Jules Vaughn is one of the main (and arguably, most interesting) characters in Euphoria. Jules is an eclectic, artistic free spirit who’s new in town and almost immediately catches the attention of Rue (Zendaya) and Nate (Jacob Elordi).
In the show, viewers learn that Jules has dealt with depression, anxiety, and self-harm from a young age, mostly stemming from gender dysphoria. Jules’ mother was unsupportive of her struggles with dysphoria and had her admitted to a psychiatric hospital at age 11. However, Jules’ father was supportive.
Jules began transitioning at age 13, and started to explore her sexuality at age 16 mostly with men she met online. In the show, one such man is Cal Jacobs, Nate’s father, who wasn’t aware that Jules was a minor when they hooked up. Nate finds out about their encounter and catfishes Jules, which becomes a major plot point of the show.
It’s unclear whether Rue is aware that Jules is trans until the third episode where there’s a scene in which Jules and Rue argue about whether it’s safe for Jules to meet up with “Shyguy118” (aka, Nate’s catfish alter ego). Rue encourages Jules to meet her online paramour in a public place, but Jules retorts saying, “I’m trans,” as a way to convey that she doesn’t have the luxury of being able to be as public in her relationships as cisgendered people do. While this moment doesn’t seem to be a revelation for Rue, it may have been for some viewers.
Is Hunter Schafer, The Actress Who Plays Jules, Trans?
Yes, Hunter Schafer, who plays Jules, is a trans woman in real life. “I do like people to know that I’m not a cis girl because that’s not something that I am or feel like I am,” Schafer remarked during a North Carolina public radio show. “I’m proud to be a trans person.”
Schafer has also spoken about having Jules be a relatable, multi-faceted character as far as trans representation in film and television and she’s been able to imbue a lot of her own experiences into Jules. Schafer wrote and co-produced one of the episodes surrounding her character, which she said in an interview with i-D Magazine was meant to explore “a 17-year-old trans girl, still figuring out who she is, and debating queerness within her head—what that means for her as a trans person.” She added, “This is a really good opportunity to put some sh** on TV that has not been on TV as far as like, what’s actually going on in young trans people’s heads beyond ‘Oh, I’m scared what people are gonna think because I’m trans.’ Like, real, spiritual, philosophical… Who am I? What does this all mean?”
The character of Jules ultimately shows that the trans experience isn’t just about a search for acceptance or limited to one’s definition of gender, but the freedom and richness in authenticity—whatever it looks like.
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