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A lot of viewers are wondering just what happened to McKay in Euphoria Episode 6, which aired on July 21. Is this the scene that made the previous actor quit? Here are the top theories about what happened. This post has spoilers for Episode 6 of Euphoria.
Whatever Actually Happened, McKay Was Certainly Assaulted
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While McKay and Cassie were making out in his room, a very disturbing scene happened. McKay was attacked by eight naked/semi-naked frat guys who pushed him to the ground while McKay was naked and climbed on top of him while yelling “McGay!” and simulating sex acts.
It was left up to the viewers to figure out exactly what happened to McKay. He locked himself in the bathroom after they left and cried for a long time while Cassie was sitting on the bed. Then he insisted they have sex when he finally pulled himself together and left the bathroom.
Viewers aren’t sure what happened. Some think he was raped by those guys in the quick scene that a character also filmed while it was happening. Others think it was hazing and he was assaulted but not actually raped. I think the show purposefully left it vague so viewers could decide for themselves.
The important point is that whether or not McKay was actually raped, he was seriously traumatized by what happened. As one person on Reddit, u/thenwefell, noted: “He was still sexually assaulted even if they didn’t rape him… That went way farther than hazing.”
The scene was terrifying to watch. And whether or not McKay was raped, he was certainly sexually assaulted in that scene. Ultimately, he bottled up his emotions about what happened to him, just like his dad taught him to do when he was younger. If McKay can’t play football, which is the “release” for all the anger he has bottled up, will that anger eventually explode out of McKay in another way?
Is This the Scene That Made the Original Actor Quit?
I’m about to cry for McKay. #Euphoria #EuphoriaHBO
Is this the scene that made the original actor, Brian ‘Astro’ Bradley, quit? It’s quite possible. The former X Factor contestant and rapper was shooting the pilot when he decided he wanted to leave the show, The Hollywood Reporter shared. The exact reason why he left hasn’t been revealed. The Hollywood Reporter noted that some sources said he was uncomfortable with some scenes that weren’t in the original pilot script he read.
HBO ultimately replaced Bradley with Algee Smith of The Hate You Give and reshot his scenes in the pilot. Smith now plays Chris McKay on Euphoria.
Smith told Bossip about one scene in particular: “I have this scene in one episode and it really challenged me as a man… It was an uncomfortable scene for me, but I had to learn how to separate myself and just be the actor because someone might be dealing with that type. I had to get over my masculinity issues, as a black man we often have to realize it’s okay to be in this position for a minute…”
It’s not known if the scene Smith is talking about was the same one that caused Bradley to leave or if it was the scene that happened in Episode 6, but it’s certainly possible.
READ NEXT: Euphoria Episode 6 Review
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What Happened to McKay on ‘Euphoria’ Episode 6? Top Theories