‘Euphoria’ Star Barbie Ferreira Says Leaving The Hit Show Has Been A “Good Thing”: “Maybe It’s Like I Overstayed My Welcome?”

By Radhamely De Leon
Published April 3, 2023, 4:50 p.m. ET

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After a three-year wait, Euphoria fans tuned in week after week to catch new episodes of the hit HBO show in 2022. But Season 2 took a controversial turn as rumors swirled about trouble on set.

Series creator Sam Levinson and actress Barbie Ferreira found themselves at the center of the rumor mill with reports claiming Ferreira’s scenes were cut after walking off set. But in a new interview on Armchair Expert with Dax Shepard this Monday (April 3), the actress appeared to dispel any rumors about the alleged feud.

According to her, leaving Euphoria after Season 2 was a “mutual decision” after it became a “struggle” to continue her character Kat Hernandez’s story.

“I think there were places she could have gone. I just don’t think it would have fit into the show,” Ferreira said. “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.”

Kat’s storyline started in Season 1 with a lot of potential as she reinvents herself and comes to terms with her sexuality, later going on to become a camgirl despite being underaged. Her storyline went in a different direction than anticipated in Season 2 when it focused more on her budding relationship with her classmate, Ethan. She revealed in previous interviews that Season 2 was always going to focus on this storyline, though fans angrily noted her lack of valuable screen time.

The actress announced her exit in August 2022 after Euphoria Season 2 finished airing on HBO.

“I feel like with season two and certain parts of it, I felt was a 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,”she told Dax Shepard.

Barbie Ferreria in Euphoria
BARBIE FERRERIA as KAT HERNANDEZ
Who is Kat in Euphoria?: Kat starts off Euphoria as one of the only virgins in her friend group, but that changes after she boldly loses her virginity to some underclassmen at McKay’s party.
Where You’ve Seen Barbie Ferreria Before: Ferreria is a relative newcomer, but she’s already appeared on another HBO show. Ferreria played Ella on two episodes of Divorce. Photo: HBO

Despite this mutual “struggle” to find a story for Kat, Ferreira did say, “Sam writes for, like, things that he relates to. I don’t think he relates to Kat.”

“When people ask me about season two, it’s usually they come at me with, like, I was some sort of victim to season two and I’m always like, ‘No, it’s okay, promise. It’s good,'” she explained. “I actually did not walk off set. I did sprain my ankle once and had to go get an X-ray. Maybe that’s what they mean?”

Ferreira later expressed her fears about leaving the show, which she said left her feeling like a “flop,” but revealed her departure was ultimately “a good thing.”

“Maybe it’s like I overstayed my welcome a little bit? So, for me, I actually felt good to be like, ‘Okay, I get to not worry about this and we both don’t get too worried about this,’ because it’s exhausting,” she admitted.

So far, Ferreira is the only main cast member who will not be returning to the show for Season 3.

At the time of writing this, a release date has not been announced for Euphoria Season 3. In fact, Maude Apatow recently said she was “totally in the dark” and didn’t know “a single thing” about what’s planned for the next season.

Though we’ll definitely be seeing more of Rue, Jules, Maddy, and the gang, it’s a shame we have to say goodbye to Kat.