10 Best HBO Characters Ever

Euphoria is the quintessential example of a "Marmite show". The levels of appreciation from the show's die-hard fanbase is only matched by the vitriol directed at the drama by its detractors, who argue that the show's shockingly explicit content is nothing more than a smokescreen for what is a firmly average television offering.

Love or despise the controversial series, what cannot be denied is the stunning performance of Zendaya as recovering addict Rue Bennett. The fact that the 26-year-old singer and actress has already garnered separate Emmy wins for her take on Rue (making her the youngest two-time winner in the Drama Category in history) speaks volumes to the quality of her HBO debut.

Zendaya's performance is undeniably powerful, invoking a deeply emotional response from Euphoria's legions of viewers. Rue's status as such an iconic HBO character is due to the fact that she stands above the more controversial and criticized aspects of the show. It says a lot that Euphoria's dramatic quality is fiercely debated, but the quality of Zendaya's performance rarely receives anything less than a glowing critical response.

Rarely failing to tug on the heartstrings with the passionate manner in which she throws herself into the role, Zendaya's intimate turn as Rue has helped to establish her as one of the more influential names in the industry to date.