Lil Tay Could Have Played One Of Euphoria's Most Iconic Characters
After Sam Levinson's "The Idol" was so bad that it might hurt the creator's "Euphoria" Season 3, it's clear that the HBO teen drama has a lot to prove. Though fans will still have to wait quite a while before "Euphoria" returns, a lack of new episodes hasn't stopped the Emmy-winning show from periodically turning up in the conversation.
Apart from its behind-the-scenes connections to "The Idol," "Euphoria" has made headlines thanks to an unexpected pop culture figure. In an interview with Rolling Stone, young musician and internet personality Lil Tay mentioned she was "contacted" for one of the key roles on the show: Ashtray (Javon Walton), the juvenile drug dealer connected to Fezco (Angus Cloud).
Being cast was far from a lock, as Lil Tay was simply asked to audition. Walton's performance proves she was up against some pretty tough competition. Nevertheless, it definitely would have been interesting to see Lil Tay's take on Ashtray, considering her own public image as a young, tough-talking figure.
Lil Tay's public persona has similarities with Ashtray's character
It's not difficult to see why the makers of "Euphoria" entertained the idea of giving Lil Tay a shot at playing Ashtray; her public persona shares certain notable traits with the "Euphoria" character. In 2018, she gained notoriety for her popular videos where she acts ebulliently, raps, shows off her supposed material wealth and generally behaves like a considerably older nouveau-riche type. In a similar vein, Ashtray is an extremely aggressive figure who's clearly far too young to be a ruthless underworld operator.
A court case between Lil Tay's parents ultimately prevented her from pursuing the role of Ashtray, and in the Rolling Stone interview, she indicated that she's currently focusing on her musical career. Still, based on her experience in front of the camera and the way she specifically brought up the "Euphoria" role on two separate occasions, it wouldn't be all that surprising if Lil Tay was open to other acting opportunities at some point down the line ... either on Sam Levinson's show or with some other project.