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The drama.
“Euphoria” launched its formed into superstardom erstwhile it premiered successful 2019, but it’s besides been a lightning rod of contention and ungraded complete its 7 years connected nan air.
In nan 4 years since Season 2 aired successful 2022, nan show suffered respective tragic deaths: formed members Angus Cloud (who died of an overdose astatine 25 successful July 2023) and Eric Dane (who died astatine 53 successful February 2026 pursuing an ALS battle), arsenic good as executive shaper Kevin Turen (who died of bosom complications at 44 successful November 2023).
There person besides been claims of a “toxic” environment behind nan scenes, and a feud betwixt Zendaya and Sydney Sweeney.
Ahead of Season 3, here’s a look backmost astatine each nan show’s scandals and behind-the-scenes drama.
Petra Collins reportedly claimed Sam Levinson ‘copied’ her work
Director and photographer Petra Collins reportedly claimed that she worked connected “Euphoria” for 4 months earlier HBO dropped her for being “too young,” per BuzzFeed News.
Season 1 was known for its signature artistic – colorful lighting, sparkles – and successful a 2023 question and reply pinch Hungarian outlet Punkt, Collins said that aft she parted ways pinch nan show, “A twelvemonth later, I walked retired of my flat and saw this advertisement [for ‘Euphoria’], and it’s exactly… a transcript of my work. I started crying. I was truthful shocked.”
A root adjacent to show creator Sam Levinson denied nan allegation to nan the Daily Beast.
Louis Tomlinson slammed nan show
The 3rd section of Season 1, “Made You Look,” featured an animated activity segment betwixt erstwhile One Direction set members Louis Tomlinson and Harry Styles, arsenic portion of Kat’s (Barbie Ferreira) plot.
In a July 2019 post connected Twitter, Tomlinson blasted nan sequence, writing, “I tin categorically opportunity that I was not contacted nor did I o.k. it.”
D.A.R.E. slammed ‘Euphoria’ for ‘glorifying’ drugs, Zendaya responded
In February 2022, D.A.R.E. (Drug Abuse Resistance Education) released a connection blasting “Euphoria” for “misguidedly glorifying and erroneously depicting high-school student supplier use.”
That aforesaid month, Zendaya told Entertainment Weekly, “Our show is successful nary measurement a civilized communicative to thatch group really to unrecorded their life aliases what they should beryllium doing.”
The “Challengers” character added, “If anything, nan emotion down Euphoria, aliases immoderate we person ever been trying to do pinch it, is to hopefully thief group consciousness a small spot little unsocial successful their acquisition and their pain.”
Controversy astir nudity
The show has been criticized for its activity and nudity, since nan characters were successful precocious schoolhouse nan first 2 seasons.
In 2019, Parents Television Council president Tim Winter told the Hollywood Reporter that nan show “appears to beryllium overtly, intentionally trading highly schematic big contented — sex, violence, profanity and supplier usage — to teens and preteens.”
“I don’t deliberation arsenic galore group took maine earnestly successful Euphoria because I took my garment off,” Sweeney told Cosmopolitan successful February 2022.
In 2022, she told nan Independent that location were moments erstwhile her character, Cassie, was expected to beryllium shirtless and “I would show Sam, ‘I don’t really deliberation that’s basal here.’ He was like, ‘OK, we don’t request it.’”
Minka Kelly, who appeared successful Season 2, told Vanity Fair in February 2022 that she was initially expected to beryllium naked successful her first scene, but “I conscionable didn’t consciousness comfortable.”
However, she besides said that Levinson was receptive.
“I said, ‘I’d emotion to do this scene, but I deliberation we tin support my dress on,’” she added. “He was like, ‘OK!’ He didn’t moreover hesitate. And he changeable a beautiful segment and sewage precisely what he wanted.”
Claims of a ‘toxic’ environment behind nan scenes
In February 2022, the Daily Beast published a study with allegations astir a toxic situation connected set. The study included inheritance actors sending “multiple” complaints to SAG-AFTRA complete allegations that they weren’t provided pinch meals connected time, aliases allowed to usage nan bathroom.
In January 2022, Elordi told Thrillist that nan Season 2 New Year’s Eve statement series took a week to film. “It’s for illustration being successful hell,” he said. “It’s for illustration being successful a statement that you don’t want to beryllium in. At all. And you can’t hold [to leave].”
However, nan Oscar-nominated character later clarified to GQ successful an August 2022 question and reply that moving connected that group is “an absolute treat” and “I activity myself to nan bony for [Levinson].”
Following nan Daily Beast report, HBO told Variety successful a March 2022 statement, “The well-being of formed and unit connected our productions is ever a apical priority. The accumulation was successful afloat compliance pinch each information guidelines and guild protocols.”
The connection added that “it’s not uncommon” for a play to person “complex shoots” amid COVID protocols, and said, “There were ne'er immoderate general inquiries raised” pinch SAG-AFTRA.
Barbie Ferreira’s exit
The Daily Beast’s study of a toxic situation besides claimed that Ferreira walked disconnected set, aft allegedly disagreeing pinch Levinson.
The actress, 29, abruptly announced her exit from nan show successful August 2022, and isn’t successful Season 3.
At nan time, she wrote connected her Instagram Story, “After 4 years of getting to embody nan astir typical and enigmatic characteristic Kat, I’m having to opportunity a very teary-eyed goodbye.”
In March of that year, she told Insider, “I’ve seen truthful galore different things and a batch of it is untrue and immoderate of it is benignant of for illustration mundane small things.”
She didn’t reside nan allegation that she had walked disconnected group aliases had a feud pinch Levinson.
“With Season 2, it conscionable felt for illustration nan characteristic wasn’t Kat anymore,” she said successful an April 10 question and reply with Collider Ladies Night. “I deliberation everyone knew that nan extremity of nan communicative was location because we didn’t person thing other to put… I mean, evidently location could person been, but it conscionable wasn’t happening.”
Hunter Schafer backlash
Hunter Schafer, 27, who is transgender conscionable for illustration her “Euphoria” characteristic Jules, received backlash in August 2022 for appearing to endorse a societal media station blaming nan non-binary organization for blimpish authorities that deems hormone replacement therapy and gender-affirming room not medically basal successful Florida.
“hunter schafer hating nonbinary ppl was not connected my bingo paper but is SO rich | achromatic female of her” 1 instrumentality slammed nan character connected Twitter.
The character did not respond.
Sam Levinson’s rumored strife pinch Zendaya
According to a July 2024 Hollywood Reporter story, Zendaya and Levinson utilized to beryllium “thick arsenic thieves,” but their narration “cooled” during nan four-year hiatus betwixt Seasons 2 and 3.
“Sam was truthful stressful to everyone astir him. He is simply a personification who needs to beryllium handled,” a root told nan outlet.
Per nan outlet, Zendaya sewage “frustrated” arsenic Levinson spent much clip connected his wide panned, since-cancelled 2023 HBO show “The Idol” than he spent connected “Euphoria” Season 3.
The outlet reported that nan Emmy-winning character was truthful “perturbed” that she met pinch HBO’s apical brass, “demanding” to cognize why Levinson was allowed to walk his clip connected different show alternatively of focusing connected “Euphoria.”
After Rolling Stone published a March 2023 expose alleging that “The Idol” was “torture porn” and “rape fantasy” of a “toxic man,” Zendaya was much unhappy, according to HR.
She wasn’t progressive pinch “The Idol,” but she was associated pinch Levinson done “Euphoria” and her “image is pristine,” a root told nan outlet.
A root adjacent to Levinson told nan outlet that Zendaya was much to blasted for nan 4 years betwixt Seasons 1 and 2, because of her movie career.
In December 2024, Zendaya told Vanity Fair, “I person been disconnected for a mates years, truthful [‘Euphoria’ was] not delayed because of my…I’ve been open, conscionable waiting.”
At nan Season 3 premiere connected April 7, 2026, a instrumentality posted a video connected Reddit of Zendaya and Levinson greeting each different and hugging connected nan reddish carpet.
When Levinson seemingly beckoned her complete to return photos together, “The Drama” star’s publicist rushed her away.
“I’ve decidedly gone retired and told a friend “hey if so-and-so tries to talk to me, conscionable whisk maine distant arsenic if there’s an urgent matter that I request to be to,” 1 spectator commented connected Reddit.
Zendaya and Sydney Sweeney’s rumored feud
Zendaya and Sweeney seemingly avoided each other astatine nan Season 3 premiere.
“Euphoria’ bosses are each excessively alert nan brace do not get along. There were tensions measurement backmost … Their paths hardly crossed during nan making of Season 3,” an insider alleged to nan Sun. “During nan property tour, immoderate interactions betwixt nan brace are being kept to a minimum to debar immoderate awkward encounters connected camera,” they added.
The root claimed that Zendaya’s fiancé, Tom Holland, is 1 of nan reasons for nan actress’ alleged feud.
“It was an unfastened concealed that Sydney had nan hots for Tom and was flirty pinch him erstwhile he would travel to set,” nan root claimed. “That did not spell down good pinch Zendaya. They person not really hung retired socially since then.
According to nan Sun, their governmental differences person besides caused a disagreement betwixt nan actresses. Sweeney is simply a registered Republican successful Florida.
“It’s not for illustration they person had a large bust-up, but Zendaya has softly distanced herself from Syd. Their authorities are wildly different,” nan insider told nan Sun. “It’s a spot of a headache because Zendaya doesn’t want to beryllium associated pinch a Trump supporter.”
However, different insider told Page Six that feud rumors aren’t accurate.
“They’re some successful precocious request and moving continuously,” nan root said.
Nika King commenting astir her paycheck
Nika King, who plays Rue’s mother, Leslie Bennett, said retired astir her “Euphoria” paycheck and nan agelong hold betwixt seasons during a 2024 guidelines up drama set.
“Season 3 is coming retired — I don’t f–king know. Don’t inquire me, I don’t know. … ‘We request play three!’ B–h, I request play three! I haven’t paid my rent successful six months,” she said onstage during an quality astatine Hollywood Improv.
The character said she hasn’t booked immoderate roles since “Euphoria” and quipped, “And Zendaya’s complete successful Paris astatine Fashion Week. I’m like, b–h, travel home! I request you! Mama needs you!”
After nan clip went viral, King told nan Hollywood Reporter that her comments were intended arsenic “a lighthearted joke.”
Labrinth blasts nan show connected societal media
On March 12, successful a since-deleted Instagram post, musician Labrinth, who was connected nan soundtrack for nan show’s first 2 seasons, slammed nan show, writing, “F–K COLUMBIA [Records]…DOUBLE F–K EUPHORIA.”
He did not explain what he meant, but connected April 9, 2026, Levinson said that Labrinth won’t beryllium progressive successful nan Season 3 soundtrack, and instead, Hans Zimmer will proviso nan music.
He told Rolling Stone that he didn’t cognize what caused Labrinth’s divided from nan show, but said, “He’s an unthinkable collaborator and personification who really built nan instauration of nan sound of Euphoria.”
