There has been very little information on Euphoria Season 3, though it’s been a year and a half since its Season 2 finale aired on Feb. 27, 2022. In a new Elle cover story on Zendaya, who played Rue in the HBO series, show creator Sam Levinson spoke up about the lead star and shared a few thoughts on the upcoming season.

Levison said he viewed Season 3 as a “film noir,” in which he would like to “explore what it means to be an individual with principles in a corrupt world” through Rue’s eyes. The show creator praised Zendaya as “the most competitive person” he knew. “She’s constantly growing as an artist and always seeking challenges. She’s never complacent.”

The character of Rue and her struggle with addiction are loosely based on Levinson’s own experiences, and to him, it was a deeply personal story. “I spent the majority of my teenage years in and out of hospitals, rehabs, and halfway houses. I was a drug addict, and I’d take anything and everything until I couldn’t hear or breathe or feel,” said the creator, who wrote, produced, and co-directed Euphoria.

Levinson struggled with drug addictions through his late teen and young adult years, but he was able to make a significant change. The show creator has been clean for 14 years.

Season 3 of the series was set to begin filming this fall. However, the writer’s strike in Hollywood put its production to a halt.

Zendaya will reprise her lead role as Rue. Returning alongside her include Hunter Schafer (Jules), (Jacob Elordi (Nate), Alexa Demie (Maddy), Algee Smith (Chris), Sydney Sweeney (Cassie), Maude Apatow (Lexi), Storm Reid (Gia), Nika King (Leslie), Austin Abrams (Ethan), Colman Domingo (Ali), and Dominic Fike (Elliot).

Kat Hernandez actor Barbie Ferreira has announced that she will not return to the show. “After four years of getting to embody the most special and enigmatic character Kat, I’m having to say a very teary-eyed goodbye,” the actor shared on Instagram.

Angus Cloud, who played Fezco in the show, passed away on July 25.

A Variety report referred to Euphoria as the most tweeted-about show of the decade and HBO’s second most-watched show after Game of Thrones.