Former Disney Channel star turned adult film actress Maitland Ward is not holding back when it comes to Sydney Sweeney’s controversial “Euphoria” storyline. Ward, best known for playing Rachel McGuire on “Boy Meets World,” is speaking out against the HBO drama’s depiction of OnlyFans in season three, specifically taking issue with Sweeney’s character, Cassie Howard, and the increasingly explicit content she creates on-screen.
During a recent interview with TMZ, Ward criticized several of Cassie’s OnlyFans moments, including scenes showing the character posing with pigtails and a pacifier while wearing sheer clothing.
“There’s all sorts of stuff that you can’t do,” Ward said. “The whole child-baby thing is so disgusting … You just can’t go into that whole underage thing like that. I mean, you can do it to an extent if it’s very, very playful, like, you’re an adult being childlike or something. But just the way it was handled was so gross, and it’s just disgusting and vile.”
According to Ward, the scenes cross a line when it comes to content standards associated with platforms like OnlyFans. She explained to TMZ that “you don’t want pedophilia anywhere near pornography,” while adding that creators can face removal from the platform if they violate those rules.
Ward Says ‘Euphoria’ Is Mocking OnlyFans Creators
Ward also accused the show of turning sex work into a joke rather than offering a realistic portrayal of creators. “It’s saying how weird and creepy they are,” Ward insisted. “There’s so many creators who are really working hard to build their brands every day, and this is really disingenuous.”
In a separate statement to Fox News Digital, the actress doubled down on her criticism. “This show is treating sex work like a circus act, a freak show,” Ward said. “Sydney Sweeney’s portrayal of an OnlyFans creator is setting sex workers real individuals with lives, families, and jobs back by making a mockery not only of what they choose to do with their bodies and lives, but of them as human beings.”
Maitland Ward Says ‘Euphoria’ Reinforces Harmful Stereotypes
Ward specifically called out what she sees as harmful stereotypes being reinforced by the storyline. “And of course, they use the traditional blonde, boobie-bimbo stereotype who will do anything for money and a jolt of fame, including posing as a dog licking a bowl and serving up pedophilia fantasies, as the one who goes into sex work,” she added.
The actress concluded by saying, “This only reinforces the false and harmful stereotypes that sex workers have to fight against every day. It’s completely out of touch.”
Sydney Sweeney’s Cassie Takes A Wild Turn In Season 3
Season three of “Euphoria” has taken Cassie Howard in a dramatically different direction. Sweeney’s character turns to OnlyFans to fund her lavish lifestyle, initially using the platform to pay for her wedding before attempting to stay afloat after learning her new husband, Nate Jacobs (played by Jacob Elordi), is reportedly broke and drowning in debt shortly after their marriage.
Throughout the season, viewers have watched Cassie create increasingly bizarre content, including dressing like a dog and drinking water from a dog bowl, posing in baby-inspired looks, jumping rope in revealing outfits for subscribers, mailing used underwear, and filming intimate content. The storyline has sparked major online debate, with fans split over whether “Euphoria” is pushing boundaries or simply going too far.
Maitland Ward Has Been Vocal About Hollywood’s Treatment Of Young Stars
Ward’s criticism comes as she continues opening up about her own Hollywood experience. The former child actress recently appeared on Investigation Discovery’s “Hollywood Demons,” where she reflected on growing up in the entertainment industry and the pressure placed on young performers. “It was very therapeutic to tell the story at the age that I am now,” Ward previously shared with Fox News Digital.
She also recalled feeling like studios viewed young actors as products. “I think it was such a factory kind of environment. Like you were just a product being sold, and you knew that yourself,” Ward explained. “I mean, I didn’t think anything was wrong at the time with anything that was going on, really.”
Ward, who transitioned into adult films roughly seven years ago, previously said the move surprisingly earned her more respect in Hollywood. “I didn’t get anybody coming out hating me for it or anything,” she said. “I really got a lot of positivity overall.”
