Who said growing up was easy?
HBO teen drama series Euphoria has returned for its second season with a bang and then some.
The opening episodes have seen us witness our protagonist Rue Bennett (Emmy-winner Zendaya) relapse into drug use but also reunite with her lover and best friend Jules Vaughn (Hunter Schafer).
Elsewhere, Nate Jacobs (Jacob Elordi) looks set to pursue a dramatic love triangle with ex-girlfriend Maddy Perez (Alexa Demie) and her troubled best friend Cassie Howard (Sydney Sweeney).
Finally, Rue’s friend Fezco (Angus Cloud) acts out and faces grave danger but also grows closer to Cassie’s sweet sister Lexi Howard (Maude Apatow).
Ahead of the new season, actress Alexa Demie told RadioTimes.com: “This season is even more intense in the decisions that each character is making and how they affect the other characters.
“The decision that one character makes will greatly affect another character and it just raises the stakes for everyone. This season felt a lot more intense, especially with each other.”
So, with all of this in mind, here is your guide to the cast and characters of Euphoria season 2.
Euphoria cast: Full list of characters and actors
Zendaya plays Rue Bennett
!["Zendaya]("https://images.immediate.co.uk/production/volatile/sites/3/2021/12/zendaya_1-47f33ec-e1641579185174.jpg?quality=90&crop=3px%2C187px%2C595px%2C396px&resize=595%2C396" "\"zendaya_1\"")
Marcell Rev/HBO
What is happening to Rue in season 2? Our lead character and the series narrator has relapsed into drug use and reconciled with Jules. However, Rue also grows closer to new arrival Elliot in the new episodes. Will her romance with Jules survive?
What else has Zendaya starred in? Beginning her acting success as a child star on Disney Channel show Shake It Up before a role in the series KC Undercover. Zendaya has also starred in the MCU Spider-Man films as MJ, musical The Greatest Showman, sci-fi epic Dune and her self-co-produced film Malcolm & Marie. Zendaya won an Emmy for Lead Actress for her work on the first season of Euphoria.
Hunter Schafer plays Jules Vaughn
!["Hunter]("https://images.immediate.co.uk/production/volatile/sites/3/2021/12/hunter-schafer-9f1338a.jpg?quality=90&crop=4px%2C3px%2C633px%2C421px&resize=620%2C412" "\"hunter-schafer\"")
Eddy Chen/HBO
What is happening to Jules in season 2? Jules enters an official romantic relationship with Rue but is suspicious of her behaviour and connection to Elliot. Jules also grows closer to Kat and Maddy in the new episodes.
What else has Hunter Schafer starred in? Schafer will be heard voicing acting in the English dub of the Japanese animated film Belle and will soon be seen in Cuckoo.
Nika King plays Leslie Bennett
![""]("https://images.immediate.co.uk/production/volatile/sites/3/2022/01/GettyImages-1153762038-815d1da.jpg?quality=90&crop=7px%2C45px%2C2652px%2C1767px&resize=620%2C413" "\"\"")
Photo by Leon Bennett/WireImage
What is happening to Leslie in season 2? Widowed single mother Leslie supports daughter Rue but remains unaware that she has relapsed into drug use.
What else has Nika King starred in? King has had television roles in the series Greenleaf, Best Friends Whenever and 2 Broke Girls.
Eric Dane plays Cal Jacobs
!["Eric]("https://images.immediate.co.uk/production/volatile/sites/3/2022/01/eric-dane-43fda94.jpg?quality=90&crop=10px%2C0px%2C1899px%2C1265px&resize=620%2C413" "\"eric-dane\"")
Eddy Chen/HBO
What is happening to Cal in season 2? Nate’s father considers to have a dysfunctional relationship with his son as secrets between them are brought into the open. We will also learn more about Cal’s past.
What else has Eric Dane starred in? Dane is best known for his role as Dr Mark “McSteamy” Sloan on Grey’s Anatomy, Jason Dean in Charmed, and Captain Tom Chandler in The Last Ship. Dane also has appeared in the films Marley & Me, Valentine’s Day and Burlesque.
Angus Cloud plays Fezco
!["Angus]("https://images.immediate.co.uk/production/volatile/sites/3/2022/01/angus-cloud-5d8164b.jpg?quality=90&crop=10px%2C0px%2C1899px%2C1265px&resize=620%2C413" "\"angus-cloud\"")
Eddy Chen/HBO
What is happening to Fezco in season 2? We discover much more about Fezco’s origins, his criminal connections and motivations. Fezco also acts out against Nate and grows closer to Lexi.
What else has Angus Cloud starred in? Euphoria is Cloud’s breakout role but he also appears in the film North Hollywood.
Jacob Elordi plays Nate Jacobs
!["Jacob]("https://images.immediate.co.uk/production/volatile/sites/3/2021/12/jacob-elordi_0-5e01c69.jpg?quality=90&crop=4px%2C3px%2C633px%2C421px&resize=620%2C412" "\"jacob-elordi_0\"")
Eddy Chen/HBO
What is happening to Nate in season 2? Nate continues his streak of bad behaviour and repressed feelings, whilst facing a toxic new love triangle with ex Maddy and her best friend Cassie.
What else has Jacob Elordi starred in? Outside of Euphoria, Elordi is best known for his role as Noah Flynn in The Kissing Booth trilogy on Netflix. Elordi will next be seen in the erotic thriller Deep Water.
Algee Smith plays Chris McKay
!["Algee]("https://images.immediate.co.uk/production/volatile/sites/3/2022/01/algee-smith-728acea.jpg?quality=90&crop=72px%2C101px%2C1709px%2C1138px&resize=620%2C413" "\"algee-smith\"")
Eddy Chen/HBO
What is happening to McKay in season 2? Fresh from his break-up with Cassie, McKay will find it difficult to be around her and has no idea about her behaviour with Nate.
What else has Algee Smith started in? Smith is also known for his roles in the series The New Edition Story as Ralph Tresvant and his turn in Kathryn Bigelow’s film Detroit. Smith also starred as Jake Winters in Judas and the Black Messiah and appears in the film Mother/Android.
Sydney Sweeney plays Cassie Howard
!["Sydney]("https://images.immediate.co.uk/production/volatile/sites/3/2022/01/Sydney-Sweeney-credit-Eddy-Chen-HBO-669aab2.jpg?quality=90&crop=105px%2C71px%2C1803px%2C1201px&resize=620%2C413" "\"Sydney")
Eddy Chen/HBO
What is happening to Cassie in season 2? The emotionally vulnerable Cassie falls for Nate after her break up with McKay and risks the wrath of her best friend Maddy.
What else has Syndey Sweeney starred in? Sweeney has appeared in acclaimed television series such as The Handmaid’s Tale, Everything Sucks!, Sharp Objects and The White Lotus. Sweeney has also appeared in films such as Once Upon a Time in Hollywood, Under the Silver Lake and The Voyeurs.
Alexa Demie plays Maddy Perez
!["Alexa]("https://images.immediate.co.uk/production/volatile/sites/3/2022/01/alexa-demie-5a62fb5.jpg?quality=90&resize=620%2C413" "\"Alexa")
Eddy Chen/HBO
What is happening to Maddy in season 2? Maddy spends time with her friends Kat and Jules in the wake of her split from Nate but feels unable to resist her ex-boyfriend – little knowing he’s sleeping with her best friend Cassie.
What else has Alexa Demie starred in? Demie has appeared in small roles in the series Ray Donovan, Love and The OA. Demie has also had roles in films such as Mid90s, Waves and Mainstream.
Barbie Ferreira plays Kat Hernandez
!["Barbie]("https://images.immediate.co.uk/production/volatile/sites/3/2022/01/barbie-ferreira_1-2bb774e.jpg?quality=90&crop=307px%2C137px%2C1225px%2C816px&resize=620%2C413" "\"Barbie")
Eddy Chen/HBO
What is happening to Kat in season 2? Kat is in a relationship with her boyfriend Ethan but struggling to navigate her lack of desire for him despite their outward appearance of happiness.
What else has Barbie Ferreira starred in? Ferreira has also appeared in the HBO series Divorce and the HBO Max film Unpregnant.
Maude Apatow plays Lexi Howard
!["Maude]("https://images.immediate.co.uk/production/volatile/sites/3/2022/01/maude-apatow-7672c69.jpg?quality=90&crop=4px%2C3px%2C633px%2C421px&resize=620%2C412" "\"maude-apatow\"")
Eddy Chen/HBO
What is happening to Lexi in season 2? Determined to be less of a spectator in her own life, Rue’s childhood friend and Cassie’s sister Lexi makes some bold changes and grows closer to Fezco who takes a keen interest in her.
What else has Maude Apatow starred in? Apatow has starred in the films of her director father Judd Apatow and opposite mother Leslie Mann in Knocked Up, Funny People and This Is 40. Apatow has also appeared in the series Girls and Hollywood, plus films such as Other People, The House of Tomorrow, Euphoria creator Sam Levinson’s film Assassination Nation, and The King of Staten Island.
Javon “Wanna” Walton plays Ashtray
![""]("https://images.immediate.co.uk/production/volatile/sites/3/2022/01/GettyImages-1153780949-5b5fa58.jpg?quality=90&crop=30px%2C0px%2C3945px%2C2628px&resize=620%2C413" "\"Euphoria\"")
Photo by Jeff Kravitz/FilmMagic for HBO
What is happening to Ashtray in season 2? We see the origins of Ashtray’s relationship with surrogate brother Fezco as he takes steps to protect him.
What else has Javon “Wanna” Walton starred in? Walton has appeared in the Amazon series Utopia, plus voiced Pugsley Addams in The Addams Family 2 animated film.
Austin Abrams plays Ethan Lewis
!["Austin]("https://images.immediate.co.uk/production/volatile/sites/3/2022/01/barbie-ferreira-austin-abrams-3c2eafc.jpg?quality=90&crop=683px%2C80px%2C1226px%2C817px&resize=620%2C413" "\"barbie-ferreira-austin-abrams\"")
What is happening to Ethan in season 2? Sweet Ethan is in a romance with Kat but has no idea she is struggling to experience true desire in their relationship.
What else has Austin Abrams starred in? Abrams appeared as Ron Anderson in The Walking Dead and Dash & Lily. Abrams has also starred in the films The Kings of Summer, Paper Towns, Brad’s Status, Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark, and Chemical Hearts.
Dominic Fike plays Elliot
!["Dominic]("https://images.immediate.co.uk/production/volatile/sites/3/2022/01/dominic-fike-77ed2c5.jpg?quality=90&crop=4px%2C6px%2C633px%2C421px&resize=620%2C412" "\"dominic-fike\"")
Eddy Chen/HBO
Who is Elliot? A new character introduced in the second season, Elliot is a new friend and potential love interest of Rue who uses drugs with her.
What else has Dominic Fike starred in? Singer-songwriter Fike made his acting debut in Euphoria, having been previously known for his music career.
Storm Reid plays Gia Bennett
!["Storm]("https://images.immediate.co.uk/production/volatile/sites/3/2022/01/storm-reid-zendaya-ebc74ee-e1642712263368.jpg?quality=90&crop=4px%2C0px%2C602px%2C401px&resize=602%2C401" "\"storm-reid-zendaya\"")
Eddy Chen/HBO
What is happening to Gia in season 2? Rue’s younger sister Gia continues to appear in the series and fears for her sister’s welfare.
What else has Storm Reid starred in? Reid is known for her film roles in 12 Years a Slave, Sleight, A Wrinkle in Time, Don’t Let Me Go, The Invisible Man and the Netflix miniseries When They See Us.
Colman Domingo plays Ali
!["Colman]("https://images.immediate.co.uk/production/volatile/sites/3/2022/01/colman-domingo-afc608d.jpg?quality=90&crop=10px%2C15px%2C1899px%2C1265px&resize=620%2C413" "\"colman-domingo\"")
Eddy Chen/HBO
What is happening to Ali in season 2? Ali continues to be a support system for Rue as her sponsor in her Narcotics Anonymous meetings.
What else has Colman Domingo starred in? Aside from his role as Victor Strand in Fear the Walking Dead, Domingo has an acclaimed film career with roles in films such as Lincoln, Selma, If Beale Street Could Talk, Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom and Zola.
Euphoria season 2 continues on Mondays on Sky Atlantic and NOW. If you’re looking for more to watch check out our TV Guide.