Jacob Elordi Details 'Torture' on Euphoria Set Following Character's Gruesome Snake Death
Photo Credit: HBO
by Chris Tremblay Jul 23
5 MIN READ
Jacob Elordi, the actor who has portrayed the controversial character Nate Jacobs since the inception of the HBO hit series Euphoria, has opened up about the intensive and arguably "torturous" filming process behind his character’s exit. Speaking in a retrospective interview following the airing of the penultimate episode of Season 3, Elordi joked—with a degree of earnestness—that series creator Sam Levinson seemingly brought him back for the latest season specifically to inflict physical and psychological hardship on him .
"I think Sam brought me back to torture me," Elordi stated during the interview, reflecting on a production cycle that saw his character transition from a high school antagonist to a beleaguered businessman meeting a gruesome end . The actor detailed a six-week period characterized by relentless physical demands, including scenes where he was repeatedly beaten by a "seven-foot guy" and required to run for the majority of his screen time . These comments come as fans process the shocking conclusion of Nate’s storyline, which culminated in one of the most harrowing death scenes in recent television history.
The third season of Euphoria introduced a significant time jump, picking up five years after the events of the Season 2 finale. In this new timeline, Nate Jacobs had attempted to reinvent himself by taking over his father’s struggling construction business, hoping to restore the family's reputation through a project known as Sun Settlers—a planned nursing home and hospice community .
However, Nate’s ambitious business venture led him into a dangerous financial entanglement with an Armenian loan shark named Naz , who was also involved in the coffin industry . Throughout the season, the consequences of Nate’s $1 million debt were illustrated through escalating acts of violence. The brutality began on Nate's wedding night to Cassie Howard , which fans have dubbed the "Red Wedding" due to its violent interruption by Naz and his enforcer, Artur . During this confrontation, Nate was severely beaten, and Naz amputated one of Nate’s toes as a warning for his late payments .
The violence reached its peak in the seventh episode of the season, titled "Rain or Shine." After Nate failed to produce the owed funds, Naz and Artur kidnapped him and took the extreme step of burying him alive in a shallow grave on the very land designated for the Sun Settlers development .
Nate was entombed in a custom pine coffin with only a small ventilation pipe extending to the surface to allow for breathing . Naz then presented Cassie with an ultimatum: deliver the $1 million within 72 hours, or her husband would die of dehydration while trapped underground .
The scene took a horrific turn when a rattlesnake, attracted by the sounds of Nate pounding on the coffin lid, slithered down the breathing tube . Trapped in the dark and unable to defend himself, Nate was bitten repeatedly by the venomous reptile . By the time Maddy Perez and Cassie managed to locate and unearth the coffin—following a standoff that resulted in the death of Naz at the hands of another gangster, Alamo —Nate was found bloated, purple, and deceased .
The realism of the death scene was achieved through a production process that Elordi described as grueling and highly claustrophobic. The actor revealed that he was locked in the coffin for two consecutive days to film the sequence . During this time, he was fitted with prosthetics that made his face appear swollen and discolored, and he wore a "fake tongue" that prevented him from closing his mouth properly . Furthermore, the prosthetic work included elements that obscured his vision, leaving him effectively blind while confined .
The most daunting element for many viewers was the inclusion of live snakes in the coffin with Elordi. While the show depicted a lethal rattlesnake, the production utilized a boa constrictor for safety reasons . To maintain the visual of a rattlesnake, the reptile was fitted with a prosthetic rattling tail .
Elordi noted that despite the "alarming" sound of the rattling in such a small space, the snake itself was quite gentle. "He had a very nice personality," Elordi said, calling the boa "docile" and comparing the animal to a "little dog" that would curl up at his feet . He even admitted to having to "nudge" the snake to get it to act more aggressively for the camera, as the reptile was prone to falling asleep in the darkness of the coffin .
The decision to kill off a central character in such a "horrific and anxiety-inducing" manner has been met with significant debate among the Euphoria audience. Sam Levinson has defended the choice, arguing that for a character like Nate Jacobs, who spent two seasons engaged in psychological warfare and physical intimidation, the narrative required a conclusion where "consequences are real" .
Levinson originally considered a plot where Nate would simply suffocate in the coffin, making Cassie’s frantic rescue mission ultimately futile . However, the inclusion of the snake was chosen to heighten the visceral nature of the character's death. Levinson expressed "enormous credit" to Elordi for his willingness to perform the scene with live animals in a confined space .
For Elordi, the ending was a "cool" and "unique" way to exit the series, despite the physical toll . He reflected on the irony of Nate’s death, noting that while the character had many enemies, his final moments were spent in a "tranquil" box with a "charming" snake before the venom took hold .
Nate Jacobs' death marks a significant turning point for Euphoria as it nears its series finale. The character was a lightning rod for discussions regarding toxic masculinity and trauma, and his removal from the board leaves the remaining characters, particularly Cassie and Maddy, to navigate a world without his influence .
The Season 3 finale is scheduled to air on Sunday, July 26, 2026, at 9 p.m. ET/PT on HBO . While Elordi has finished his time on the show, the repercussions of Nate's debt and the violence it brought to the community are expected to be key themes in the final episode .
In his concluding thoughts on the character, Elordi acknowledged that Nate was someone who made "numerous errors and dark decisions," making his "grotesque" end a fitting, if difficult, conclusion to the arc .
A Five-Year Jump and a Financial Downfall
The third season of Euphoria introduced a significant time jump, picking up five years after the events of the Season 2 finale. In this new timeline, Nate Jacobs had attempted to reinvent himself by taking over his father’s struggling construction business, hoping to restore the family's reputation through a project known as Sun Settlers—a planned nursing home and hospice community .
However, Nate’s ambitious business venture led him into a dangerous financial entanglement with an Armenian loan shark named Naz , who was also involved in the coffin industry . Throughout the season, the consequences of Nate’s $1 million debt were illustrated through escalating acts of violence. The brutality began on Nate's wedding night to Cassie Howard , which fans have dubbed the "Red Wedding" due to its violent interruption by Naz and his enforcer, Artur . During this confrontation, Nate was severely beaten, and Naz amputated one of Nate’s toes as a warning for his late payments .
The Gruesome Demise: Buried Alive
The violence reached its peak in the seventh episode of the season, titled "Rain or Shine." After Nate failed to produce the owed funds, Naz and Artur kidnapped him and took the extreme step of burying him alive in a shallow grave on the very land designated for the Sun Settlers development .
Nate was entombed in a custom pine coffin with only a small ventilation pipe extending to the surface to allow for breathing . Naz then presented Cassie with an ultimatum: deliver the $1 million within 72 hours, or her husband would die of dehydration while trapped underground .
The scene took a horrific turn when a rattlesnake, attracted by the sounds of Nate pounding on the coffin lid, slithered down the breathing tube . Trapped in the dark and unable to defend himself, Nate was bitten repeatedly by the venomous reptile . By the time Maddy Perez and Cassie managed to locate and unearth the coffin—following a standoff that resulted in the death of Naz at the hands of another gangster, Alamo —Nate was found bloated, purple, and deceased .
Behind the Scenes: Coffin and Cold-Blooded Co-Stars
The realism of the death scene was achieved through a production process that Elordi described as grueling and highly claustrophobic. The actor revealed that he was locked in the coffin for two consecutive days to film the sequence . During this time, he was fitted with prosthetics that made his face appear swollen and discolored, and he wore a "fake tongue" that prevented him from closing his mouth properly . Furthermore, the prosthetic work included elements that obscured his vision, leaving him effectively blind while confined .
The most daunting element for many viewers was the inclusion of live snakes in the coffin with Elordi. While the show depicted a lethal rattlesnake, the production utilized a boa constrictor for safety reasons . To maintain the visual of a rattlesnake, the reptile was fitted with a prosthetic rattling tail .
Elordi noted that despite the "alarming" sound of the rattling in such a small space, the snake itself was quite gentle. "He had a very nice personality," Elordi said, calling the boa "docile" and comparing the animal to a "little dog" that would curl up at his feet . He even admitted to having to "nudge" the snake to get it to act more aggressively for the camera, as the reptile was prone to falling asleep in the darkness of the coffin .
Levinson Defends the Narrative Choice
The decision to kill off a central character in such a "horrific and anxiety-inducing" manner has been met with significant debate among the Euphoria audience. Sam Levinson has defended the choice, arguing that for a character like Nate Jacobs, who spent two seasons engaged in psychological warfare and physical intimidation, the narrative required a conclusion where "consequences are real" .
Levinson originally considered a plot where Nate would simply suffocate in the coffin, making Cassie’s frantic rescue mission ultimately futile . However, the inclusion of the snake was chosen to heighten the visceral nature of the character's death. Levinson expressed "enormous credit" to Elordi for his willingness to perform the scene with live animals in a confined space .
For Elordi, the ending was a "cool" and "unique" way to exit the series, despite the physical toll . He reflected on the irony of Nate’s death, noting that while the character had many enemies, his final moments were spent in a "tranquil" box with a "charming" snake before the venom took hold .
Impact on the Series and Future Outlook
Nate Jacobs' death marks a significant turning point for Euphoria as it nears its series finale. The character was a lightning rod for discussions regarding toxic masculinity and trauma, and his removal from the board leaves the remaining characters, particularly Cassie and Maddy, to navigate a world without his influence .
The Season 3 finale is scheduled to air on Sunday, July 26, 2026, at 9 p.m. ET/PT on HBO . While Elordi has finished his time on the show, the repercussions of Nate's debt and the violence it brought to the community are expected to be key themes in the final episode .
In his concluding thoughts on the character, Elordi acknowledged that Nate was someone who made "numerous errors and dark decisions," making his "grotesque" end a fitting, if difficult, conclusion to the arc .
Copyright EDGE Media Network. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
