Hollywood Icon Pushes Controversial HBO Show Into Every American Classroom

Liberty Check

• Hollywood actress demands explicit HBO series be mandatory viewing in high schools nationwide despite creator warnings about mature content
• Star contradicts show’s own warnings that it’s ‘not for teenagers,’ pushing graphic sex and drug scenes on students
• Parents deserve control over their children’s education — not celebrity activists pushing Hollywood’s agenda into classrooms

Sharon Stone is calling for HBO’s controversial series “Euphoria” to be shown in every American high school, despite repeated warnings from the show’s creators that it contains graphic sexual content and drug use unsuitable for teenagers. The 68-year-old actress, who joined the cast for the recently concluded third season, doubled down on her demand during an interview with Keke Palmer for Variety’s “Actors on Actors” series.

“I think it’s the greatest show on television,” Stone declared. She went further, insisting that parents “should have to see it” as well.

The series, which premiered in 2019, has drawn intense criticism for its explicit depictions of sex, drug abuse, and violence among high school-aged characters. By the third season, the storyline had jumped forward several years to follow the characters as young adults dealing with increasingly serious consequences of their destructive behavior.

Stone attempted to justify her position by citing her own family’s struggles with addiction. “We’ve met these kids,” she said. “We’ve seen them turn into young adults. We’ve seen them turn into full-on drug dealers. And I’ve gone through it in my family.”

The actress recalled her brother Michael Stone’s involvement with the drug trade, which led to his incarceration at the maximum security Attica Correctional Facility in New York. She claimed she cried after watching the first episode, believing it to be an honest reflection of issues high school students face.

“‘Euphoria’ is so relevant,” Stone said. “I believe it should be shown in every high school, and I think all the parents should have to see it. As a mom, I love it.”

Palmer, 32, echoed Stone’s sentiment, arguing the show creates opportunities for conversation. “I think sometimes people stop at the surface of ‘No, it’s too much sex. It’s too much sex, it’s too much sex.’ That’s the point,” she said.

Stone, a mother of three, claimed the show exposes issues many parents would rather ignore. “‘My kid wouldn’t do that.’ It’s like, really? Do you know?” she asked. “And does your kid tell you who is like that that’s next to them? Because it’s who’s next to you too that matters.”

What Stone conveniently ignored is that the show’s own creator, Sam Levinson, and its stars have repeatedly cautioned that the TV-MA rated series should not be watched by younger audiences due to its explicit themes and graphic content. This directly contradicts her push to mandate it in high schools.

When the first season aired in 2019, Levinson and star Zendaya both disputed that the show was intended for younger teens. “I don’t think this is a show for people under 17,” Levinson told IndieWire.

“But if your parent wants to have a conversation about it, that’s good,” Zendaya added at the time.

During a 2019 interview with The Guardian, Zendaya addressed concerns around younger audiences watching the show head-on.

“I think the important thing to acknowledge is the show is about teenagers and not necessary for teenagers, which I think people can misinterpret,” she said.

“It’s very important to us that the only teenagers watching it are 18 and older, with parental guidance if you’re any younger than that,” Zendaya added. “That’s important to all of us, because this show is hard to watch sometimes.”

Ahead of the second season premiere, Zendaya took to social media to reiterate that “Euphoria” is for “mature audiences.” She warned her followers in an Instagram post about the difficult subject matter.

“This season, maybe even more so than the last, is deeply emotional and deals with subject matter that can be triggering and difficult to watch,” she told her fans.

“Please only watch it if you feel comfortable,” she said. “Take care of yourself and know that either way you are still loved and I can still feel your support.”

The disconnect between Stone’s advocacy and the show’s own warnings raises serious questions about Hollywood’s relationship with American families. When even the creators acknowledge their content is too explicit for teenagers, why is a celebrity activist pushing to force it into classrooms?

Parents — not Hollywood elites — should decide what their children are exposed to in schools. Educational curricula should focus on academic excellence and character development, not graphic entertainment designed for mature audiences.

Parents deserve better.