zendaya told Refinery back in 2019. "It just said one line [of stage direction]: 'Rue and her mom have a fight.' So I'm thinking, okay, I'll slam the door, or whatever, but this isn't what Sam [Levinson, showrunner] had in mind. He wanted us to improv the scene."
The Marvel actress added that Levinson told them to "go hard" on each other. "He said, 'I want you guys to go at one another's necks. Just go, as hard as you want to go. If she goes hard, you go harder,'" she continued, noting that she struggled to unleash all that rage.
"Now, being a very calm person who doesn't argue, who doesn't [scream], I would never say those kinds of things. I don't care how mad I am, I would never say certain things to my parent, or anybody. It's not who I am. So, having to put myself in that kind of situation and say and do those things, that was one day when I felt sick. I was like, I was going to vomit, I was lightheaded."
Nika King Said Acting Opposite Zendaya Is 'Just Like A Master Class'
In a new interview, King said that filming with Zendaya and Storm Reid — who plays Rue's sister, Gia — is "just like a master class" in acting.
"Performing with Zendaya and Storm Reid is just like a master class," she told Us Weekly. "They are young and they bring their A-game, and I'm like 'OK!' I'm older – a little bit, a little bit older — but every day on set is another day to be amazing, to be great."
She added that both actresses are supportive of her. "That bond is always supportive and like, 'Let's knock this out of the park so people know, like, the addiction that young people are going through is a real issue,'" King said of depicting Rue's emotional battle with drug addiction.
"We want to make sure that we capture all of that — the good, the bad and the ugly."
The Funny Married Stuff star also clarified that despite playing Zendaya and Reid's mom in the show, they're more like sisters behind the scenes. "[Our bond is] more sisterly because I'll try to be young and they'll be like, 'Girl, sit down, you old,'" she explained. "I want to do some TikToks, I want to do all the challenges. I want to stay hip and stay cool, and it’s always a great time – every time we link up outside of the set."
Zendaya Thanked Nika King After Her Second Historical Emmy Win
During her acceptance speech at the 74th Emmy Awards back in September 2022, Zendaya said that she was "honored to be beside" the "incredible actresses" nominated in the same category, as well as the team behind Euphoria.
"Thank you for making such a safe space to make this very difficult show. I love you all so much," said the soon-to-be-youngest-producing-winner.
She continued: "Thank you to the Academy, thank you to my friends and family, some of which are here tonight. Thank you to Sam for sharing Rue with me. Thank you for believing in me, even in moments where I didn't believe in myself."
The actress also expressed her gratitude for King, Reid, and Colman Domingo (Ali, Rue's sponsor) via Instagram Stories. "So grateful for these two," she wrote on a photo of her alongside King and Domingo during HBO's Emmy after-party. "Your undeniable talent and kindness is deeply cherished. Every time we work, it pushes me to be better (my Gia @StormReid too!) I love y'all so much."
