Barbie Ferreira has us feeling our emotions right now, after posting a “teary-eyed goodbye” to her role in hit TV show Euphoria, after playing much-loved character Kat Hernandez for two seasons.
Posting on her Instagram Stories this week, she announced that she’d be leaving Euphoria and won’t be rejoining the cast for season three. Alongside a fan art drawing of Kat by co-star Hunter Schafer, her statement definitely pulled on our heartstrings.
“After four years of getting to embody the most special and enigmatic character Kat, I’m having to say a very teary-eyed goodbye,” Barbie’s story reads.
“I hope many of you could see yourself in her like I did and that she brought you joy to see her journey into the character she is today,” it continues. “I put all my care and love into her and I hope you guys could feel it. Love you Katherine Hernandez.”
Barbie Ferreira captured a place in our hearts instantly as a body-conscious teenager trying to find her place in a new school. She grappled with her instinct to “take up less space”, coming to the eventual conclusion that “there’s nothing more powerful than a fat girl who doesn’t give a fuck”. Nothing but respect for this queen.
We also saw Kat become a dominatrix and cam girl in the first season, as a way of coming to terms with her feelings about body image.
This season has seen a new direction for Kat, and Barbie. In an interview with The Cut, she opened up about what this means. “Kat’s journey this season is a little more internal and a little mysterious to the audience,” she said. “She is secretly going through a lot of existential crises.”
Kat even breaks up with her boyfriend, lying that she has a terminal brain disease. “She loses her marbles a little bit — just like everyone else in this season,” Ferriera explained. “The theme is everyone’s gone a little crazy.”