A new instalment of Euphoria is fast-approaching after what has felt like a lifetime, with season three of the ever-buzzy HBO series officially hitting Aussies screens on April 13.
We’ve been drip-fed a few details in the lead-up to Euphoria’s third season, including a brief teaser and some plot points, but what’s less clear is exactly which stars will be returning the third and final season of the show.
Long production delays and general tomfoolery courtesy of creator Sam Levinson have made official cast lists feel like a guessing game. So in anticipation of the final instalment, here’s the complete guide to who’s in and who’s out ahead of Euphoria’s new season.
Who has left Euphoria season 3?
It’s been a whopping five years since Euphoria’s second season, and the wait between airtime has caused more than a few cast departures.
Barbie Ferreira
The biggest name who dropped out ahead of season three is Barbie Ferreira, whose character, Kat, played a central role in the first two instalments.
Ferreira announced her “teary-eyed” exit on Instagram back in 2022. She later denied persistent rumours of a feud with Levinson and said her departure was a mutual decision to finalise Kat’s arc and prevent her from falling into the “fat best friend” stereotype.
Storm Reid
Joining Ferreira on the outs is Storm Reid, who played Rue’s sister Gia in seasons one and two. Reid cited scheduling conflicts as well as her pursuit of schooling and her own production company as the reason for her exit, but said she’s still keen to watch the new season.
Angus Cloud
Angus Cloud won’t be back as Fez for season three following his tragic passing in 2023. His death prompted emotional tributes from many of his Euphoria castmates and coworkers, with HBO saying he was an “immensely talented and a beloved part of the Euphoria family”.
Other notable names who won’t be returning are Austin Abrams, who played Ethan, as well as Rue and Gia’s mum (Nika King) and Algee Smith, who featured heavily as Chris in season one before taking on a less prominent role in season two.
Who is cast in Euphoria season 3?
Before we get to the familiar faces, let’s run through the newcomer castmates, shall we? While a whopping 18 new names have been confirmed, details about their roles and how much they’ll factor into the storyline have not been revealed.
First cab off the rank is none other than Sharon Stone, who confirmed her involvement in the third season last year. “I am honoured to be Euphoric,” the Basic Instinct star wrote, while praising the “genius of Sam Levinson”.
Stone will be joined by fellow scene-stealer Natasha Lyonne, known for Orange is the New Black, as well as horror director Eli Roth, singer Rosalía, actress Danielle Deadwyler and True Blood star Sam Trammel. The newcomer ensemble is rounded-out by, I kid you not, Trisha Paytas.
There’s very little info about Paytas’ role, but she hinted that her character is chaotic when announcing her casting on her podcast last year — which says a lot in the Euphoria-verse.
All those names are part of the broader season three ensemble whose faces you already know and love. That includes lead star Zendaya, who will be back as Rue, as well as fellow core characters like Sydney Sweeney’s Cassie and Jacob Elordi’s Nate.
Alexa Demi is also on board again in the role of Maddy, and so too is Hunter Schafer as Jules, Maude Apatow as Lexi, Dominic Fike as Elliot, Colman Domingo as Ali and Martha Kelly as the ominous Laurie.
A name fans might be surprised to learn will be back is Eric Dane, who plays Nate’s dad. Dane went public with his ALS diagnosis last year, and tragically passed away from the disease in in February.
Dane continued working on Euphoria throughout his illness, so he will appear in the third season. It was one of his last-ever screen roles.
Beyond the chock full cast, we do know that season three will catch up with the characters after a five-year time-jump, with none of them being in that fever dream of a high school that featured in seasons one and two.
Naturally, the years-long leap leaves room for new storylines and characters to be explored, but rest assured that Euphoria’s signature of characters’ chaotic decision-making and enough glitter to cause blindness will remain intact.
You can watch it all go down when Euphoria season three lands on HBO Max in Australia on April 13.
Lead images: Getty Images
