It’s been a while since our last Euphoria Sunday, and fans are still mulling over the questions posed by the Season 2 finale. While a premiere date for the third season has yet to be announced, we do know a few behind-the-scenes details, including the fact that one of the series' key stars will not be returning. Barbie Ferreira, who portrayed Kat on the coming-of-age drama, announced she’d be leaving ahead of Season 3 and previously shared a message in which she said a tearful goodbye to her character, Kat Hernandez. Now, Ferreira is shedding even more light on why she decided to leave the critically acclaimed show.
The actress and model was the latest guest on Dax Shepard’s podcast, Armchair Expert, where she discussed her career and personal relationships. Naturally, the conversation eventually shifted towards Euphoria and the rising star's surprising exit from the series. While addressing the decision, Ferreira emphasized that she actually would've loved to remain on the program, yet her comments suggest that she feels Kat ultimately ran her course:
I think it was a mutual decision. I think my character, who I love so dearly, I don't think there was a place for her to go. … I think there were places she could have gone. I just don't think it would have fit into the show. I just 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. I would’ve played her for as long as I was asked to, depending on what the material was.
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While Season 2 was airing, many Euphoria fans seemed to notice that Kat didn't appear in as many episodes as she did in the first. That development was somewhat surprising given the groundwork that had been laid for her thus far. While it’s disappointing that she isn’t going to be in Season 3, the logic that Barbie Ferreria laid out during this interview makes a lot of sense. Most actors strive to play characters who are complex and receive a fair amount of development. Clearly, Ferreria wanted Kat to be more than the “fat best friend," but it simply seems as though the producers and writers weren't able to properly service her amid the story they're telling.
She also addressed what happened with Kat’s storylines during the Emmy-nominated show's second season. The 26-year-old star explained that when it came to her and the crew settling on the right path for Kat, the process was like a balancing act. And based on her comments, this wasn't easy for her to navigate:
I feel like with season two and certain parts of it, I felt was a kind of a struggle for both parties. Sam, me, it was a struggle to find the continuation of her. So that was actually really hurtful, watching it and seeing the fans get upset. I just felt like, maybe it's like I overstayed my welcome a little bit? So, for me, I actually felt good to be like, 'Okay, I get to not worry about this, and we both don't get too worried about this,' because it's exhausting. Sam writes for, like, things that he relates to. I don't think he relates to Kat. I like Kat, so I get to go on my own path. At first, I was like, 'Oh, my God, I'm a flop. I'm a loser.' It really has been a good thing.
Even though Barbie Ferreira won’t be returning for Season 3 of Euphoria, that doesn’t mean fans will definitely never see her pop in again. Plenty of TV shows have sent off characters and brought them back later during their runs. So I wouldn't say the door is closed for Kat Hernandez just yet though, if the writers do want that, they'll have to come up with a storyline that's compelling enough to appeal to Ferreira.
In the meantime, Barbie Ferriera is seriously on the come-up, starring in both big and small-screen productions. She was part of the cast of Jordan Peele’s Nope and, before that, she drove the trans am minus a license in the acclaimed Unpregnant. As of now, she has multiple projects in development, so we'll still be seeing plenty of her. Though if you still want to see her alongside the rest of the Euphoria cast, you can stream the first two seasons now with an HBO Max subscription.
