Tragic Details About The Cast Of Euphoria

The following article mentions addiction, eating disorders, and mental health issues. 

HBO is known for airing provocative series, and some might say that its most glaring example is "Euphoria." The first two seasons of the Emmy-winning series follow Rue Bennett (played by Zendaya), a teenager trying to navigate life in high school following a stay in rehab. Her friends' lives are just as complicated.

While the series has been praised, it's also been criticized, with one of the chief complaints being that it does not accurately portray the life of a typical high school student. While that may be true, the series is compelling, and audiences can't get enough of the characters' tragic lives. Sadly, the tragedy on the "Euphoria" set isn't limited to the characters — the actors have each faced their own sadnesses in life. From sickness and injury to untimely deaths — and lots more in between — here are some of the most tragic details about the cast of "Euphoria."

Zendaya has had a stunning transformation over the years. The actor, who's won two Emmy Awards for her portrayal of Rue in "Euphoria," started her career on the Disney Channel, starring in series like "Shake It Up" and "K.C. Undercover" on the network before branching out into other projects. But being a young star didn't keep her from facing criticism. In 2016, after thanking parents for letting her be a role model for their children while accepting an award at the Kids' Choice Awards, entertainer Julie Klausner attacked Zendaya in since-deleted tweets. "And thinspo model for your impressionable tweens," Klausner said in one tweet. "Zendaya's ultimate retort to Giuliana Rancic is starving herself down to the size of one of her elbowz [sic]," she said in another, as told by The Hollywood Reporter.

Zendaya did not take kindly to the criticism over her appearance. "Do you find this funny? I will write another paragraph to educate you aswell [sic]," she replied. While Klausner didn't issue an apology, she did say she doesn't want to fight with Zendaya. However, she received plenty of backlash for insinuating that someone she doesn't know has an eating disorder and for criticizing the appearance of a woman of color.

Hunter Schafer has received lots of praise for her role as Jules in "Euphoria," but one of her most notable moments on the series came as a writer. Schafer co-wrote the episode "F**k Anyone Who's Not a Sea Blob," and the episode became one of the most highly-rated in the series. "I feel like it really just gave us room to go deeper into her mind and her subconscious and her headspace," Schafer said of what the episode did for her character in an interview with i-D.

The episode did more for Schafer than just establish her as a multi-talented artist — it also helped her get out of an unhealthy mental state. "I was in a very f**king raw place, you know, it was the summer of 2020. Probably coming out of the worst depression I've ever had, and needing somewhere to put all of that energy. When I say that episode really became a lifeline, I mean it," Schafer said. The actor has opened up about her mental health on more than one occasion, sharing that it's something she anticipates always having to deal with. "Depression has been something I've wrestled with. It never really goes away. You just figure out how to live with it, live a life with it," she told AnOther.

Jacob Elordi's life today is certainly enviable — he's good looking, he's famous, and he has a thriving acting career. But the star didn't always feel so confident in himself. In a conversation with his "Euphoria" co-star Colman Domingo for Variety, Elordi, who plays Nate Jacobs on the HBO original, opened up about finding himself as a young man. "When I was 15, I was at an all-boys Catholic school. I was deeply unsettled and didn't know why," Elordi said, noting that things changed after reading "Waiting for Godot" in a theater class.

"I didn't understand it, but something changed. Everything that I believed in just went out the window. I became an observer. Acting and performance and story became my church," Elordi said. The actor noted that while he lost some of that freedom when he started making movies and amid his rise to fame, Elordi has since come to find himself again.

Sydney Sweeney, who plays Cassie Howard on "Euphoria," is one of Hollywood's hottest young actors — she can pull a significant paycheck for her work. But it wasn't always so easy for the actor – Sweeney and her family used to have major money problems. "I watched my parents lose a lot. We filed for bankruptcy, and they lost their house back home on the lake ... We couldn't afford life in L.A. We couldn't afford life anywhere," the actor said in an interview with Women's Health.

Sweeney felt both guilt for her parents' financial struggles and pressure to succeed, as they were living in Los Angeles so Sweeney could pursue an acting career. "It was hard because they were supporting my dream, and I couldn't imagine doing anything else. I didn't want to fail them. No matter how long it took, I was going to be in a TV show or a movie, and I wasn't going to stop until something happened," Sweeney said, noting that she took as many odd jobs as she could to help her parents. The gamble paid off for Sweeney's mom and dad, though. Sweeney soon landed some major roles on HBO series, and she eventually earned enough money to repurchase the lake house her parents had lost.

Colman Domingo, the actor who plays Ali in "Euphoria," has left his mark on Hollywood. With multiple Oscar nominations under his belt and roles in some of the century's most notable TV series, Domingo has become a household name. But his road to stardom was anything but easy. Though a great actor, Domingo has lost out on parts due to the color of his skin. As he shared in an interview with the New York Times, Domingo was turned down for a role in "Boardwalk Empire" because he's not light-skinned. The racism was so defeating that Domingo considered quitting acting altogether. "That's when I lost my mind," Domingo said of the ordeal. He told his agent, "I can't take it anymore, I think this is going to kill me."

Ultimately, Domingo didn't let the discrimination he faced derail his entire career. The actor continued, and his determination paid off. "I know for sure that I'm living in my dreams. Not even my dreams — my mother's dreams and my grandparents' dreams and my ancestors' dreams. Things were not set up for my family in this way. I was not set up to be able to do this and be here," Domingo said of his accomplishments, adding that he is sure to enjoy everything because of how hard he's worked to achieve it.

Every occupation comes with some hazards, even acting. Maude Apatow knows that firsthand. Apatow, who plays Lexi Howard in "Euphoria," has expanded her career beyond the set of the HBO series, and in 2023, she took her talents to the Theater District in New York City. Apatow was cast as Audrey in the Off-Broadway revival of "Little Shop of Horrors," and the horrors Apatow faced while on set were not limited to fiction.

As Apatow shared while on an episode of "Late Night with Seth Meyers," she got a concussion during one performance after she ran offstage into a wall. "I swear I was almost crying the rest of the show. I was like, 'OK, but get through it, get through it, get through it!' And then yeah, after the show, I think the adrenaline wore off, and I was like, 'I need to go to the hospital.' But I'm all good now," Apatow said. The actor had to miss a subsequent performance because of the concussion, which fans did not take kindly to until she explained what happened.

2023 rocked the entire cast of "Euphoria" as they learned that their co-star and friend Angus Cloud had died at 25 of a drug overdose. Cloud's father had died recently prior to his own death, and the loss was difficult for the young actor to cope with. Additionally, Cloud had struggled with mental health issues in his life. Months after his death, a coroner confirmed that Cloud, who played Fezco on "Euphoria," had methamphetamine, cocaine, fentanyl and benzodiazepines in his system at this time of death, but said that the overdose was accidental. Cloud's mother also said that her son's overdose was accidental. "Although my son was in deep grief about his father's untimely death from mesothelioma, his last day was a joyful one ... He did not intend to end his life," she shared on Facebook after Cloud's death.

Several "Euphoria" stars took to social media to share their own grief, including Sydney Sweeny, Maude Apatow, and Javon "Wanna" Walton. Zendaya penned a tribute, too, saying on Instagram, "I know people use this expression often when talking about folks they love...'they could light up any room they entered,' but boy let me tell you, he was the best at it. I'd like to remember him that way. For all of the boundless light, love and joy he always managed to give us. I'll cherish every moment." Cloud's death prompted some "Euphoria" fans to call for the series to be canceled, but ultimately HBO moved forward with another season.

In 2025, Eric Dane shared a tragic, life-changing health diagnosis. In an interview with People, Dane said, "I have been diagnosed with ALS. I am grateful to have my loving family by my side as we navigate this next chapter." ALS, which stands for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, is often called Lou Gehrig's disease (named for the famed baseball player who was also diagnosed with the disease and ultimately died from it). It is a progressive and fatal disease that causes loss of muscle control. The disease is very rare, there's no cure, and patients typically only live for two to five years after receiving a diagnosis.

Dane, who plays Cal Jacobs on "Euphoria," didn't share many details surrounding his diagnosis, but he did note at the time that he was still able to work. "I feel fortunate that I am able to continue working and am looking forward to returning to set of 'Euphoria' next week. I kindly ask that you give my family and I privacy during this time," he said. In the wake of his announcement, Dane received support from his "Euphoria" cast mates. "I haven't been able to speak with him yet. I just got the news yesterday too, and I'm wishing him well. I look forward to working with him," Colman Domingo told People.

Alanna Ubach has walked a tough road with her parents. On an episode of the podcast "Pop Culture Moms," Ubach, who plays Suze on "Euphoria," shared that her father died when she was a young woman, and his death fundamentally changed the relationship she had with her mother. "My father passed away very suddenly, Very violently, and it was horrifying. And so my mother and I had a very, very tense relationship after that, all throughout my twenties," she said. Ubach and her mother never really worked out their issues. Just days before her mother died, Ubach confronted her about their issues and it didn't go well, leaving Ubach with a conversation that she still thinks about to this day.

On top of the strain she had with her mother, Ubach struggled with the grief of losing her father. While she eventually came back from the grief, it took the actor some time. "My twenties were beyond brutal. I've seen some crap. It took ten years before I began seeing the world clearly. I forgot how to act in life and in my work. It was a scary time," Ubach shared in an interview with Authority Magazine.

For better or worse, streaming has changed the way television is made. One side effect has been that it takes longer for some television series to release new seasons than it did before the streaming era. "Euphoria" is just one example. While its first season was released in 2019, its second season didn't come out until 2022. It took years for the third season to resume filming, and many questioned whether it was going to pick back up at all. The hiatus allowed for some "Euphoria" stars to work on other projects, but it wasn't positive for all the show's actors. For example, Nika King, who plays Leslie Bennett in the series, struggled to find work.

King addressed the hiatus during a stand-up comedy set. Though she delivered the information with humor, she outlined how bleak life had gotten without steady work. "People are like, 'We need Season 3!' and I'm like, 'B***h, I need Season 3!' I haven't paid my rent in six months, and Zendaya's over in Paris at Fashion Week, and I'm like, 'B***h, come home! I need you!'" King said. "I'm serious. I haven't booked nothing since 'Euphoria.'" she said. Adding insult to injury, although King did book some projects after the second season of "Euphoria," it was announced that she was not asked to return for the third series of the season.

It's common for an actor to be unsure what their next gig is going to be — it's the nature of the work. But it stings much more when an actor loses work they thought they had. Such was the case for Barbie Ferreira who played Kat Hernandez in the first two seasons of "Euphoria." Ferreira, who's had a stunning transformation, was a fan favorite among the cast, and her character seemed to be part of the show's core group, which made the news that she was not going to be returning for the show's third season upsetting to many.

The news wasn't necessarily surprising, though. Rumors had circulated that there was drama on set between Ferreira and the show's creator, Sam Levinson. Ferreira addressed the rumors, stating that not all that was reported was accurate. "I've seen so many different things and a lot of it is untrue ... Sometimes, things take on a life of their own, and they're not rooted in the truth," she told Insider. Ferreira dove deeper into specific rumors about her on-set behavior while on an episode of "The Viall Files," stating that she did not walk off set as had been reported. While Ferreira said it wasn't her decision to be excluded from the show's third season, ultimately it was for the best. "I think after having a lot of conversation and after Season 2, there was just nowhere to go. Instead of me lingering around for nine months, it was best for both of us that we just kind of ended it there," she said.

If you need help with an eating disorder, or know someone who does, help is available. Visit the National Eating Disorders Association website or contact NEDA's Live Helpline at 1-800-931-2237. You can also receive 24/7 Crisis Support via text (send NEDA to 741-741).

If you or someone you know needs help with mental health, please contact the Crisis Text Line by texting HOME to 741741, call the National Alliance on Mental Illness helpline at 1-800-950-NAMI (6264), or visit the National Institute of Mental Health website.

If you or anyone you know needs help with addiction issues, help is available. Visit the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration website or contact SAMHSA's National Helpline at 1-800-662-HELP (4357).