Rewatch of Stand Still Like the Hummingbird (Euphoria s.2, ep.5).
There's a reason that everyone is clamoring to praise the emmy-worthy performance: we've seen this opening scene situation in countless dramas all to varying effects. Zendaya is not just resorting to yell acting (I'd be interested to know how many takes this was), she is pivoting between emotions like someone scrolling through radio stations, Rue's mind is scrambling for some escape, it's horrific to watch. The moment on the floor apologizing to Gia is so naked emotion (reaction vids I've watched everyone is crying), but for me even stronger is the moment of the scene pivot close-up on Zendaya's face as Rue's mom asks if she's embarrassed (what's happening on her face is so scary, so beyond acting, it stands out in ten minutes of greatness). Then the breakdown in Rue's testament of how she felt at the train station, that she can't even complete the sentence, and she's been able to say a WHOLE LOT before, but that moment cracks her because it's the first time she has to reflect on a time when there was the possibilityof hope, the moment of the turn.. heart.break.ing.
The rest of the episode is great but it's everything before the title card thats unreal in its level of greatness. A lot of the reaction vids have people uttering it's too real, it's too real... and it is. It's over the top and yet too real and we forget we are watching a television program.
