Every Major Euphoria Character, Ranked Worst to Best

Credit:- HBO

As HBO’s fourth most-watched show since 2004, Euphoria has a large audience and generates a wide range of opinions. Much of the conversation surrounding the series centers on its characters, who remain one of its most discussed aspects. The show boasts a bunch of talented actors who bring to life some of the most complicated teens on television.

Ranking the characters of Euphoria from worst to best is no simple task. Many of them make questionable choices throughout the series, yet somehow remain in the good graces of fans. Even the show’s protagonist, Rue, has crossed lines that some viewers find hard to forgive.

From those who are consistently kind to others who are deeply flawed and often irredeemable, the show offers a wide range of personalities. It’s this contrast that keeps audiences hooked, even for a third season that comes seven years after the first.

15 Cal Jacobs (Eric Dane)

The late Eric Dane’s Euphoria character is one of the most unlikeable figures on television, making him the least popular on this list. Cal Jacobs is a deeply complex character with disturbing s*xual tendencies. His s*xual encounter with an underage Jules immediately earned viewers’ hatred from the very first episode.

He’s a creepy character who raised Nate to become a version of himself. As a result, fans often blame him for many of Nate’s worst actions. In Season 2, Cal abandons his family to pursue a bachelor lifestyle and indulge in his troubling desires. However, his actions catch up with him, and he is ultimately arrested in the season’s final episode after Nate tips off the police.

14 Elliot (Dominic Fike)

Dominic Fike’s Elliot was a nothing character in Euphoria. It often seemed as though the writers didn’t bother much with his character. We learned very little about him, and there was minimal growth as the story progressed through Season 2. He came across as a plot device created to fuel the relationship drama between Rue and Jules, and we grew tired of it pretty quickly.

13 Chris McKay (Algee Smith)

Algee Smith’s Chris McKay is an okay character at best in the show. While the writing could’ve gone a lot deeper into his character, his motivations, traits, and actions border on being very generic and boring. In a show tackling serious subjects like drug misuse, the lamely written plot about his NFL dreams felt out of place.

He was not a good boyfriend to Cassie and was easily manipulated by other characters. It was no wonder that the show wrote him out during Season 2 without much of an explanation.

12 Ashtray (Javon Walton)

Ashtray was likeable to some fans because of his loyalty towards Fezco. Remember how he killed Mouse to protect Fezco? Javon Walton is an incredible actor, but his character was written around Fezco a lot, making it difficult to judge him individually. We were sad to see him die in the final episode of Euphoria Season 2, when he took a bullet to the head.

11 Kat Hernandez (Barbie Ferreira)

Barbie Ferreira‘s Kat Hernandez had both fans and haters. One section felt that she underwent considerable character development throughout the series. They argued that she went from a timid person to someone actively engaging in s*xual encounters. Others argued that Kat turned weird and uncomfortable, with the writers making her into a s*x-hungry character.

She didn’t get the deserved screen space as the show progressed. Things weren’t smooth behind-the-scenes as Ferreira exited the show after two seasons. While she rejected feuding with Sam Levinson, she told Dax Shepard, “I don’t think [Levinson] relates to Kat.” She shared that she didn’t think her character had a place to go after Season 2.

10 Ethan Daley (Austin Abrams)

Austin Abrams’ Ethan Daley is another character who feels very okay-ish. He comes across as a good boyfriend to Kat and one of the most normal characters in the show, which are qualities that don’t exactly make him the Euphoria material. Reflecting this fan perception, Kat finds him uninteresting and inadequate in Season 2, eventually breaking up with him. However, he does manage to impress with his performance in Lexi’s stage play!

9 Cassie Howard (Sydney Sweeney)

Where to begin with this character? The role that propelled Sydney Sweeney to stardom is a very complicated character, who does some very questionable things. Things that could send her much lower on this ranked list!

However, there are parts of her story that we feel very sympathetic to. The final episodes of Season 1 unravelled her dark past and even saw her go through an abortion. In Season 2, we began to see her mental breakdown. She gets together with the most dangerous man in East Highland, and her school year descends into chaos. It was shocking for fans to see her engaged to Nate in Season 3.

8 Gia Bennett (Storm Reid)

Gia Bennett hasn’t been the central character in any of the episodes, but she was still crucial to Rue Bennett’s addiction storyline. It was through Gia that fans saw what family members experience when one of them is an addict. She witnesses how addiction brings out the worst in Rue.

We were also concerned for Storm Reid’s character, as we didn’t want her to dabble in drugs like her sister. However, Gia hasn’t caused problems like her sister so far. Fans like Gia and want the best for her, even though she isn’t as prominent as the other characters in the show.

7 Nate Jacobs (Jacob Elordi)

Nate is a POS right from the very first episode. He quickly establishes himself as a bad boyfriend, a bully, and a violent thug. He only grew on the unlikability scale for fans after his treatment of Jules, Tyler, and Maddy. And he waves around a freaking GUN!

Jacob Elordi‘s character is undeniably an awful person, but his home life offers some insight into how he became such a self-absorbed and disturbing individual. While he earns little sympathy, he remains a well-written character whom few can relate to, yet everyone can clearly understand.

6 Ali Muhammad (Colman Domingo)

Colman Domingo‘s Ali will be described as a good person at heart or a terrible sponsor, depending on who you ask. Domingo’s Emmy-winning guest performance came in the special episode, where he and Rue had a long conversation in a diner.

Ali and Rue met at Narcotics Anonymous, and he eventually became her sponsor. He calls out Rue’s actions and even reveals the horrible actions he had done in order to help Rue. However, others feel that Ali’s philosophical talks did nothing to help Rue stay clean. Debates aside, Ali remains one of the most interesting characters in the show.

5 Maddy Perez (Alexa Demie)

Maddy’s Season 2 character development might be the only reason why she is high up on this list. Her toxic relationship with Nate made her an insufferable character in Season 1 of the show. In the second season, Maddy distanced herself from Nate, and suddenly, fans could see her as this interesting character.

She was no longer the girl who pointed out an innocent guy for her physical abuse in the first season. She became a good friend to Kat and Lexi. And made a great impression during the latter’s stage play. Maddy probably had the best character growth in the show over the first two seasons.

4 Lexi Howard (Maude Apatow)

Lexi Howard was first introduced as Cassie’s sister and Rue’s friend. She was a likeable character in Season 1, especially after she helped out Rue in a major situation. However, Maude Apatow‘s character suddenly became immensely popular in Season 2, especially after the last two episodes.

The show also developed a romance angle between Lexi and Fezco, which the fans rooted for with all their heart. She was also behind the stage play in Season 2, serving as the new narrator for the show.

3 Jules Vaughn (Hunter Schafer)

Jules and Rue’s romantic relationship takes up a significant portion of Euphoria’s storyline. For some viewers, Jules initially came across as a poorly written character who repeatedly pulled away from Rue. However, Hunter Schafer broke all the assumptions with her performance in the special episode dedicated to their relationship.

Jules had a difficult upbringing, particularly after her mother committed her to a mental hospital. Despite this, she gradually develops a strong sense of identity over the course of the two seasons. While she makes several questionable decisions, we can eventually forgive her and be happy for how things ended up between her and Rue.

2 Fezco (Angus Cloud)

Fans can only remember Angus Cloud with deep sadness following his passing at the age of 25 in July 2023. He played the fan-favorite drug dealer Fezco in the show. Not many drug dealers on the screen earn such widespread love as Fezco received over the course of two seasons.

Despite being partly responsible for enabling Rue’s addiction, fans are quick to forgive Fezco after he goes out of his way to protect Rue in several situations. He is also incredibly kind to other girls, including Faye and Lexi, with whom he develops a romantic connection.

1 Rue Bennett (Zendaya)

Rue is far from perfect. At times, her behavior makes her difficult to like, especially when she hurts people who care about her, including Jules, Ali, and members of the Bennett family. However, the depth and complexity of her character make it hard for fans not to root for her.

It’s clear that Sam Levinson and the writers have placed significant focus on the star of their show, Zendaya. And the actress is damn good at selling the character of Rue and her struggles with addiction. Her two Emmy wins are a testament to her ability to handle such a layered and volatile character. As Euphoria moves forward with its new season, fans are eager to see a new side of Rue.

Rank	Character	Actor
1	Rue Bennett	Zendaya
2	Fezco	Angus Cloud
3	Jules Vaughn	Hunter Schafer
4	Lexi Howard	Maude Apatow
5	Maddy Perez	Alexa Demie
6	Ali Muhammad	Colman Domingo
7	Nate Jacobs	Jacob Elordi
8	Gia Bennett	Storm Reid
9	Cassie Howard	Sydney Sweeney
10	Ethan Daley	Austin Abrams
11	Kat Hernandez	Barbie Ferreira
12	Ashtray	Javon Walton
13	Chris McKay	Algee Smith
14	Elliot	Dominic Fike
15	Cal Jacobs	Eric Dane

Euphoria‘s third season has many of these characters returning. The rankings could change drastically by the end of the season, especially as the first episode already hints at significant character developments.

Who do you think is the best and worst character in Euphoria? Let us know in the comments below!

Euphoria Seasons 1 & 2 and the newly released episode of Season 3 are now available for streaming on HBO Max.