Warning! The following contains spoilers from the latest Euphoria episode "America My Dream." Stream the episode with an HBO Max subscription and read at your own risk!
Euphoria Season 3 is off to a rocking start on the 2026 TV schedule, with big updates on each character now that they're out of high school and out into the real world. Cassie and Nate ended up together, and with an expensive wedding on the horizon, she received his reluctant permission to start an OnlyFans account to make extra money. It's not a surprise that one of the most sexually explicit shows on HBO Max has this storyline, but I am curious about how an actual OF star feels about Sydney Sweeney's portrayal of the industry.
Bonnie Locket and other OnlyFans creators shared their thoughts with Us Weekly, and weighed in on some of the things Cassie's said about joining the platform. Locket talked about what Euphoria and other shows get wrong about the subscription-based platform, and how much more involved it is than people realize:
I think what shows often get wrong is that they lean into the shock factor and sexuality, but miss the business side. Being an OnlyFans creator isn’t just ‘posting sexy content,’ it’s marketing, psychology, branding, consistency, and resilience. It’s closer to running a digital media company than people realize.
In fairness to Euphoria, the latest episode featured a lot of what Locket mentioned through Maddy. Cassie and her ex-best friend reunited to reconcile and talk business, and she told her why posting nudes on OnlyFans wasn't enough to make tons of money. Social media followings, knowing the right people, and promotion are key, and while Cassie may be "prettier" than others making far more, she wasn't doing the other stuff that matters.
Bonnie Locket and other OnlyFans creators went on to say the show does capture the emotional side of things, such as vulnerability and judgment. The latter was seen especially when Nate had to contend with co-workers and his father (played by the late Eric Dane) judging him for "allowing" Cassie to create an account. He ended up forcing her to close the account, promising to spend as much on flowers as she wanted if she'd stop.
Whether she'll actually stop is a great question, especially now that she's reconciled with Maddie. The latter is desperate to elevate her status as an agent, and she has a proven track record of getting another creator a big payday. Cassie could be her ticket to the big time, and as we've seen in past seasons, she knows how to manipulate Cassie (and Nate) to get what she wants.
I also think it's worth thinking about what Cassie wants. While the Euphoria character initially seemed to be in it solely for flowers, it also felt like there was a want on her end to have financial independence and an ability to provide. Partnering with Maddie could help her reach that next level, but at what cost? I can only imagine this is going to cause further issues within her relationship.
While the scenes in Euphoria can be sexually graphic, Sydney Sweeney has stated that there are lots of covers and steps taken for her not to feel that way during filming. She also said that she doesn't see the content as her own "nudes" but rather the nudes of the characters that she portrays.
Euphoria airs on HBO and HBO Max on Sundays at 9:00 p.m. ET. Tune in to see if Cassie will give up her OF career for good, or if this reconciliation with Maddie will resurrect the endeavor.
