When “Euphoria” finally returns for its long-awaited third season on Max, it will be missing at least one of its beloved regulars. Actress Storm Reid, who played younger sister Gia Bennett to Zendaya’s troubled lead character Rue during the show’s first two seasons, has announced she will not be returning to the Emmy Award-winning series.
“I’m very excited for season 3,” Reid told Rotten Tomatoes on the red carpet for the recent Governors Awards, reports People magazine. “Unfortunately, Gia’s not returning to the third season, but I am so, so indebted to the cast and the crew of that show, to HBO. Euphoria’s a really special thing and I’m so glad that that’s a part of my legacy and that I was a part of such a cultural phenomenon.”
It has been nearly three years since the series was greenlit for a third season, following pandemic lockdowns that forced the release of two special episodes before season two resumed in 2022. In the interim, the cast also weathered the tragic 2023 death of Angus Cloud, who portrayed fan-favorite drug dealer Fezco. Filming for season three is set to begin in January 2025 and is rumored to be set “approximately five years in the future,” according to “Euphoria” costume designer Heidi Bivens.
Several series regulars — including breakout stars Hunter Schaeffer, Jacob Elordi and Sydney Sweeney — have teased a return for Euphoria’s next season, including Colman Domingo, who earned an Emmy for Outstanding Guest Actor in a Drama Series for his portrayal of Rue’s sponsor Ali.
“Apparently, I will be back for Season 3,” said Domingo in a November 2024 interview with Variety. “I don’t know anything about the scripts … I’ve heard as much as you’ve heard, so we’ll see. But allegedly — that’s a great word to use, ‘allegedly’ — Ali is back. From what I’ve heard.”
While “Euphoria” fans will have to wait to see if her character’s fate is referenced (hopefully, she’ll simply be away at college), Reid expressed her immense appreciation for being part of the show’s zeitgeist.
“I’m forever grateful — forever indebted,” she said, “and I can’t wait to see what season 3 has in store.”
