Where would teen TV be without Sam Levinson? Love him or hate him, the Euphoria and The Idol creator isn’t ready to go away yet. The former returned earlier this month with its third season after not only giving an early platform to some of our most bankable young stars (Zendaya, Jacob Elordi, and Sydney Sweeney, to name a few) but also setting the tone for any Gen Z fare to come.
What’s something people get wrong about you?
That I take any of it for granted.
Name an influence of yours that might surprise people.
The Old Testament.
What do you want to see more of in your industry? Less of?
More pathos, less politics.
Where do you feel most at home?
Movie night, surrounded by the people I love, especially my wife and kids.
When’s the last time you laughed hysterically?
Yesterday, on the phone with Warren Beatty. He told a very funny joke about Alexander Graham Bell.
What’s your biggest vice? Your greatest virtue?
My work ethic and my work ethic.
What’s one work of art that got you through an important moment in your life?
It’s a Wonderful Life.
What question do you ask yourself most often while you’re making work?
What am I missing? Could it be better?
What do you think is your biggest contribution to culture?
Hopefully, a little more empathy towards addicts.
What keeps you up at night?
Very little.
What’s been the hardest part of your career so far?
Focusing on the work instead of the noise.
To read more from the 2026 CULT100 honorees, see the full list here.
in your life?
