Fezco in Barbie form. Cassie's hot pink bikini hand-sewn to be the size of a thumb. A miniature puddle of Cal's piss made of water droplets.
Enter @euphoriaddicted, an Instagram account dedicated to recreating scenes from each week’s episode (at lightning-fast speed) with Barbie dolls and miniature sets. The attention to detail is uncanny — Faye getting stuffed in an air-vent, a hand-painted Al Pacino poster in Fez’s apartment, a intricate facial hair, lighting setups that rival the real deal.
We recently chatted with the puppet master behind the account to learn more about his painstakingly detailed process and his hopes for the upcoming final episodes of Euphoria Season 2.
What inspired you to begin @euphoriaddicted?
I loved the whole vibe of the series — the sets, the houses, the fashion and the storylines. I thought that it would be cool to recreate a show that is so dark with something that often is perceived as very light like Barbies. I started the account in the summer of 2019 and then took a break until now with the start of Season 2.
Had you previously made any other pop-culture doll recreations?
I made some other dolls a few years ago for a similar account for a Norwegian show called SKAM. But I am much more elaborate now.
Tell us about your process.
I try to watch the episode once just for the storyline, but I usually tend to get distracted if I see a scene that I really love that feels immediately memorable from the episode. Honestly, I think I am really just thinking of doll scenes all the time. Even when I watch like other shows and movies, I feel everything can be made into doll scenes.
Once I pick the most memorable scenes from that night’s episode, it usually takes an evening for me from start to finish, like four-six hours. And no, I don't sleep much. I work all day and then eat dinner and start with this. But the creativity is flowing right now.
Your dolls are so incredibly customized. It’s amazing.
Haha, thank you. I looked over the dolls I already had and tried to figure out who looked the most like each of the cast members. It's easy to find a Barbie who kinda looks like Cassie, but harder with someone like a Fezco. But I work with what I´ve got, which at this point has become quite a lot of dolls. I buy used Barbies all the time — the important thing is that they have some character, or distinguished features. Then I sew each of their clothes on my sewing machine. I’m not a great sewer...but I know how to make it look good for an Instagram picture.
Do you build each set from scratch? This scene with Cal in particular is so accurate with the wood paneled walls, the Scarface poster.
Oh wow, how kind. I do reuse sets, but often I just start over as I don’t want the pictures to look the same. I use a look of hard paper and styrofoam. Some light plywood also, for stuff like door frames. In the pic you are referring to, I drew the wood panel on Photoshop and printed it out on my work’s printer. I also hand-sewed curtains and built small boxes to hide the pole that keeps the curtains up. The Al Pacino poster I painted by hand.
In general for sets, I have two big boxes with small stuff like mugs, bottles, plates, books, phones that I’ve gathered over the years. Sometimes I make the food myself in clay.
Do you have a favorite Euphoria character?
I love them all. Cassie has been the most fun to bring to life so far this season, and Jules has such a hard wardrobe to recreate, she is a challenge every time. But, I have a soft spot for Mama Howard, always with a glass of wine in her hands.
Which scene has been your favorite to recreate thus far?
I think it was the one with Young Cal and Derek dancing after kissing at the bar in Episode 03 Season 2. That story broke my heart and that scene was everything. As a gay guy myself it hit really home to the heart.
Any predictions for what you think may happen this season?
I just hope that no one dies, that would break my heart. And I am also living for the moment Maddy finds out what’s really going on. That will be a scene I definitely will recreate!
