Nika King’s Candid Take on Euphoria Season 3
Nika King, known for her role as Leslie Bennett in the HBO series Euphoria, has been open about her experience with the show’s third season. While the production of the hit series kicked off in February, King was not listed as a returning cast member. Her character, Leslie Bennett, is the mother to Rue Bennett (played by Zendaya) and Gia Bennett (played by Storm Reid).
In a recent viral video shared on her Instagram account, King humorously addressed the situation. The clip showed her dressed in scrubs with her hair tied back and wearing cleaning gloves as she scrubbed a restaurant stove. She captioned the video with the words, “A job is a job.” The post, which was a joint effort with Blue Tree Cafe—a vegan soul food restaurant that King co-owns with her mother in Florida—generated mixed reactions from fans.
Some fans expressed frustration, with one writing, “oh this actually pissed me off,” while another added, “that’s still so f--ked up to me. you’re a phenomenal performer and you truly deserve everything.” Despite the comments, King remained lighthearted about the situation.
This isn’t the first time King has spoken about her role in the series. In March 2024, she posted a video from one of her standup gigs on TikTok, where she admitted she didn’t know what was next for her regarding Euphoria. “Season 3 is coming out... I don’t f---ing know. Don’t ask me. I don’t know,” she said. She then mimicked fans saying, “‘We need season 3!’” before adding, “Bitch, I need season 3 — I haven’t paid my rent in six months.”
The show had a long hiatus between its first and second seasons. After debuting in June 2019, it returned in January 2022, with the season 2 finale airing in February 2022. New episodes are expected to be released in late 2025 or 2026.
In August 2022, Barbie Ferreira announced that her character, Kat Hernandez, would not return for the third season. “After four years of getting to embody the most special and enigmatic character Kat, I'm having to say a very teary-eyed goodbye,” she wrote on Instagram. Meanwhile, Angus Cloud, who played Fez on the show, passed away unexpectedly in August 2023.
According to Heidi Bivens, the costume designer for Euphoria, season 3 is rumored to be set approximately five years in the future, when all the characters are out of high school. This shift could bring new dynamics to the storylines and character relationships.
New additions to the cast include Grammy Award winner Rosalía, Super Bowl Champion Marshawn Lynch, and NAACP Image Award winner Kadeem Hardison, according to Deadline. Zendaya, Hunter Schafer, Eric Dane, Jacob Elordi, Sydney Sweeney, Alexa Demie, and Maude Apatow are set to return as series regulars, while Colman Domingo will appear as a guest star.
Fans continue to eagerly await updates on the third season, with many hoping to see familiar faces return and new characters brought into the fold. As the production moves forward, the show remains a cultural phenomenon, drawing attention from both critics and audiences alike.