Barbie Ferreira, known for her role as Kat on HBO’s hit high school drama Euphoria, recently spoke about her exit from the show on the podcast Armchair Expert With Dax Shepard. Ferreira says that the decision to leave the show was mutual, as there was no place for her character to go, and both parties knew it. She adds that if the opportunity was there, and depending on the material, she would have continued to play Kat for as long as she was asked. But given the ensemble’s size, showrunner Sam Levinson’s writing interests, and her own vision for Ferreira, it was complicated to continue.
Ferreira felt that it was a struggle for both parties to find a continuation for Kat, which was hurtful for her, especially when fans got upset. She says she didn’t want to overstay her welcome and felt that it was a kind of relief for both parties to come to this mutual understanding.
Ferreira noted that the character of Kat was one she had never seen on TV before and was a role that allowed her to hone in on what she wants and who she wants to be, as an actor and a person. The actress explained that she didn’t address her exit more publicly because she got sucked into drama that she never asked to be in, and it kind of took on a life of its own. Ferreira wanted to avoid fueling it and clarifies that she did not walk off the show’s set but had to go get an X-ray when she sprained her ankle once.
Ferreira also spoke about the production conditions on the show, saying that there was no rehearsal period when shooting the pilot and that the cast was encouraged not to take any acting classes. She adds that it was a long process, and season two is the same way, but it feels like the best acting classes ever.
In summary, Ferreira’s exit from Euphoria was a mutual decision, and both parties knew that there was no place for her character to go. Ferreira wanted to avoid fueling drama around her exit, and she clarified that she did not walk off the show’s set. She says that the character of Kat was one she had never seen on TV before, and it allowed her to focus on what she wants and who she wants to be as an actor and a person.
