Why Barbie Ferreira Left Euphoria

The long-awaited "Euphoria" season 3 has a lot working against it. There's the untimely passing of beloved cast member Angus Cloud, the years of production delays, and the fact that so many of its remaining actors have become Hollywood superstars with very little scheduling room. You can argue that Sydney Sweeney is now too good for this short-lived HBO drama, although thankfully Sweeney herself is still down to finish the show out.

Arguably the biggest problem with season 3 is the lack of Kat Hernandez (Barbie Ferreira), a character who was important in season 1 only to be bafflingly sidelined in season 2. Season 1 Kat went through a massive transformation, discovering a new look and attitude for herself and even managing to steal the heart of Ethan (Austin Abrams), the only male character on this show who isn't a bad influence. In season 2 the show often forgot Kat even existed, only checking in on her for one scene an episode to show her growingly increasingly dissatisfied with life. By the end of the season she's broken up with Ethan in a truly embarrassing manner, and has returned to her season 1 camgirl gig with no explanation offered. 

Fans were disappointed with how little development Kat got, and were even more disappointed when they found out season 3 wouldn't be making up for it. In August 2022, Ferreira released a statement explaining that she wouldn't be returning: "After four years of getting to embody the most special and enigmatic character, Kat, I'm having to say a very teary-eyed goodbye," she wrote. "I hope many of you could see yourself in her like I did and that she brought you joy to see her journey into the character she is today."

In the immediate aftermath of Ferreira's announcement, the prevailing assumption is that she left due to frustration with the "Euphoria" showrunner, Sam Levinson. The Daily Beast reported during season 2 that not only was the show's production process uniquely difficult, with the cast and crew often stuck on set for up to 17 hours a day, but Ferreira had allegedly "butted heads" with Levinson over where he was taking her character. 

In the years since, Ferreira has elaborated on the decision a little more: "I don't think there was a place for her to go," she said in an April 2023 interview. "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."

"Sam writes, for like, things that he relates to. I don't think he relates to Kat," Ferreira added. She clarified, however, that reports of bad blood between her and Levinson were greatly exaggerated:

"When people ask me about season two, it's usually they come at me like I was some sort of victim to season two. And I'm always like, 'No, it's okay, promise. It's good.' ... 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?"

As production for "Euphoria" season 3 finally takes off, we've learned a lot more about what the show's final season has in store. Most notable is the time jump: season 3 takes place at least a couple years out of high school, which will provide a natural excuse for why beloved characters like Kat, Ethan, and Gia aren't around. It's common for high school friends to drift away from each other in adulthood; the show can say that Kat's off at college, or that she's off on her cool adult career somewhere across the country. Kat, Ethan, and Gia are a few of the only characters on this show who could've believably done enough homework to actually make it into college in the first place, so their absences would be the easiest to explain. 

In a certain sense, the fact that Kat's not around is a kindness to the character. "Euphoria" is a show about addiction and self-inflicted misery, after all. Much like Fiona from "Shameless" or Sidney from the "Scream" franchise, it seems like a character's only real chance at lasting happiness is to leave the show, where those pesky writers can't keep ruining their lives. If Kat's not on the screen, the audience is free to imagine whatever happy future for her they want. This is how Barbie Ferreira seems to see it, at least. As she explained in that '23 interview about her departure, "I like Kat, so I get to go on my own path."