One Direction Fans Are Divided About An Erotic FanFic Scene In ‘Euphoria’, HBO’s Newest Show
Louis Tomlinson confirmed he wasn't contacted about the scene, which sees him and Harry Styles get it on.
HBO’s new teen drama Euphoria has come under fire for a scene in its latest episode, featuring an animated diver into a character’s One Direction erotic fan-fiction between Louis Tomlinson and Harry Styles. The band’s fanbase are divided on the scene’s purpose, complicated further by Tomlinson confirming he was not approached to approve the scene.
Slash fan-fiction between Tomlinson and Styles is well-established. During the boyband’s peak, conspiracy theories about the two secretly dating were huge throughout the fandom, and widely reported on to the point that Tomlinson has stated it put a strain on their friendship, as their every movement was analysed.
While fan-fiction about real people isn’t unique to One Direction’s fandom, it’s arguably the most well-known — as is the ‘Larry’ sub-strand. Even after the band’s hiatus in 2016, it remains both vibrant and controversial, with fans arguing over whether it objectifies the two men without consent.
With this in mind, it makes sense that Euphoria decided to name-drop the fan-fiction in an episode three flashback. In the scene, the show’s protagonist Rue (Zendaya) explains via narration how cam-girl Kat (Barbie Ferreira) first found fame online by writing the first-ever viral Larry piece.
In an animated scene, the show dives into some lines from ‘The First Night’, Kat’s story where Styles massages Tomlinson’s shoulders backstage on the opening night of their 2013 Take Me Home tour, leading to some NSFW antics.
Shortly after airing, 1D fans expressed ‘disgust’ online over the scene — even from Larries, people who ‘ship’ the two singers and continue to write fanfic.ย Which means a distinction was made; it’s okay to write ‘Larry’ content for a niche audience, but not to broadcast it on TV, which would hurt Styles and Tomlinson in a way their words wouldn’t — and reflect poorly on the fanbase.
as a larrie i do NOT support that scene in that tv show. and i will not accept ANY blame for this and i will not tolerate any hate against me or other larries, who are all vastly in agreement, that this was NOT OKAY to put on a fucking tv show
— ๐๐๐๐๐๐ก๐ (@lwtonIce) July 1, 2019
this situation is so embarrassing n disgusting. harry styles and louis tomlinson are humans and the way hbo reifies and sexualizes them is so fucking DISRESPECTFUL. both of them deserve respect for their bodies and minds and i hope they sue that shitty program.
— harryโs cross pendant earring (@hsloner) July 1, 2019
Not everyone agreed, arguing the anger was hypocritical at best.
euphoria really held a mirror up to 1D stans and showed them how weird it is to write larry smut itโs so funny to me ๐ญ
— yalitza apariciosus (@dunevillenuve) July 1, 2019
The debate went on, prompting fans to ask Tomlinson and Styles both if they had prior knowledge of the show’s content, or whether they gave approval.
Styles has not responded, but Tomlinson, in a short response, has. “I can categorically say that I was not contacted nor did I approve it,” he wrote.
Euphoria (which is executive produced by Drake) or HBO have not made any comments. The show is an adaptation of an Israeli mini-series from 2012 — in addition to Zendaya, it stars Maude Apatow, A Wrinkle In Time lead Storm Reid, and The Kissing Booth‘s Jacob Elordi.
It airs on FOX Showcase each Monday night in Australia, and some explicit scenes — some including full frontal nudity — have been blurred to adhere to our national codes of practice.
You can see the controversial scene below.