Euphoria Season 2: Everything You Need to Know

Who else is desperate for news about Euphoria season 2? Less than a month after premiering on HBO back in 2019, the gritty teen drama that sparked a resurgence of glitter eye shadow was renewed for a second season. It's been a long wait ever since. We had to spend our time watching shows like Euphoria instead of the real deal. 

“Euphoria creator Sam Levinson has built an incredible world with an extraordinary cast led by the supremely talented Zendaya,” HBO’s EVP of programming, Francesca Orsi, said in July 2019. “We are so grateful that he chose HBO as the home for this groundbreaking series. We look forward to following these complex characters as their journeys continue through the challenging world they inhabit.”

Here’s everything we know about Euphoria season 2:

A renewal was announced in July 2019. 

The cast and crew got together for a season-two table read. Zendaya (whose character, Rue, seems to be very much alive despite the ambiguous season finale) was pictured next to her costar Angus Cloud (Rue’s somewhat lovable drug dealer, Fezco) during a table read shared in mid-March 2020.

Some new faces will be joining the cast. Back in January 2020, a cast listing reportedly surfaced, revealing three new characters, but all we know for sure is that Kelvin Harrison Jr. (Waves, The High Note) was spotted in photos of the second-season table read.

“It was something that we had talked about for a while, because I wanted to be on [the first season] and things didn’t really go that way,” Harrison Jr. told Variety in May. “Suddenly all the stars aligned and I got to be there. We did our first couple table reads, and they were amazing. And we did our camera test and costume fittings were underway, and sets were being built…we were ready to go. And then the pandemic hit; coronavirus said, ‘Sit down.’ But it’s exciting and everyone is so wonderful on that show. The cast is so fun and sweet and smart, and it’s going to be really special. I’m happy to be part of it.”

Filming was supposed to begin in March—until coronavirus shut down production. “We were supposed to go back to work, I believe, on March 16. And three or four days before that, they were shut down,” Zendaya told M.J. Rodriguez for Variety’s Actors on Actors issue. “I can’t complain. I’m very lucky to be safe and healthy and still know that I have a job, Euphoria, that will be there. I think all we ever wanted was for people to feel seen through our work. And so that’s all I want to continue to do, to show the human side of what addiction does to a person. Hopefully, I get to get back into my Chucks and do it again.”

Zendaya was nominated for the Emmy for lead actress in a drama series. As she absolutely deserves to be.

(I’m still disappointed there was no Emmys nod for Hunter Schafer, who portrayed Rue’s complicated confidante, Jules, but that’s a separate conversation.) 

And she WON!!! We love it. 

Everyone was eagerly awaiting the new episodes. “I do miss Rue,” Zendaya told InStyle for her September cover story. “She's like my little sister in a lot of ways. And going back to that character is a home base for me.” But when will that be?! 

“There is a beautiful second season that has been written,” Zendaya assured. “But in order to do it the way we want to do it, we need to wait until it's safer.” 

Zendaya announces two new episodes will air in December. Ahead of the full season two, fans will get to spend some time with their favorite characters. “We really missed them. Two special Euphoria episodes coming soon. First one December 6th on @hbo,” Zendaya posted on social media. While we don't know what to expect, we're grateful for any new content we can get. 

Zendaya shared a peek at the cast back on the lot. On May 4, the Emmy-winning star posted to her Instagram Stories, revealing that she and castmate Angus Cloud were together again, and that she and other collaborators were back on set, or at least on the studio lot. “Just being back here in general…missed it,” she wrote.

We got a teaser in November 2021, and a premiere date! Euphoria fans, rejoice! Our first look at the second season finds Rue dancing to Frank Sinatra's “Call Me Irresponsible” before a voice-over hints at innocence lost and a montage plunges viewers into a dramatic, perhaps criminal plot line to come. The same day the trailer dropped, HBO announced a season premiere date of January 9.

Another trailer dropped in December 2021: There is so much to unpack here. Can we talk about Sydney Sweeney's cowgirl look, Rue with a suitcase full of pills, and that NYE countdown that seems to end in a police chase?! Set to Gerry Rafferty's “Right Down the Line,” this trailer features a bit more dancing and a lot more drama. 

This post will be updated as more information is revealed.