HBO ended the excruciating wait for Euphoria season 3 with the premiere on Sunday, April 12, and all eyes were on the creatively rebooted teen drama's new chapter. Considering it's been four years since season 2 aired, the five-year time jump in the series picks back up with the formerly teenaged characters now in adulthood. But they are no less settled or making better decisions.
In the season 3 premiere, Rue filled us in on what she has been up to since high school, and that includes putting her life on the line as a drug mule for Laurie to make up her sizable debt. Lexi and Maddy are working in Hollywood as Cassie and Nate prepare for their wedding with varied ideas about how to make a living as a couple. But a number of characters are no longer in the show.
While Jules was mentioned in the episode and remains a main character in season 3, Hunter Schafer wasn't in the first episode. However, other cast members were absent for different reasons. Storm Reid left the series as Gia, and Rue mentioned that Gia's doing well. Angus Cloud passed away, but his character Fezco remains alive (albeit in prison for 30 years). Meanwhile, Barbie Ferreira's Kat was not mentioned.
Euphoria season 3 episode 1 didn't explain Kat's absence
Ferreira played Kat Hernandez in the first two seasons of Euphoria, but in August 2022, months after the second season finished airing, the actress announced on Instagram Stories that she would not return for season 3. Since Kat was one of the fan-favorite characters in the series, we were hoping for an explanation about what she's been up to, but her exit was ignored in the season 3 premiere. Hopefully, Kat will be mentioned in an upcoming episode.
When she announced her departure, Ferreira wrote, "After four years of getting to embody the most special and enigmatic character Kat, I’m having to say a very teary-eyed goodbye. 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. I put all my care and love into her and I hope you guys could feel it. Love you Katherine Hernandez."
Ferreira's departure from Euphoria came during a time when some behind-the-scene rumors were beginning to arise for the drama series. There was speculation that Ferreira walked off the set during filming on the second season over creative differences, but in recent comments regarding what went into her exit, the actress denied that any heated moments led to her decision.
Why Barbie Ferriera left Euphoria and isn't in season 3
In April 2026, Ferreira addressed her exit and revealed that she made the decision, which was mutual with the show's creator, in order to be creatively fulfilled. She felt that she wasn't being given the opportunity to show her range as an actress by playing Kat on the show, and if she had been, she would have stayed. But she wanted to pursue projects that would help grow her career.
As she explained on The Viall Files podcast during an appearance in March 2025, "I think instead of me kind of lingering around for nine months, I think it was best for both of us that we just ended it there. Of course it's hard — I love Euphoria. I love Kat. Kat means the world to me. I mean, I spent so many years pouring everything into her, but it's like, you don't want to ruin a good thing."
Ferreira clarified that leaving Euphoria was a mutual decision for her character because they felt there was nowhere to go with Kat, and she didn't storm off the set. "Obviously there was a lot of discourse about it that wasn't true, and I'm a person who just kind of lets everything happen. It's a popular show, so people took it out of — I never walked off set. There was never anything like that."
Since leaving Euphoria, Ferreira has kept busy in her acting career, starring in a number of movies. In 2024, she starred in the films Bob Trevino Likes It and House of Spoils. This year, she headlines and executive produces the romantic comedy Mile High Kicks. Most recently, Ferreira starred in the horror movie Faces of Death. She made her Broadway debut in the 2024 play Cult of Love.