Ahead of the highly anticipated third season of HBO's Euphoria, star Sydney Sweeney has offered a tantalising, if cryptic, glimpse into the future of her troubled character, Cassandra 'Cassie' Howard. The new eight-episode season is set to premiere next spring.
Cryptic Clues and Floral Meanings
While bound by a strict non-disclosure agreement, the 27-year-old actress and producer teased the theme of 'self discovery' for Cassie during an appearance on The Tonight Show on Monday. This follows a similarly enigmatic hint from her on-screen leading man, Jacob Elordi, who appeared on the same show over a month prior and named the flower 'white fritillaries'—a bloom often linked to mourning and solemnity.
Sweeney praised Elordi's clue, exclaiming to host Jimmy Fallon, 'His was good! You guys don't realize how good that word was!' She added, 'Oh, we all knew [what he meant]. I was like, "Genius."'
A Bittersweet Wrap and a 'Crazy' New Chapter
Sweeney, who serves as a brand ambassador for American Eagle, completed filming for the season in early November after a sporadic nine-month shoot. She described wrapping the show, her breakout role, as 'super bittersweet', noting that much of the crew had been with her since she filmed the pilot at age 20. 'Every single time I'd go back, I felt like I was going home,' she gushed.
Cassie's journey in season two ended disastrously: she was publicly humiliated in a school play, dumped by her boyfriend Nate (Elordi), and physically attacked by her former best friend Maddy (Alexa Demie). However, leaked set footage has hinted at possible reconciliation and even an outdoor wedding ceremony between Cassie and Nate.
Speaking to Empire Magazine in May, Sweeney promised an even more intense performance, revealing Cassie is 'crazier' in the upcoming season. 'She makes so many mistakes. She's flawed on so many levels, but she does it all from a place of love,' Sweeney explained, praising series creator Sam Levinson for encouraging her to take the character further.
Future Projects and Daring Personal Plans
When Fallon questioned if season three would be the end of Euphoria, Sweeney remained coy, stating, 'You never know...' She has previously hinted that the new season explores themes of faith, telling Good Morning America in November, 'People are going to find God; some people are going to need God.'
Off-screen, the Spokane-born, LA-raised actress recently enjoyed a 'giant week of Friendsgiving' and has an adventurous Christmas plan. Following a skydive in August, she now wants to jump out of a helicopter to ski. 'I've jumped out of a helicopter before, and I've skied before, so I figured if I just put the two together, I got this,' she beamed.
Professionally, Sweeney is promoting her new film, The Housemaid, in which she co-produces and stars alongside Amanda Seyfried—a performer she admires as a 'huge' Mamma Mia fan. She portrays ex-con Millie Calloway in the adaptation of Freida McFadden's novel, set for US release on December 19.
Looking ahead, Sweeney will produce and star in Scandalous!, the directorial debut of her former Euphoria castmate Colman Domingo. She also has numerous other projects in development, including a cameo in The Devil Wears Prada 2 and producing Michael Bay's adaptation of OutRun.
