The drama on the set of “Euphoria” seems to have spilled over into real life. Ahead of the season three premiere, a video was released featuring its major stars, but Sydney Sweeney was noticeably left out of it.
It comes amid her rumored “bitter” fallout with her co-star, Zendaya, who allegedly “refused to stand next to her” while they were on press calls for this series’ third season.
Meanwhile, fans took to social media to spell out how glaring Sydney Sweeney’s omission was following the controversies that plagued the actress in 2025.
Sydney Sweeney Absent From ‘Euphoria’ Group Photo
Sydney Sweeney is noticeably missing in a group photo that was part of a teaser for “Euphoria,” ahead of its season 3 premiere in April. The teen drama follows the life of a group of girlfriends and the routines they pick up while transitioning through adolescence, especially as it relates to sex.
Rumors of a “bitter feud” between the “Housemaid” actress and the lead star Zendaya previously surfaced, with a source claiming the latter didn’t even want to “stand next” to her in press tours for the new series.
Now, HBO released a new teaser for the series and captioned it, “Taking the smallest moments and dreaming them up into something bigger. #Euphoria.”
At the start of the clip, Zendaya, Hunter Schafer, Alexa Demie, and Maude Apatow can be seen all cozied up and affectionate with each other, but Sweeney was nowhere to be seen.
Fans Share Mixed Reactions To The Omission Of Sydney Sweeney From The Group Photo
Fans took to social media to point out the obvious omission, with many speculating it had something to do with their rivalry.
“Perioddd Sydney didn’t make the group photo,” a fan wrote, throwing in a crying emoji, while another said, “Notice how Sydney wasn’t in the group photo.”
Someone else said, “I’m not even mad about Sydney being excluded from the group photo, it’s Barbie I’m missing. BRING BACK KAT.”
“Sydney being too iconic to show up with these newgens omg,” another person speculated as to the cause of her absence.
“The fact that Sydney Sweeney isn’t with the girls has me,” someone wrote, while another added, “lmao Zendaya said NO promo with Sydney, and she meant it.”
One user said, “WTF? Euphoria S3 promo lookin’ fire but where tf is Sydney Sweeney?? They leavin’ her out on purpose or sum drama brewin’ with Zendaya [?]”
Politics Might Be The Factor Dividing The Actresses
A source told the Daily Mail that tensions between them on set reached fever pitch, and they don’t see eye to eye anymore because of their different political views.
Last year, Sweeney was discovered to be a registered Republican and received praise from President Donald Trump and other top MAGA supporters after she found herself at the center of a controversial ad for American Eagle, where many accused her of promoting white supremacy and eugenics.
On the other hand, Zendaya has voiced her disapproval of the billionaire politician, even posting “Vote this MF out” during the 2020 election.
“It’s no wonder she’s refusing to do it. If she even stands next to Sydney on the red carpet, it can be read as her excusing Sydney’s views,” a source told the news outlet.
Source Claims Zendaya Doesn’t ‘Trust’ Sydney Sweeney Around Tom Holland
Zendaya’s partner, Tom Holland, could also be a reason why the actresses are not on speaking terms, as a source revealed in January that she “doesn’t trust” Sweeney around him.
“Zendaya wasn’t thrilled when Tom and Sydney would strike up conversations during filming last year,” the source shared, per Star Magazine. “It feels unnecessary at best and disrespectful at worst, given that Sydney and Zendaya don’t get along and actively avoid each other.”
“Tom is naturally very friendly and chatty, so when he’s around, he makes an effort with everyone — that’s just who he is,” the insider continued. “Zendaya isn’t trying to tell him who he can talk to, but with Sydney, she doesn’t want someone who she doesn’t necessarily trust getting close to her fiancé.”
“In so many words, Zendaya has warned Sydney to stay away from Tom,” the source added, explaining that her romance with music exec Scooter Braun doesn’t change things. “Even though Zendaya trusts Tom completely, she doesn’t want any lines blurred. It’s about boundaries.”
The Third Season Of ‘Euphoria’ Comes With Several Twists
The trailer for season three of “Euphoria” was released in January, but many fans were not happy with the twist some of their favorite characters encountered, particularly Cassie, played by Sweeney, who is now addicted to social media and operating an OnlyFans account.
The new season, which features a five-year time jump, sees Cassie engaged to her high school sweetheart, Nate (Jacob Elordi), despite her being an OnlyFans model.
Zendaya’s character, Rue, struggles to pay off her debt owed to dealer Laurie and is on the run from drug dealers, and Maddy (Alexa Demie) is reportedly working at a Hollywood talent agency and is fed up with how every other girl she meets is a “sugar girl.”
On the other hand, Lexi (Maude Apatow) has become a professional and is reportedly working as an assistant to a high-powered television showrunner played by guest star Sharon Stone.
Speaking about the upcoming series, showrunner Sam Levinson promised that it would be “our best season yet.”
Explaining the time jump, he said, “Five years felt like a natural place because if they’d gone to college, they’d be out of college at that time,” per Variety. “We basically pick up Rue south of the border in Mexico, in debt to Laurie, trying to come up with some very innovative ways to pay it off.”
“Euphoria” season three is set to premiere on HBO and Max on April 12, 2026.
