Considering that her part was largely downgraded in Season 2, it wasn’t entirely a surprise. Speaking on the Armchair Expert podcast in 2023, Ferreira said: “I don’t think there was a place for [Kat] to go. I think there were places she could have gone. I just don’t think it would have fit into the show. I don’t know if it was going to do her justice, and I think both parties knew that. I really wanted to be able to not be the fat best friend. I don’t want to play that, and I think they didn’t want that either. I feel like with Season 2 and certain parts of it… I felt was kind of a struggle for both parties. Sam, me… it was a struggle to find the continuation of her. So that was actually really hurtful watching it and seeing the fans get upset. I just felt like [I] overstayed my welcome a little bit? So, for me, it actually felt good to be like, Okay, I get to not worry about this and we both don’t get to worry about this, because it’s exhausting. Sam writes for things that he relates to. I don’t think he relates to Kat.”
Then, in July 2023, Angus Cloud, who played the soulful, soft-spoken Fezco, died from an accidental overdose at 25. Tributes poured in from his co-stars and fans, the latter of whom were also left to wonder about the future of Cloud’s character. Fez memorably ended Season 2 (spoiler alert) with a dramatic shoot-out with the police, during which he was wounded and then arrested. His adopted brother, Ashtray, as played by Javon Walton, appeared to die in the same scene.
News that Storm Reid, who played the younger sister to Zendaya’s Rue, was also departing the series followed in November 2024. But Euphoria’s other major players—Zendaya, Hunter Schafer, Sydney Sweeney, Jacob Elordi, Maude Apatow, Alexa Demie and Colman Domingo—will all, it seems, be back, along with Alanna Ubach (Suze), Daeg Faerch (Mitch), Melvin Bonez Estes (Bruce), Paula Marshall (Marsha), Sophia Rose Wilson (BB), Zak Steiner (Aaron), Dominic Fike (Elliot) and Nika King (Leslie).