Euphoria Season 3 Cast Guide: Who's returning and who's joining the HBO drama

HBO’s hit drama Euphoria is preparing for its third season, with a mix of returning characters and new additions expected to shape the next chapter of the story.

The series became widely popular for its portrayal of teenage life, addiction, and relationships. Season 2 ended with several unresolved storylines, leaving room for major developments. As production moves forward, confirmed cast members and reported additions provide a clearer picture of what lies ahead.

Rue Bennett (Zendaya)

Zendaya has won two Emmy Awards for her work as Rue Bennett, the main character of the series. At the end of Season 2, Rue managed to achieve sobriety after a harrowing relapse that nearly destroyed her relationships with everyone she loved. She broke up with Jules, telling her they were done. Now in Season 3, Rue is in Mexico, and is in debt to Laurie, trying to find ways to pay Fandom back the $10,000 she owes the dangerous drug dealer. The character faces new challenges as she tries to settle old debts whilst navigating life after high school.

Nate Jacobs (Jacob Elordi)

Playing the cruel, tortured jock Nate Jacobs was one of Australian actor Jacob Elordi's breakout roles. Season 2 ended with Nate turning his father Cal into the police after years of abuse and trauma. In season three of Euphoria, we see Nate running a construction business and preparing to marry Cassie, though his mention of "my Maddy" suggests he's not completely over his ex-girlfriend. Since Euphoria's last season, Elordi starred in Saltburn, Priscilla (as Elvis, no less!), Wuthering Heights, and Frankenstein, for which he received his first Oscar nomination.

Cassie Howard (Sydney Sweeney)

Sydney Sweeney plays Cassie, the beautiful but insecure sister of Lexi and future wife of Nate Jacobs. Her secret relationship with Nate was exposed during Lexi's play in Season 2, leading to a physical fight with her best friend Maddy. Now, she's engaged to Nate and feeling jealous about what she sees on social media, leading her to create an OnlyFans-style content stream. Cassie's journey in Season 3 promises to show the consequences of her choices as she tries to build a life with Nate in the suburbs.

Maddy Perez (Alexa Demie)

Maddy ended Season 2 feeling betrayed by both her ex-boyfriend Nate and her former best friend Cassie. When Cassie confessed that Nate broke up with her, Maddy told her, "Don't worry. This is just the beginning," before walking away. Maddy appears to have left high school behind and has moved to Hollywood. Her character will navigate these major life changes whilst dealing with the aftermath of her complicated relationships. Demie has maintained a lower profile than some of her co-stars since Season 2, making her return one of the most anticipated.

Jules Vaughn (Hunter Schafer)

Model and actor Hunter Schafer plays Jules, Rue's close friend and sometime love interest. Season 2 saw Jules caught in a complicated love triangle with Rue and Elliot. The intervention set off Rue so much, she broke up with Jules. In season three, it looks like Jules is still pursuing her passion for art. Schafer appeared as Tigris in The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes, a Hunger Games spinoff film, and will star in the forthcoming Anne Hathaway pop star movie Mother Mary.

Lexi Howard (Maude Apatow)

Maude Apatow's character, Lexi, stepped into her own voice in the most recent season. She wrote, directed and performed a school play drawn directly from her and her sister Cassie's lives. The play caused major drama, particularly with Cassie and Nate. Sharon Stone has been cast as Patty Lance, a showrunner and executive who Lexi works for as an assistant in Season 3. Apatow directed her first film, Poetic License, in 2025 and has appeared on Broadway.

Elliot (Dominic Fike)

Elliot was introduced in Season 2 as the person who helped Rue relapse. Rue ended up visiting him in the finale. She forgave him and said that his actions might have saved her from dying. Rue told him she's sober, but Elliot revealed that he's not. The musician-turned-actor will return to the series in a limited capacity for Season 3.

Ali (Colman Domingo)

Colman Domingo will be back as Ali, albeit as a guest star. Ali served as Rue's sponsor and mentor throughout Season 2, providing crucial support during her struggles with addiction. “I haven't read [the script], but [Levinson] told me some of it, and it's going to be groundbreaking,” Domingo told The Hollywood Reporter.

Laurie (Martha Kelly)

Though she plays a dangerous drug dealer in the series, Kelly is best known as a comedic actor, with roles in shows like Baskets, Grace & Frankie, and Hacks. A frustratingly naive Rue accepts a suitcase of drugs worth $10,000 from Laurie with the insinuation that she will sell them to her classmates. But when the drugs go missing, Laurie's monotone can't hide her threat. Martha Kelly has been promoted to series regular for Season 3.

Faye (Chloe Cherry)

Model and actor Chloe Cherry plays Faye, who briefly lived with Fezco and Ash and remains friends with Rue. Chloe Cherry has reportedly been upped to series regular for the new season. Before Euphoria, she appeared in adult films, and has since done more modelling work.

NEW CHARACTERS

Sharon Stone as Patty Lance

Actress Sharon Stone has been cast as Patty Lance, a showrunner and executive who Lexi works for as an assistant and chore girl. Her addition was highlighted prominently as one of the biggest to the series, and in an interview with Variety, she claimed that her experience working on the show was “Euphoric”. Stone's involvement marks one of the most high-profile additions to the series.

Natasha Lyonne

Most popular for playing the role of Nicky Nichols in the hit drama series, Orange Is the New Black, actress Natasha Lyonne was also brought in as a new cast member in Euphoria Season 3. Her character details have not yet been revealed in the episodes that have aired so far. Lyonne is also known for her work in Russian Doll and the MCU's The Fantastic Four: First Steps.

Danielle Deadwyler

Danielle Deadwyler's character will be revealed in the upcoming episodes. She is most well-known for her role as Ramona in the horror film The Woman in the Yard. Deadwyler earned widespread acclaim and a SAG Award nomination for Till and starred in The Piano Lesson opposite John David Washington and Samuel L. Jackson. She described Season 3 as giving viewers everything they need.

Rosalía as Magick

Grammy-winning Spanish singer and musician Rosalia is scheduled to appear in the role of a stripper named Magick. This marks the artist's scripted television debut. In a recent interview with Elle, she discussed her role in Euphoria's latest season, stating that the cultural impact and emotional storytelling are what made her excited to work on the series.

Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje as Alamo

Actor Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje is a new face in season three, playing the role of Alamo, a strip club owner Rue meets in the first episode. Akinnuoye-Agbaje was born in England and began acting in the '90s, later appearing in popular shows like Oz and Lost, for which he was nominated for an Emmy.

Asante Blackk as Kidd

Portraying the character of Kidd in the new season is actor Asante Blackk, a young, up-and-coming star who was most famously seen alongside Tiffany Haddish in 2023's sci-fi/comedy film Landscape With Invisible Hand. His character will be involved in the drug-trafficking operation narrative that Season 3 focuses on.

Trisha Paytas

YouTuber and social media influencer Trisha Paytas's character will appear in upcoming episodes of Euphoria Season 3. She talked about her love for series creator Sam Levinson's The Idol, and how working with him in one of the most popular drama series right now made her ‘feel like such an actress’. Paytas hinted that her character is chaotic when announcing her casting on her podcast last year

DEPARTURES

Eric Dane (Cal Jacobs)

Eric Dane passed away on February 19, 2026, from ALS. He was 53. He had disclosed his diagnosis in April 2025, just before Season 3 began filming, and completed his work on the show during production that year. Dane continued working on Euphoria throughout his illness, so he will appear in the third season. Cal was arrested at the end of Season 2 after Nate turned over evidence of his illegal recordings.

Angus Cloud (Fezco)

Angus Cloud won't be back as Fez for season three following his tragic passing in 2023. Season 2 ended with Fez shot and arrested following a police raid that killed his younger brother Ashtray. 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”.

Barbie Ferreira (Kat Hernandez)

Barbie Ferreira confirmed her exit back in 2022, writing an emotional goodbye to her character Kat on Instagram. Kat's storyline was largely sidelined in Season 2, and the character will not appear in the third season.

Storm Reid (Gia Bennett)

Storm Reid, who played Rue's younger sister Gia, also confirmed she won't be back via Rotten Tomatoes in 2024, though she called the show "a really special thing" and said she's “so glad that that's a part of my legacy”.

Other Departures

Austin Abrams (Ethan), Nika King (Leslie Bennett, Rue's mum), and Algee Smith (Chris) will not be returning for Season 3.

The third season will reportedly have eight episodes and there will be a major time jump due to the gap between seasons. The new season picks up five years after Season 2, showing the characters navigating early adulthood with all the complications their high school choices have created.