EUPHORIA returns to screens on Sunday for its third season after a four-year hiatus.
The hit HBO show, which focuses on a group of high school students in as they navigate a world full of , sex, and plenty of drama, has created some of today’s biggest movie stars, including Zendaya, , and Jacob Elordi. But off-screen, the cast has faced plenty of drama, feuds, and controversy.
The cast is pictured at the premiere for Season 2 in 2022Credit: Getty Images for HBO
The show has attracted huge attention for its star line-up, including Sydney SweeneyCredit: HBO
The third season of the show was delayed for various reasons, including a tragic deathCredit: HBO
Stars like Jacob Elordi and Sweeney have seen their careers sky rocket since the first seasonCredit: Alamy
Since its premiere season back in 2019, the then little-known stars have had their own whirlwind journeys, much like their on-screen counterparts.
, who plays struggling drug addict Rue Bennett, has gone on to star in box office hits including Dune and Challengers, and is set to star as Athena in Christopher Nolan’s The Odyssey this .
Jacob Elordi, who plays abusive boyfriend Nate Jacobs, is now also a bonafide A-lister. He broke box office records earlier this year as he starred alongside in Wuthering Heights, and he is reportedly a favourite to replace as the legendary .
But not all that glitters is gold for the Euphoria cast. Here we look at the dark side of the smash show, from controversial adverts to heartbreaking loss.
SYDNEY’S JEANS AD BACKLASH
Last year, who plays Cassie in Euphoria, faced backlash after starring in a series of denim adverts for American Eagle, which saw the star writhing around in the jeans with the tagline: “Sydney Sweeney has great jeans.”
But critics accused the ad of fuelling racial tensions and harbouring undertones of white supremacy with the genes pun, something the blonde-haired, blue-eyed star denied.
Speaking out about the ad, Sydney, 28, said: “I was honestly surprised by the reaction.
“I did it because I love the jeans and love the brand.
“I don’t support the views some people chose to connect to the campaign.”
The star added: “Many have assigned motives and labels to me that just aren’t true.
“Anyone who knows me knows that I’m always trying to bring people together. I’m against hate and divisiveness.
“I have come to realise my silence regarding this issue has .
“So I hope this new year brings more focus on what connects us instead of what divides us.”
The divisive jeans advert wasn’t the only controversy the actress found herself in since appearing in Euphoria.
She made headlines back in 2023 when pictures from her mum’s birthday were circulated on social media, and some guests could be seen wearing Make America Great Again caps – which outraged the left-leaning fans of Euphoria.
Later, she told GQ: “It’s been turning into a wildfire, and nothing I can say will take it back to the correct track.”
The actress was slated for the controversial campaignCredit: American Eagle
Sydney addressed the backlash on XCredit: American Eagle
STAR’S TRAGIC OVERDOSE DEATH
It’s not just politics that has cast a shadow over the show; in 2023, , who played the lovable yet troubled drug dealer Fez, was found dead aged 25 in Oakland, California.
The star buried his father just the week before and reportedly ‘struggled intensely’ with the loss of his ‘best friend’.
A spokesperson for the coroner’s office explained to TMZ that Angus suffered an acute intoxication from several drugs combined, including benzodiazepine.
The actor’s mother, Lisa Cloud McLaughlin, previously noted a possible overdose in her call to 911 operators from the family home.
In the wake of Angus’ death, condolences poured in from every corner of the internet.
The X account for HBO’s Euphoria shared a photo of the star along with an emotional statement on his passing.
“We are incredibly saddened to learn of the passing of Angus Cloud,” the tweet began.
“He was immensely talented and a beloved part of the and Euphoria family. We extend our deepest condolences to his friends and family during this difficult time.”
Euphoria creator Sam Levinson released a statement of his own to Deadline on the death.
“There was no one quite like Angus. He was too special, too talented and way too young to leave us so soon,” he said.
“He also struggled, like many of us, with addiction and . I hope he knew how many he touched. I loved him. I always will. Rest in Peace and God Bless his family.”
Angus Cloud tragically died in 2023 shortly after his own father’s passingCredit: Reuters
FEUDING STARS
Since first starring together in season one of Euphoria in 2019, rumours began to swirl that the pair don’t exactly get along.
Speaking to The Sun ahead of the series three premiere, an LA-based source revealed: “Euphoria bosses are all too aware the pair do not get on. There were tensions way back.
“It was an open secret that Sydney had the hots for Tom and was flirty with him when he would come to set.
“That did not go down well with Zendaya. They have not really hung out socially since then.
The duo reportedly barely crossed paths at all during the filming of the latest season, which is set to come out on the 12th of April.
There were also issues when it came to , with reports late last year speculating that Zendaya refused to even stand next to Sweeney at press events.
Speculation over their feud arose again last month, with fans noticing Sydney was missing from a group photo featured in a video posted by HBO on X and .
Zendaya and Sydney have reportedly been avoiding each other during filming for season threeCredit: Getty
SAM LEVINSON DRAMA
After long-running rumours that Sam Levinson, the creator of the show, was feuding with actress Barbie Ferreira, who played Kat, before her eventual exit from the show.
But despite rumours of a moody storm-ff during filming, Barbie insisted she “never did that.”
She told The Viall Files podcast her departure wasn’t her choice, but “after having a lot of conversation and after season two, there was just nowhere to go.
“Instead of me lingering around for nine months, it was best for both of us that we just kind of ended it there.”
Drama was sparked between Sam Levinson and some of the show’s castCredit: Getty
But it’s not just Barbie that reportedly clashed with Sam, as there were also rumours Zendaya wasn’t happy with the delay in season three.
Meanwhile, Sydney Sweeney has previously opened up about not wanting to do some of the topless scenes in Sam’s script.
Speaking with The Independent , the blonde beauty reportedly was due to be topless much more in season two of the show, but this was then changed per her request.
“There are moments where Cassie was supposed to be shirtless, and I would tell Sam, ‘I don’t really think that’s necessary here,’” she explained.
“He was like, ‘OK, we don’t need it’. I’ve never felt like Sam has pushed it on me or was trying to get a nude scene into an HBO show. When I didn’t want to do it, he didn’t make me.”
Meanwhile, rapper Drake, who is an executive producer on the show, faced backlash for his feud with Kendrick Lamar. Lamar even released a diss track called Euphoria – where he referred to him as a scam artist.
Sam also stirred up drama with his other show, The Idol – which was heavily criticised for excessively degrading sexual content. He later defended the show as a satire of Hollywood and its misogyny. Showbiz sources said at the time it was a toxic work environment. It was panned by critics, with a score of 19 per cent on Rotten Tomatoes.
BRAVE BATTLE WITH ALS
The Euphoria cast was struck by tragedy again earlier this year. Eric Dane, who played the strict, closeted father Cal Jacobs, sadly died from ALS aged just 53.
The Grey’s Anatomy and actor passed away with his wife, Rebecca Gayheart, and daughters Billie and Georgia by his side.
Touching tributes were made after Eric’s tragic deathCredit: Alamy
Eric had battled ALS but sadly died earlier this year
Eric had been battling ALS, a fatal neurodegenerative disease also known as amyotrophic lateral sclerosis or Lou Gehrig’s disease, since early 2024, when he first began experiencing symptoms.
The star in April 2025, which quickly progressed to near full paralysis in the months before his death.
In a touching tribute, , the creator of Euphoria, said in a statement shared with The Hollywood Reporter: “I’m heartbroken by the loss of our dear friend Eric.
“Working with him was an honor. Being his friend was a gift.
“Eric’s family is in our prayers. May his memory be for a blessing.”
It is reported that Eric will feature in the new season of the show, after her vowed to continue acting despite his drastic health decline.
He told fans in December 2025: “I’m not about to concede my purpose for some disease. I just am not capable of doing that.
“I’m fairly limited in what I can do physically as an actor, but I still have my brain, and I still have my speech, so I’m willing to do just about anything.”
‘TOXIC’ WORK ENVIRONMENT
In 2022, there were allegations of a “toxic work environment” on the set of Euphoria.
According to The Daily Beast , these claims came from anonymous members of the production team and included complaints about injuries on set, long work days and violations of SAG-AFTRA rules.
However, HBO denied the claims and, in a statement, said the “well-being of cast and crew on our productions is always a top priority.”
They added: “The production was in full compliance with all safety guidelines and guild protocols. It’s not uncommon for drama series to have complex shoots…
“We maintain an open line of communication with all the guilds, including SAG-AFTRA. There were never any formal inquiries raised.”
The show has also been slammed by some for glamorising drug useCredit: HBO
STAR’S SEX SCENE
Alexa Demi caught the attention of fans in the show for her character’s no-nonsense attitude, but in real life the actress left viewers scratching their heads when they couldn’t work out how old she really is.
Some viewers of the show even took to to share their findings, as one wrote: “If you ask for Google’s input, today is Demie’s 26th birthday. In mid-Euphoria craze from 2019, she was reported to be 24 years old, and her Wikipedia page lists her birthday as “December 11, 1994/1995.”
The actress was soon part of a big conspiracy about her age when people discovered she had allegedly graduation high school in 2008, which fans noted would make her 29 or 30.
That said, despite her youthful looks, Alexa was actually born in 1990, making her 35-years-old.
But she recently faced more backlash when Reddit users uncovered she filmed a sex scene with an 11-year-old boy – when she was 28.
The actress starred in Jonah Hill’s 2018 flick, Mid90s, when she was in her late 20s, playing a high school student. Opposite her was Sunny Suljic, who was 11 at the time.
Fans were confused by Alexa’s real age after an online conspiracyCredit: Getty
HUNTER’S SOCIAL MEDIA STIR
Hunter Schafer came under fire after the actress, who stars as Jules, was discovered to have liked and commented a series of exclamation points on a controversial post.
The post blamed nonbinary trans people for part of the hate that the trans community as a whole faces.
It read claimed that “people who fought to have trans identities no longer considered a medical condition should be happy because declared that gender-affirming healthcare isn’t deemed ‘medically necessary’.”
When fans noticed she liked the post they were quick to criticise her, but she soon addressed the backlash.
“Also, while we are here, I hold absolutely no hatred towards nonbinary folks,” she clarified on Instagram.
“I agreed with another t-girl’s post in which she pointed out an inbalance in the visibility and space taken up between nonbinary folks and binary trans women (particularly those of color and/or those who have resulted to sex work as a means of survival) that I think deserves attention/re-evaluation (as far as resources and platforms go) within the LGBTQ+ community.”
“I am not a transmedicalist, and my ideology around transness does not align with transmedicalism, nor a disdain towards nb identifying people,” she added.
Hunter addressed the social media post after backlash from fansCredit: Getty WHAT TO EXPECT: SEASON 3 OF EUPHORIA
The third and final season of Euphoria will take place five years after season two.
It will reportedly focus on character’s transitions from high school and into adulthood.
Rue, played by Zendaya, is expected to focus heavily in season three and the turbulent relationship between Cassie and Nate is expected to develop too.
There will also be some new characters for fans to look forward to, including familiar faces like influencer Trisha Paytas.
The show’s creator Sam Levinson claimed it will be the “best season yet.”
Eze Chidiebere Paul
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