Alexa Demie, known for her role as Maddy Perez on HBO's Euphoria, is setting the record straight about rumors that she plans to retire after the show's third season. The 35-year-old actress addressed the speculation in a recent interview with The Hollywood Reporter, published on Sunday.
Demie explained that she has no intention of leaving the entertainment industry. The rumors began circulating after a clip from a 2020 podcast resurfaced, in which she questioned whether there was room for Latina actors like herself in Hollywood. However, Demie made it clear that she is in control of her own career choices.
“It’s like, did you ever think that I don’t want it?” she said about the retirement theories. “People really take the authority out of your hands. What happened to my ability to choose? I like my life like this, and I wouldn’t change it.”
Selective Career Choices
Theories that Demie intended to step away from acting were fueled by her relatively sparse list of credits compared to her Euphoria co-stars like Zendaya, Jacob Elordi, and Sydney Sweeney, who have become industry heavyweights. But Demie told THR that her relaxed schedule is not a sign of waning ambition; rather, it reflects her careful selection of projects.
“There are goals, and things that I want, but I’m choosing to keep that private,” she said.
Demie has 15 acting credits on IMDb, including roles in Jonah Hill's directorial debut Mid90s (2018) and the coming-of-age drama Waves (2019), both distributed by A24. She shared that breaking into the industry was challenging because casting calls rarely sought Hispanic actors.
“I was sick of going into those rooms, and this was during that time when you’re young and every few months you’re just like, ‘I’m quitting, I’m quitting,’” she recalled. “But knowing me, I never would have quit. I’m more of the energy of like, ‘No, I’m going to show you I can do it.’”
Euphoria's Impact
Demie noted that her role in Euphoria was the first that truly excited her and forced her to step out of her comfort zone. “If I didn’t have that experience, I’d be hiding up there like Enya,” she said, referencing the reclusive Irish singer. “But that life is always there for me, and what I’m learning is that I can have both.”
The season three finale of Euphoria airs on HBO tonight, May 31, at 9 p.m. Eastern.
