‘Euphoria’ Star Finally Addresses Absence From Season 3
‘Euphoria’ Star Finally Addresses Absence From Season 3
Olivia KlimekSun, April 12, 2026 at 1:07 AM UTC
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After four years, the hit HBO series Euphoria has returned for its third season. With the promotional rollout launching in January, one central character is noticeably missing from reunited cast.
Barbie Ferreira, the actress who portrayed Kat Hernandez initially announced her departure from Euphoria in August 2022. The actress posted an emotional Instagram story to share the news, affirming her appreciation for the character.
Now, as Season 3 gears up for its premiere on Sunday and Ferreira prepares for the release of her latest film projects, she has opened up about her absence. In a recent interview with Deadline, Ferreira addressed her retired role, revealing that a large factor was her desire for creative fulfillment and professional growth.
Alexa Demie, Hunter Schafer, Maude Apatow, Zendaya, Barbie Ferreira and Sydney Sweeney attend the HBO Max FYC event for "Euphoria" at Academy Museum of Motion Pictures on April 20, 2022 in Los Angeles, California. Rodin Eckenroth/FilmMagic
“It just felt like for me, what I wanted to do is act and be able to do different roles, and if Euphoria was going to serve that for me, I would have happily done it forever, however long it would have been,” she said. “But It wasn’t really letting me show my range. In fact, it was kind of diminishing as time went on, and it was like, what makes me happy is acting and growing my career.”
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Ferreira continued, “So, it just felt like a very personal decision where I, really deep down, don’t care if what I’m doing is the biggest show of all time, as long as I’m creatively fulfilled. It’s truly all that I care about.”Ferreira has spoken about her fears of being typecast before. In 2023 she spoke with Dax Shepard on the Armchair Expert podcast, saying that the decision to let go of the role was partly to avoid the "fat best friend" label.
"I don't think there was a place for her to go," Ferreira said. "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."
Breaking out of that mold, Ferreira has taken on several new projects, recently starring as Margot in Faces of Death, a horror flick directed by Daniel Goldhaber. Today, she is preparing for the release of her upcoming romantic comedy, Mile End Kicks, which is set for release on April 17.
Related: 'Mean Girls' Star, 40, Reveals First Movie She Wanted to Show Her Daughter
This story was originally published by Parade on Apr 12, 2026, where it first appeared in the Entertainment section. Add Parade as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
Source: “AOL Entertainment”
