Hollywood Mourns Loss of 'One of Its Brightest Rising Stars'

Kevin Turen, 44, who produced HBO's 'Euphoria' and 'The Idol,' died suddenly over the weekend
By Jenn Gidman,  Newser Staff
Posted Nov 14, 2023 9:19 AM CST
Hollywood Mourns Loss of 'One of Its Brightest Rising Stars'
From left, director Ti West and producers Jacob Jaffke, Kevin Turen, Harrison Kreiss, and Peter Phok arrive for the world premiere of "X" at the Stateside Theatre on March 13, 2022, in Austin, Texas.   (Photo by Jack Plunkett/Invision/AP)

A producer of two major HBO series has died. Deadline reports on the sudden death over the weekend of 44-year-old Kevin Turen, who produced the Zendaya-led show Euphoria, as well as The Idol and director Ti West's X trilogy. No cause of death has been given. "Kevin was so incredibly special, this world is going to be less without him," his father, Edward Turen, said in a Sunday evening statement. Per Variety, Kevin Turen was a New York City native who graduated from Columbia with a degree in English and critical film studies.

After getting his start as a creative executive at First Look Studios, Turen went on to work at Infinity Media, Treehouse Pictures, and Phantom Four before co-founding Little Lamb Productions with Sam and Ashley Levinson, the company behind Euphoria, per the Hollywood Reporter, which notes that the series was Turen and the Levinsons' "first foray into television." Jay Penske, CEO of Penske Media Corporation, which owns all three news outlets, was a close friend to Turen and offered a statement after his death.

"Despite his many achievements in Hollywood, Kevin's greatest passion was his family and friends," Penske said. "He was so proud of his children. ... [W]e all feel such a profound sense of loss. We will miss Kevin so much, and this town lost one of its brightest rising stars." Turen is survived by his wife, Evelina, and two sons, Jack and James. (More death stories.)

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