Zendaya is no longer just the face of Euphoria: she is its biggest financial investment, as anyone and everyone in Hollywood now wants a piece of her. HBO has finally dropped the much-anticipated trailer for Euphoria Season 3, and it has already taken the internet by storm. As fans eagerly count down the days for the new season to drop, the internet has grown interested in knowing how much the Emmy-winning star is bagging from the show. Well, let's just tell you, Zendaya's massive salary for Euphoria Season 3 has officially placed her among the highest-paid actors on television.
Zendaya's salary for Euphoria Season 3 explained
All drama and plot twist expectations aside, multiple industry reports have claimed that Euphoria Season 3 is shaping up to be HBO's most expensive season yet. It has a rumoured production budget of nearly USD 200 million, equating to roughly USD 25 million per episode. However, a major part of the cost has increased due to the higher salaries of its cast, and Zendaya is definitely leading the list.
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For those unaware, Zendaya is not only the main lead of Euphoria but also an executive producer of the show. According to Puck News, Zendaya renegotiated her contract ahead of Euphoria Season 3 and will earn a staggering USD 1 million per episode. If confirmed, the deal would make her one of the top-paid performers currently working in television.
The reported figure is credited to Zendaya's expanded work as the series' lead, 'Rue Bennet', a role that added two Emmys to her name. In season 2, she took on the position of Euphoria's executive producer, which even placed her as the youngest producer nominee in the history of Emmy.
How Zendaya's salary compares to her co-stars in Euphoria Season 3
HBO has not officially confirmed cast salaries, but industry reports suggest Zendaya earns significantly more than the rest of the ensemble. Multiple outlets claim her co-star Sydney Sweeney, who plays 'Cassie Howard' in the show, may earn around USD 800K per episode. However, some social media speculation has suggested a comparable figure to Zendaya’s, but the claim remains unverified.
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Some other unverified reports circulating online estimate that Jacob Elordi, who plays 'Nate Jacobs', earns roughly USD 700K per episode, while Alexa Demie, aka 'Maddy Perez', is said to take home about USD 600K. These rising cast salaries are a key factor behind Euphoria Season 3’s reported production budget of nearly USD 200 million, averaging around USD 25 million per episode.
Zendaya's rise to superstardom
Zendaya is currently the 'It' girl of modern cinema, whose career trajectory saw a dramatic jump in recent years. Beginning as a teen star on Disney Channel, with iconic TV shows like Shake It Up, PrankStars, and K.C. Undercover, she went on to star in some of the channel's original movies like Frenemies and Zapped.
According to an Entity report, Zendaya earned hundreds of thousands of dollars during her time on Disney Channel, including approximately USD 162K for PrankStars, USD 200K for K.C. Undercover, and USD 284K for Frenemies. Besides modelling and acting, Zendaya is a prolific dancer. During her 2013 appearance on Dancing With the Stars, she earned in six figures, reportedly over USD 200K. That steady climb continued into film, where Zendaya reportedly earned more than USD 10 million in bonuses alone for the box office sensation, Spider-Man: No Way Home.
At just 29, Zendaya’s acting work, producing credits, and major brand endorsements have made her one of the highest-paid names in Hollywood, with an estimated net worth of around USD 30 million, according to Celebrity Net Worth and Parade.
Expected plot twists in Euphoria Season 3
The trailer for Euphoria Season 3 teases major twists following a five-year time jump, with all the characters now fully into adulthood. ‘Rue’ is shown living in Mexico, pulled deeper into the drug world by ‘Laurie’ over an unpaid debt, now tied to a new kingpin played by Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje.
Perhaps the biggest surprise is the fact that ‘Nate’ and ‘Cassie’ are now married, though their relationship begins to unravel as new secrets surface. Meanwhile, ‘Maddy’ has relocated to Hollywood and works at a talent agency, while ‘Jules’ is attending art school. The season will also feature a tribute to the late Angus Cloud, who played 'Fezco' in the show.
Besides the main cast, the upcoming season will star Hunter Schafer, Maude Apatow, Eric Dane, Dominic Fike, and Colman Domingo, with new guest stars including Sharon Stone, Rosalía, and Natasha Lyonne joining the lineup. The new season will consist of eight episodes, streaming weekly on Sundays.
Euphoria Season 3 is officially set to premiere on Sunday, April 12, 2026, and will be available to watch on HBO and HBO Max at 9:00 PM ET.
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