Sydney Sweeney is once again fueling speculation that all may not be well between her and “Euphoria” co-star Zendaya. Following Sunday night’s shocking Season 3 finale, Sweeney shared a carousel of behind-the-scenes photos from the HBO drama, giving fans a peek at life on set with several of her fellow castmates. But one familiar face was noticeably absent from Sydney Sweeney’s post, and fans were quick to notice.
The actress posted photos alongside Jacob Elordi, Alexa Demie, Maude Apatow, and even included a snapshot of the late Eric Dane. Missing from the roundup, however, was Zendaya, who has starred opposite Sweeney on the hit series since its debut.
“It’s called… acting,” Sweeney captioned the post, seemingly shutting down criticism surrounding her raunchy portrayal of Cassie Howard.
It didn’t take long for fans to flood the comments section with theories after noticing Zendaya was nowhere to be found in the post. “There’s no photo in this slideshow with Zendaya; I’m confused …” one fan wrote. Another added, “Zendaya doesn’t like [Sweeney] because of her values.”
“Not one picture with Rue; I’m crying, Zendaya do NOT like you,” another user commented. The speculation quickly reignited long-running rumors that tension may exist between the two stars behind the scenes.
Rumors Of A Rift Have Followed The ‘Euphoria’ Stars For Months
Back in November 2025, The Daily Mail reported that Sweeney and Zendaya were allegedly “locked in a bitter feud,” with claims that differing political beliefs may have played a role in the rumored fallout.
Sweeney, a registered Republican voter, also faced backlash surrounding her American Eagle denim campaign, which some critics accused of containing racist undertones. According to the outlet, Zendaya allegedly refused to participate in press appearances alongside Sweeney during the Season 3 rollout, and the pair reportedly avoided standing near one another at events.
Rumors only intensified in March when Sweeney was missing from a “Euphoria” cast photoshoot. However, Page Six later reported the absence was simply due to scheduling conflicts while she filmed a scene. Still, questions resurfaced the following month after fans claimed the actresses appeared to avoid one another at the Season 3 premiere.
Another ‘Euphoria’ Star Shut Down The Rumors
Despite the speculation, not everyone connected to the HBO drama is buying into feud claims. “Euphoria” cast member Jessica Blair Herman publicly denied rumors of tension between the two actresses, insisting things on set were far less dramatic than fans may think.
“They really did, and I’m not just saying that,” Herman said during an appearance on “Good Day New York.” “Really, they’ve created this beautiful working relationship, and everyone wants to do the work, to come in and do the job.”
When explaining why there are no backstage photos of the pair together, she pointed to the show’s filming schedule, saying, “To be fair, when I was there, they’re not sharing scenes. Their storylines are very separate, you’re shooting on different days and stuff.”
‘Euphoria’ Finale Leaves Fans Reeling
Whether the pair ever works together again may ultimately be out of their hands. Sunday’s Season 3 finale seemingly brought Zendaya’s Rue Bennett story to a devastating end after the character died from a fentanyl overdose following a relapse involving laced Percocet.
Creator Sam Levinson later explained the heartbreaking storyline was deeply personal and partly inspired by the 2023 death of former “Euphoria” star Angus Cloud. “People relapse. They f-ck up. They’re not ready to get clean, and they weren’t dying like they are now with the influx of fentanyl into this country,” Levinson said.
He continued, “I could say with absolute certainty that if I were going through what I went through when I was younger now, then I wouldn’t be here, either. There’s no reason to sugarcoat that. I wanted to tell the story for Angus and for people who aren’t granted a second chance.”
Angus Cloud Passed Away Before ‘Euphoria’ Season 3
Cloud died from an accidental overdose, triggered by a lethal combination of methamphetamine, cocaine, fentanyl, and benzodiazepines. His tragic death came just one week after he traveled to Ireland to lay his father to rest, a loss he had reportedly been grieving deeply.
Despite his well-documented struggles with substance abuse and the emotional toll of recent events, his mother later insisted his passing was not intentional, saying he had been excited about upcoming projects and focused on supporting his family.
“Euphoria” is now streaming on HBO MAX.
