Barbie Ferreira cleared up rumors on why she left Euphoria after season 2

Barbie Ferreira has revealed the reason why she left Euphoria after season 2.

Barbie Ferreira played Kat Hernandez in the HBO series. Credit: River Callaway / Getty

The 28-year-old actress, who is best known for playing Kat Hernandez in the HBO series, shocked the world when she announced that she would not be reviving her role in the third season.

In a post shared on her Instagram story in 2022, she 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,” alongside “fan art” of the character made by her costar Hunter Schafer, who plays Jules Vaughn in the show.

“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,” she said. “I put all my care and love into her, and I hope you guys could feel it. Love you, Katherine Hernandez.”

Credit: barbieferreira/Instagram

During an appearance on the Armchair Expert with Dax Shepard podcast, Ferreira opened up about the reason for her exit from the hit show.

“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,” she told the 50-year-old host.

“I don’t know if it was going to do her justice, and I think both parties [Levinson and I] knew that I really wanted to be able to not be the fat best friend,” she continued. “I don’t want to play that – and I think they didn’t want that either.”

The Nope star added it was a “struggle” to find storylines for her character in season two, which is why she had a diminished on-screen presence.

“It was a struggle to find the continuation of her. So that was actually really hurtful watching it and seeing the fans get upset,” she said. “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.”

She also claimed the director, Sam Levinson, didn’t bond with her character and “only writes for things that he relates to,” adding: “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.’ [But] It really has been a good thing.”

The How to Behave actress has addressed the online speculation surrounding her departure and clarified: “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,” per NME.

“It’s a popular show, so people took it out of… I never walked off set,” she emphasized. “That was a whole thing, ‘She did all this,’ and I was like, ‘I absolutely never did that.’ You could ask the hundreds of people that were there every day. Fan theories are crazy, and most of the time they’re not right, but sometimes they are.”

This isn’t the first time Ferreira has tried to set the record straight. In 2023, she advised fans not to “believe everything you read” about her exit.

Zendaya, Hunter Schafer, Sydney Sweeney, Alexa Demie, and Maude Apatow will be returning for season three. Credit: Amy Sussman / Getty

Meanwhile, Euphoria is expected to return for its third season in 2026. Returning cast members include Zendaya, Hunter Schafer, Sydney Sweeney, Alexa Demie, and Maude Apatow, with new additions Rosalía and Sharon Stone joining the ensemble.

Francesca Orsi, HBO’s executive vice president and head of drama, recently hinted that season three might be the show’s last.

“We’ve talked about it, I don’t think anything is over until it’s over, but it’s been discussed that this is the end,” she told Deadline Hollywood, adding: “We’ve talked about it, I don’t think anything is over until it’s over, but it’s been discussed that this is the end.”