Euphoria Star Confirms Cowboy Bebop Inspiration in Season 3

The third season of the HBO television series Euphoria introduces a direct connection to the 1990s anime Cowboy Bebop. Chloe Cherry, who joined the cast of Euphoria in the previous season, recently talked about the origin of her character’s name, which is none other than Faye Valentine from Cowboy Bebop.

Let’s dive into what her exact statement was regarding the character of Faye, while also looking more into the character analysis of both characters from Euphoria and the neo-noir science fiction universe of Cowboy Bebop.

Chloe Cherry Reveals Her Character’s Inspiration From Cowboy Bebop

In a recent interview by Decider regarding Euphoria’s third season, Chloe Cherry confirmed that her character is named after and modeled on Faye Valentine from Shinichirō Watanabe’s 1998 original anime, Cowboy Bebop.

“So actually, fun fact: my character Faye is inspired by the Cowboy Bebop character of Faye Valentine” – Chloe Cherry

The connection was explicitly established in the Season 3 premiere episode, titled “Andale.” During a border control scene featuring Cherry and Zendaya, who plays Rue Bennett, Cherry’s character is officially addressed by her full name: Faye Valentine. Before this, her name was simply Faye in Season 2.

Cherry stated that the reference is an intentional production choice. She explained that her role was loosely modeled on the anime figure and was more of a thematic homage than a direct adaptation, since Faye Valentine in the anime is a completely different character.

Who Is Faye Valentine In Euphoria And Cowboy Bebop

In Euphoria, which is one of the best TV shows to stream right now, Faye was introduced as a heroin addict living with local drug dealers Fezco and Ashtray. However, initially, her role was small, and little is known about her background. In Season 3, she is the protagonist. She possesses a detached personality and uses her perceived passive personality to navigate dangerous situations and associate with individuals who provide financial or physical security.

In Cowboy Bebop, Faye Valentine is a deuteragonist. Born on Earth in the late 20th century, she was involved in a huge incident that caused many deaths, but she managed to survive by being frozen. She awakened fifty-four years later in the year 2068, suffering from amnesia and burdened with massive medical debt.

Doctor Bacchus, the physician who revived her, immediately decided to take advantage of her situation, which made her very cynical down the line. To manage this financial deficit, she turns to a life of crime, gambling, and bounty hunting across the solar system.

There are some similarities between the two characters. Both characters are forced into horrible living situations due to external circumstances. They exist outside conventional society and rely on illegal work to secure basic necessities. In Cowboy Bebop, Faye forms a working relationship with Spike Spiegel, frequently jeopardizing their operations for personal gain while relying on his resources. Similarly, Euphoria’s Faye initially attaches herself to Fezco for shelter before switching over to Rue.

TITLE	Euphoria Season 3
CREATOR	Sam Levinson
STREAMING	HBO
IMDb RATING (as of April 21, 2026)	8.2 / 10

Do you see any similarities between the characters? Let us know in the comments.

Euphoria Season 3 is streaming on HBO.